Dara Torres-Amazing

Skip, Cripes,...... you don't need to be a "player" to offer a qualified opinion on this subject. You just have to PAY ATTENTION and think with your mind not your heart. I'll be honest with you, at the expense of my reputation as the most irritating masters swimmer, I will tell you my opinion. I lean toward the article's conclusion. The evidence is indeed circumstantial, but you can not deny that the drug testing performed these days is lagging and insufficient as clearly evidenced in the sport of cycling. Sorry Skip, seems like we've seen and heard about too much drug crap the last 15 years in this sport. It is disillusioning. All 3 of my children (14,12,8) swim competitively now. I have taught them that supplements and drugs beyond mere vitamins and protein powder are flat out cheating. I am confident they will not act foolishly in their future swimming career. I can not say that about a growing percentage of young swimmers who begin with lessor items as Creatine in highschool and expand from there in college and beyond. Balco was real..... no one on talked about it on this thread until the whistle was blown. No one knew about The Clear, THG, IGF-1, HGH and other designer steroids until recent years. How do we know that there isn't another Balco out there or another THG equivalent.............. we just don't. Note........ Paul is much more dipolmatic in his approach to the subject..... but don't think he doesn't have a strong opinion. Let me ask you a tough question now, Skip........ Do you think there are any top level Masters Swimmers who take human growth hormone, testosterone or other hardcore supplements ? Bad enough to cheat at the real thing (i.e. US Nationals)...... how pathetic, insecure and desperate for attention do you think it would be for a Masters swimmer to take these drugs? ........ :-) My god I wish I started this thread. I would win the "Most Controversial Thread" of the year award hands down. John Smith

Skip, Cripes,...... you don't need to be a "player" to offer a qualified opinion on this subject. You just have to PAY ATTENTION and think with your mind not your heart. I'll be honest with you, at the expense of my reputation as the most irritating masters swimmer, I will tell you my opinion. I lean toward the article's conclusion. The evidence is indeed circumstantial, but you can not deny that the drug testing performed these days is lagging and insufficient as clearly evidenced in the sport of cycling. Sorry Skip, seems like we've seen and heard about too much drug crap the last 15 years in this sport. It is disillusioning. All 3 of my children (14,12,8) swim competitively now. I have taught them that supplements and drugs beyond mere vitamins and protein powder are flat out cheating. I am confident they will not act foolishly in their future swimming career. I can not say that about a growing percentage of young swimmers who begin with lessor items as Creatine in highschool and expand from there in college and beyond. Balco was real..... no one on talked about it on this thread until the whistle was blown. No one knew about The Clear, THG, IGF-1, HGH and other designer steroids until recent years. How do we know that there isn't another Balco out there or another THG equivalent.............. we just don't. Note........ Paul is much more dipolmatic in his approach to the subject..... but don't think he doesn't have a strong opinion. Let me ask you a tough question now, Skip........ Do you think there are any top level Masters Swimmers who take human growth hormone, testosterone or other hardcore supplements ? Bad enough to cheat at the real thing (i.e. US Nationals)...... how pathetic, insecure and desperate for attention do you think it would be for a Masters swimmer to take these drugs? ........ :-) My god I wish I started this thread. I would win the "Most Controversial Thread" of the year award hands down. John Smith