by Rex Teodosio

Created on: May 26, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

There seems to be a current misconception regarding the relationship between steroid and talent. Steroid does not develop talent.

Name me an anabolic steroid that increases alertness, agility, dexterity, hand-eye coordination, speed, creativity, equilibrium, awareness, assessment of threat, assessment of speed, spatial awareness, data analysis on the fly, and everything else that makes part of talent.

Steroids accelerate muscle bulking and increases endurance which helps in strength developing. BUT... It does not create talent.

Would a baseball player make more contact if he was bulkier? Hardly.

Would a Hockey player, score more points if he was bulkier? Hardly.

Would a basketball player, be more shot-creative and more precise if he was bulkier? Hardly.

Would a soccer player, be more precise in kicking if he was bulkier? Hardly.

Would a tennis player, be better if he were bulkier? Hardly.

In fact in my list of sports and semi-sports, steroids would have little if any effect.

This includes Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball, Skiing, Motocross, BMX freestyle, Skateboarding, Surfing, Waterskiing, Jetskiing, Rock Climbing, Ice Climbing, Swimming, Lacrosse, Waterpolo, Equestrian, Polo, Hunting, Bass Fishing, Shooting, Gold, Bowling, Billiards, Darts, Nascar, Cross country, Marathon, Decathlon, Diving, Cheerleading, Schoolband, etc., etc., etc. and most of all, the most intensive of all sports, Curling. Boo-yeah! Go sweepers. Take that steroid and sweep faster, stronger and longer.

On what sports would steroid really have a significant impact? Certain positions in football (definitely not the QB, WR and Kicker); Boxing; Sumo Wrestling; MMA/UFC; Mr. Olympia; and Worlds Strongest Man. These sports require more brute strength.

Even then, brute strength still doesn't equal talent. Chuck Liddell is best in his class not because he is the strongest, the bulkiest. It is because he is fast, accurate, tenacious and just simply fearless. I bet good money that there are more people in his class who can bench more than he can, curl more and power lift more. Yet, they are not necessarily better.

My reservation with steroids is the adverse effect and the deaths it can lead to. But, if it was made safer, I really don't see any adverse effect on professional sports. It will not hurt the sports but help it. It will give a chance for those who have real talent to rise above us mere mortals.

This is not to say I would condone it to adolescents. That would be entirely different. But, we are just talking about "professional" sports.

In conclusion, talent is not a product of pharmacology but is God-given. Some are just born with it.

Learn more about this author, Rex Teodosio.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.