THE 'ROID REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 9

by Gary Gaffney, MD, Steroid Nation

The week's biggest news story involved a generous dose of anabolic steroid -- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's testosterone excess. Interesting how his testosterone-driven trysts dominated other stories like the presidential race, the mortgage crisis, the Iraq conflict and the Yankee's spring training. The Governor hung around the Congressional steroids hearing when Roger Clemens testified. Why didn't the Spitz hire Clemen's lawyer Rusty Hardin to defend himself? We see how well that's worked out for the Rocket. Just as the Rocket sometimes needs a set-up man for relief, seems Spitzer's bust needed a set-up man too (story here). Do not offend Wall Street or Yankee fans.

Spitzer may or may not join Marion Jones in the slammer. Jones resides in a Texas prison now due to her fibs about steroids to the feds.

Federal investigators in the Bay area seem to be laid back these days. However, they seem to be pursuing leads obtained from busted steroid/PED pusher Dr. Ramon Scruggs. Scruggs supplied Internet PEDs to Scott Schoeneweis and new St. Louis Cardinal Troy Glaus. It may take some time, but other athlete's names could surface at some point.

Speaking of the Cardinals, some writers feel manager Tony LaRussa enables dopers.

And to the extent that we know how deeply performance-enhancing drugs permeated baseball, to the extent that we know when this happened, it appears clear that LaRussa was one of the great enablers...

He was vociferous in his defense of Jose Canseco until Canseco himself started publicly bragging about his steroid use. He remains stanch in his denials that McGwire used. He defends current player Rick Ankiel, who admits using human growth hormone.

Ex-Red Sox slugger Mike Greenwell did not appreciate one of LaRussa's charges - Jose Canseco. Greenwell went 'roid rage pointing out the stats and the salary he lost to the juicers including Canseco. The MLB Player's Association allows this drug-cheating go on with it's fight against anti-doping measures, thus short-changing the major of MLB players who play by the rules? Incredible.

Canseco, always good for news in slow weeks, seemed to be busy. He joined a supplement company based on his PED expertise (GAT rocket fuel, Jose?). Then the San Jose Mercury noted Canseco appears so juiced he avoids the men's poker tournaments, to play in the lady's round. Perhaps Canseco can vindicate himself in his new book: "Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and the Battle to Save Baseball" -- or will he vindicate women's poker matches?

The Texas Rangers -- trying to overcome a juicing past with Juan Gone, Canseco, Raffy Palmeiro and others -- tell a woeful tail of betrayal when a high Ranger draft pick tested positive for the juice at age 18. Rangers GM Jon Daniels wonders if all draftees should be dope-tested.

Lastly good reviews of anti-aging and doping in Sports Illustrated, of Florida Internet dope rings in the Broward-Palm Beach New Times, and the ultimate in designing bodies with gene-doping.

Considering all the money Client No. 9's girl now brings into New York, perhaps things will look up for the local teams. Could the Mets change the call-girl into a ball-girl?