Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Attention American News Media: Bole = Primobolan

We know that A-Rod tested positive for the steroid primobolan from Sports Illustrated's big scoop of a couple weekends ago. Today Alex Rodriguez explained that his cousin told him of a drug called Boli or Bole. I have heard some comment that they don't know what drug Alex was referring to.

So for all you non-bilinguals, let me help you out. "Boli/Bole" is what you get when you shorten primoBOLan with a Spanish accent. I'm not sure Alex knew this back then, but Boli is pretty clearly just a Spanish corruption of the drug's actual name, which few roiders were probably that interested in even knowing.

Also, let me make a quick observation for all those people who think it's impossible A-Rod would put something in his body without totally knowing what it was or how to use it. I have a friend who is a former amateur body-builder. At that time in his life he used steroids. He was telling me and another friend about that period and my friend asked him if he cycled on and off of the steroids (as you're supposed to). He responded that yes he did, and that he made sure to do his research before beginning to take them. Apparently a lot of other body builders were also taking steroids but doing so improperly. These are people who get big for a living, and yet they don't necessarily know how to properly take steroids. So can I believe that a ball player getting supplement advice from his cousin might not use steroids properly? Yes, I can.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for clearing this up. It's annoying watching different sources not knowing.

TribeGirl said...

As an associate of the "gym culture", you are SO on the money with the way people use steroids. Some do them correctly, some just do them. To add to your observation, I take issue with all the talking heads were questioning that ARod didn't start until he was 24. I'm 2 years older than ARod, so I was thinking back to the "gym culture" of the late 90s and early 2000's, and yes, it's believable. You don't just wake up and take steroids. It does start with the Ripped Fuel and supplements of that nature. Then you hear about better stuff that can be special ordered, but still along those lines. And it goes from there until you're growing and becoming stronger and finally use the steroids - but often its looked at as just another "better supplement." And if you cycle PROPERLY, the side effects everyone talks about usually don't happen - it depends on the person. No giant head, no acne, no shrinking balls. It's the ones that double cycle or use for years and years that develop those issues. That's probably why ARod didn't show any of those signs that we could see. Hell, he wasn't even bulky big until '05 (I think that's the right year.) No, I don't do steroids, and I'm not wearing my ARod fan hat here - I'm just very familiar with the gym culture and what he was saying does make sense... Most of the talking heads were journalism majors and probably have no clue about what really goes on. And the guys who do (former players, now talking heads) won't say it because it makes them look complicit by not telling. Bottom line is he was wrong, and he was correct in saying he only has himself to blame, so why can't they just leave it at that? He gave ALOT of information between today's press conference and the Gammons interview.

One other thing - immediately after the press conference, Buster Olney was praising him, saying he did well and had a good day, blah blah blah. But then I guess he heard all the others trashing ARod because a few hours later, his opinion had changed drastically from what he initially felt immediatly after it was over. Hmmmm......

Fred Trigger said...

This is the way I look at it, tribegirl. If you are Barry bonds, and are seeing only one pitch to hit per game, and still hit it out of that cavernous ballpark, you have some serious skills.

Anonymous said...

I havent posted about this arod thing. partially because i dont really care, and because a part of me was hurt. but i can tell you one thing i learned through this.. its that a lot of sports writers are pieces of garbage. i read this website. rab. and pete abe in the mornings before class, and i can honestly say that i have lost so much respect for pete abe. i never really comment on his site, because there are a lot of shouting matches and i like the laid back atmosphere here. Pete abe has crucified arod, publicly. i can understand him doing privately with his peers. but to constantly bash arod and stick up for this roberts woman who it seems was out to sabotage the career of anyone she feels treats women wrong (i.e. duke lax, and kobe bryant). i am not sticking up for bryant in what he did, but she took the duke lax thing entirely too far. those kids lives are ruined now because of this woman. shes an oppourtunist and her antics have opened my eyes to how bad these journalists are.

TribeGirl said...

Fred - I agree with you. There's a reason these are called "supplements." These guys still have MAD SKILLS. I do wish ARod realized this, as he was and is a phenominal athlete CLEAN!

Quinn - I'm a woman (obviously) and I'll tell you what. The media treatment of Kobe and the Duke players was awful!!! The difference between those two stories and this one is those were violent crimes, and that is what we have a justice system for - not for SPORTS writers to convict people! Selena Roberts gave women journalists and journalists in general a bad name for her reporting on those two stories. Fine, report on ARod with your stupid sources of four players. BTW - can you believe that? I wonder who they were??? Beyond her, I too have lost a lot of respect for many sports writers I considered smart, inciteful, provocative, and generally loved the game. Now I'm seeing them for what they really are - the jealous ones who couldn't get the girl in high school and couldn't play the game well enough to go anywhere. I hate to break it down in such immature fashion, but it is what it is....

Roberto E. Alejandro said...

Journalism is a competitive industry and that usually leads to interesting ethics. My biggest beef with the sports media right now is that they'll happily kill A-Rod, but take no response for their role in ignoring what was obviously then the steroids era. I think that's unfair.

Fred Trigger said...

not to mention the whole constitutional rights thing that was violated. I cant wait till serena roberts gets dragged in front of a judge and is ordered to reveal her "source".

Anonymous said...

it just irks me. i mean i just dont get it. the roberts woman i can understand her going after professional athletes, while it is wrong the way she did but these men are in the spot light. she ruined those kids lives, and it should have cost her, her job. but now shes going to make millions with her book trashing arod.. maybe she can explain to his daughters she did it for the money without ever having a legit conversation with their dad. or better yet, why doesnt she just read it to them. but thats my rant.. spring training starts tomorrow and it warms my heart here in cold cold upstate new york. i cant wait for the wbc and spring training games, thats when sportscenter becomes watchable again.

Roberto E. Alejandro said...

The WBC should be fun. I already ordered my PR shirt. Tomorrow is Jeter's response to the media which will keep the A-Rod story in the news for another couple days, but then it should mostly be baseball.

Raven King said...

Baseball will never be nothing but baseball with Alex hanging around.
The "Ha Game" in Toronto.
The blonde stripper incident.
The opting out of his contract that stole the media's attention away from WS Championship.
The Madonna affair and his divorce.
And now, the A-Roid Cirus.
Alex should get into the HOF on the first ballot for helping Baseball evolve from a dull sport to something as funny and attracting as Saturday Night Live.

Tigs said...

Have y'all actually read Selena Roberts reporting on Duke LAX? It's intelligent and indicts the jock culture of schools like Duke rather than the players for this specific incident. Her biggest complaint with the players was that not one team member came forward with an eye witness account--which is indeed pretty f-ed up.
She's been writing about Alex for ages--she was doing book research. It's not surprising that she would have been the one that people talked to.
I guess my point is: She didn't shoot steroids into Alex's ass.

That being said, all A-Rod needs to do is hit .315 this season, and all is forgiven in New York.

TribeGirl said...

Tigs - I think everyone agrees that Alex is at fault for what he did and nobody else. What we're exploring is the media'a reaction to it, Selena Roberts included.

What I'm interested to know almost more than the 103 other names is, what four players are her source? I'm not questioning them, because clearly it's true. I just want to know what four players dropped the dime...

Roberto E. Alejandro said...

Yeah, it was such a loosey-goosey era. Who didn't inject A-Rod with steroids? The point is, the media is just as responsible for the steroids era that they decry as anybody else. I think the Duke LAX thing is more complicated so I'd rather stay away from it, but journalism being what it is, you go with the scoop. Think Dan Rather and the forged Bush Vietnam era service documents. That was one of the most prestigious news men in the country.

Tigs said...

I would actually doubt that they were players at all. Remember the report isn't about anyone seeing Alex do anything, the evidence came from the reports seized in the BALCO investigation. I would bet that at least 3 of her sources are from the investigative teams (defense or prosecution) in the Barry Bonds case, and maybe one person from the union.

Roberto E. Alejandro said...

Just to update, I've read articles in both the post and the daily news today (both on steroid experts' reactions to A-Rod's story) that mention that boli is a street name for Primobolan. I'm glad they had to phone experts to find that out. All I had to do was be raised bilingual. Losers.