Tiger Looks to Take Stigma out of Supplements with MusclePharm Bag Deal

[DwightC]

Tiger Woods endorsing a commercial line of dietary supplements is, in a word, pathetic.  His agent--no doubt getting a cut of the endorsement proceeds--can blather all he wants about taking the 'stigma' out of supplements.  This is just one more rip in an increasingly tattered celeb persona.

So what's next?  As Tiger is quoted as saying, 'we all age and get a little bit older.'  In a few years what will it be--Viagra, like Bob Dole, or maybe Depends, like June Allison?

Oh well, you can argue either side of whether Tiger's been 'good for golf.'  One thing's for sure, golf's been good for Tiger.

[mvmac]

Ask @mvmac what he thinks of Tiger's physique (I'm only tagging Mike because he's seen him recently).

Yeah he has a fit physique. If you just saw him walking down the street and didn't know who he was, you wouldn't stop and think the guy is huge and that he takes steroids.

Not sure about that. Depends on the knee issue. I know there are a lot of doctors now who are telling their patients, who have ligament tears in the knee, to keep up moderate weight lifting on the knee to strengthen the surrounding muscles. This cuts down on months of rehab because it limits muscle loss.

I've heard similar things, keep lifting and it will strengthen the knee. Personally, my strength training has really helped lessen or get rid of any back/knee pain I had.

I would be very surprised if Tiger is just working his upper body, last time I heard details about his workout, it was pretty heavy on legs, that was a couple years ago.

His agent--no doubt getting a cut of the endorsement proceeds--can blather all he wants about taking the 'stigma' out of supplements.

Uh yeah, that's usually how agents make money, they get a percentage of what their clients make.

[newtogolf]

I use high quality protein powder, Creatine and multi-vitamins but have tried most, such as Nitric Oxide, fat burners, test boosters from many providers, including MusclePharm.   The reality is almost any supplement that works well eventually becomes listed as a controlled substance; ephedrine, DMAA, androstenediol, trenbolene and metylephedrine to list a few that were once available over the counter and no longer are.

Another problem with many of these supplement companies is they use the same equipment to produce illegal steroids and supplements and sometimes the OTC supplements are tainted with banned ingredients.  There's also the issue that most supplements are not tested by the FDA and long range side effects are usually not known until it's too late, such as in the most recent lawsuit against USP Labs for their OxyElite Pro product which has been linked with causing acute liver failure.

I think it's a bad move on Tiger's part, the supplement business is really shady and has a stigma because most are misrepresenting the results their customers will get using their products and minimizing the side effects.

[Dave2512]

Used to love MP's Hybrid NO. Don't think they sell it anymore. That stuff made me feel fantastic.

[BENtSwing]

Tiger Woods endorsing a commercial line of dietary supplements is, in a word, pathetic.  His agent--no doubt getting a cut of the endorsement proceeds--can blather all he wants about taking the 'stigma' out of supplements.  This is just one more rip in an increasingly tattered celeb persona.

So what's next?  As Tiger is quoted as saying, 'we all age and get a little bit older.'  In a few years what will it be--Viagra, like Bob Dole, or maybe Depends, like June Allison?

Oh well, you can argue either side of whether Tiger's been 'good for golf.'  One thing's for sure, golf's been good for Tiger.

This could the dumbest thing I've ever read.

[newtogolf]

Tiger Woods endorsing a commercial line of dietary supplements is, in a word, pathetic.  His agent--no doubt getting a cut of the endorsement proceeds--can blather all he wants about taking the 'stigma' out of supplements.  This is just one more rip in an increasingly tattered celeb persona.

So what's next?  As Tiger is quoted as saying, 'we all age and get a little bit older.'  In a few years what will it be--Viagra, like Bob Dole, or maybe Depends, like June Allison?

Oh well, you can argue either side of whether Tiger's been 'good for golf.'  One thing's for sure, golf's been good for Tiger.

Celebs endorse products for money.  In some cases they also happen to use or believe in the product so it's a win-win.  Tiger has been pretty careful to minimize his endorsements so I don't see him like some of the guys on the Tour whose golf shirts look like a NASCAR race car.  Does Furyk really use 5 Hour Energy, does Stricker really rent from Avis?  I think all celebs like endorsement checks so I don't begrudge them the opportunity to increase their income, they should just make sure they really want their name associated with the products.

My concern for Tiger is the supplement industry overall is shady so I would think he could find a "safer" endorsement deal that wouldn't potentially increase the drama he already deals with.

[jamo]

With the knee problems he had from 2006-2012, my guess is he did not spend a lot of time on lower body for obvious fear reasons. Not a good idea to do squats or quad pushes when your knee is throbbing in pain. And if he was unbalanced top to bottom, it would explain the injuries a little better.

Maybe, but I think it's just as likely that he spent an extra amount of time on his legs while rehabbing.

[ChrisP]

Maybe, but I think it's just as likely that he spent an extra amount of time on his legs while rehabbing.

Well, when he was sidelined with the two knee surgeries, he admitted both times to doing weights to keep himself busy, and I would guess he couldn't do leg weights during that stretch. As for the rest of the time, I don't know. I'm sure he spent some time on the lower body, but who knows how much. I know I work out with weights on a regular basis and I'll admit legs are the hardest thing to do. For one, nobody notices the leg muscles but everyone notices the upper body ones so you have more motivation to do those, and I'm guilty of skipping leg workouts a lot. I used to take Creatine as well, and while it's not a PED, it can jack you up pretty good. I was always curious if Tiger used that in his workouts.

[MMiller]

I think it's a bad move on Tiger's part, the supplement business is really shady and has a stigma because most are misrepresenting the results their customers will get using their products and minimizing the side effects.

This^^

Supplements...we humans are always looking for a short cut. Eat whole foods and back away from the American crap diet and you won't need any "supplements" because they are already in your food..

Just another way to make a quick buck. If I was Tiger at this point in my career I would be less concerned about making a quick buck on the backs of my fans and more about aligning myself with quality people, organizations and overall message.

[iacas]

Just another way to make a quick buck. If I was Tiger at this point in my career I would be less concerned about making a quick buck on the backs of my fans and more about aligning myself with quality people, organizations and overall message.

How is this "on the backs of [his] fans"? It's on the backs of a corporation who sees it as an advertising expense. So…

The self-righteous indignation when it comes to Tiger Woods always surprises me. Geez.

[RonTheSavage]

This^^ Supplements...we humans are always looking for a short cut. Eat whole foods and back away from the American crap diet and you won't need any "supplements" because they are already in your food.. Just another way to make a quick buck. If I was Tiger at this point in my career I would be less concerned about making a quick buck on the backs of my fans and more about aligning myself with quality people, organizations and overall message.

I get what you're saying about eating whole foods and everything because thats what I do. Im 6'3 and weigh 174lbs. But since I work in an office and dont get enough sunlight my vitamin D levels are low. So low I had to take Vitamin D pills for about a month. So supplements arent all about shortcuts........alot of them are but not all.

[newtogolf]

I get what you're saying about eating whole foods and everything because thats what I do. Im 6'3 and weigh 174lbs. But since I work in an office and dont get enough sunlight my vitamin D levels are low. So low I had to take Vitamin D pills for about a month. So supplements arent all about shortcuts........alot of them are but not all.

If supplements were only about shortcuts then it wouldn't be a shady business.  The problem with supplements is that about 90% of what supplement companies sell are snake oil in modern day form with fancy packaging.  It's not even a matter of shortcuts, it's that they don't do what they advertise they are supposed to.  Protein, creatine and multi-vitamins have proven lab results as being effective at what they are advertised to do but within limits.

Most of the test boosters on the market are pure garbage.  I had my testosterone levels tested before starting cycles with many of the popular test boosters - net effect was zero.  The ones that did work in the past were found to contain banned substances or were banned, such as Andro.  Patrick Arnold (who I know very casually) created Andro, "The Clear" and 1-AD did jail time for his part in BALCO.  He has had at least 2 supplement companies that sold OTC supplements.  Some of his more effective products have been banned or pulled off the shelves after it was discovered they contained trace amounts of steroids.  He blamed the manufacturing company that produced the supplements for contaminating his products with steroids the plant was producing legally for another company.  Bottom line, you want to increase your testosterone, go to a doctor and get a prescription.

NO supplements give you a nice tingly feeling when you take them and the sense that you can work out longer with less effort.  There is a placebo effect that lasts a while in combination with the natural effects that L-Arginine produces but long term they are useless unless you continue to increase dosages to unsafe levels.  L-Arginine and 2 cups of Starbucks would simulate most of the effects of NO supplements at 10% of the cost.

Fat burners are a huge industry, most now contain (since ephedrine was banned for weight loss drugs) combinations of yohimbe extract and caffeine.  The last decent fat burner was OxyElite Pro which contained DMAA and it was banned after there was a link between it and acute liver failure.  Like test boosters, if you want to lose weight using a pill, go to the doctor and get a prescription, it will be cheaper and more effective.

Multi-vitamins mostly pass through your system without being absorbed but as you found in your case, enough can be absorbed to resolve an deficit.

MusclePharm is one of the better supplement companies out there.  They are / were  endorsed by the UFC who has also been very selective about who they endorse.  If I had to pick supplement companies I'd endorse, MusclePharm, Gaspari Labs and Cellucor would be the ones.   This doesn't mean all of their products work as advertised but they are more realistic about their benefits.

[turtleback]

Yeah I'd say thats a red flag. I had no idea. Now I know at least part of the reason why every so often the "Tiger's on Steroids" guys show up on the boards LOL.

So they have been showing up for years claiming he uses steroids because they knew that someday Tiger would endorse a supplement company that does not market steroids?

With the knee problems he had from 2006-2012, my guess is he did not spend a lot of time on lower body for obvious fear reasons. Not a good idea to do squats or quad pushes when your knee is throbbing in pain. And if he was unbalanced top to bottom, it would explain the injuries a little better.

But ultimately this is all conjecture because those Drs. never saw him in person, never examined him, never reviewed his workout routines, never measured his upper body muscle mass vs. his lower body muscle mass.

But hey, it got them a little publicity.

[MMiller]

How is this "on the backs of [his] fans"? It's on the backs of a corporation who sees it as an advertising expense. So…

The self-righteous indignation when it comes to Tiger Woods always surprises me. Geez.

So...... the advertising expense only makes sense if Tigers celebrity influence is successful in selling the products to his fans. How did you divorce yourself from that part of the equation?

I'm no Tiger hater....he is an impressive human being period. I would only wish for him to make better choices ( any celebrity or person of influence for that matter) as to where to use his influence.

Putting his name on the side of a "Can o Crap" seems like a poor choice to me. ymmv..

[RonTheSavage]

So they have been showing up for years claiming he uses steroids because they knew that someday Tiger would endorse a supplement company that does not market steroids?

This is in reference toEric's post above that MusclePharm's head of marketing has a bit of a shady (and not-too-distant) past with steroids. And it was kind of a joke.:whistle:

[iacas]

So...... the advertising expense only makes sense if Tigers celebrity influence is successful in selling the products to his fans. How did you divorce yourself from that part of the equation?

Uhm, I used basic logic. Your comments make no sense.

A corporation endorsing Tiger is spending its own money. Whether they can or can't make that money back is on them. It has nothing to do with Tiger doing something "on the backs of [his] fans."

I'm no Tiger hater....he is an impressive human being period. I would only wish for him to make better choices ( any celebrity or person of influence for that matter) as to where to use his influence. Putting his name on the side of a "Can o Crap" seems like a poor choice to me. ymmv..

You don't seem to know about their products.

Plus, let me tell you how this went:

MusclePharm: "We'd like to pay your client boatloads of money."

Tiger's Agent: "You have a good product, right?"

MP: "Yes."

TA: "Deal."

His "influence"? He's sold space on his bag to advertise for a legitimate business. I'll quote someone from above:

MusclePharm is one of the better supplement companies out there.  They are / were  endorsed by the UFC who has also been very selective about who they endorse.  If I had to pick supplement companies I'd endorse, MusclePharm, Gaspari Labs and Cellucor would be the ones.   This doesn't mean all of their products work as advertised but they are more realistic about their benefits.

[jmejones]

Tiger weights 185 lbs soaking wet, at 6'1"...that's not bulk...it's not even average cornerback size in the NFL.  It is simply he puts too much torque on his joints in stressful positions as many great athletes do.  Those with more flexible ligaments survive better than those that don't. Kinda like slow twitch and fast twitch fibers.  You're either born with it or with out.

[jmejones]

Examples: Gales Sayers vs. Barry Sanders and Derrick Rose vs. A young Dwayne Wade...injury prone vs. non-injury prone.