Gary Player's ridiculous comments

[Baynative]

Player seems to have jumped the Shark. He's getting on in years and like the limelight as well as wanting something to be done about drugs before drugs do something to the game.
He could have just called for immediate testing to remove doubt instead of making up a story about someone comeing to him with a mea culpa, as I suspect.

That said: Why the hell should we care who uses drugs and who doesn't? Athletes are entertainers. it doesn't bother us when musicians use drugs ...or actors, or even politicians. So what's the big deal?

They are paid to perform and we pay to watch them. Let's let them juice up and perform in ways we never thought possible.

[bwinger79]

I agree with you that this sport is for entertainment, but drug use among the players does need to be looked in to. It gives the using players an advantage, and takes away from the integrity of the game. Sure 350yd drives are fun to watch, but once it becomes the norm, some of this games greatest courses will be rendered useless.

I dont think Player made the comments he made to get his name in the paper. He is still the "world ambassador" for golf, and I think more than anything he is worried about cheating in the game he devoted his life to.

Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[iacas]

Player seems to have jumped the Shark.

Hey, yeah, Greg Norman is single again... what are you saying?!?!? Huh? Huh?

I know what "jumped the shark" means. I'm making a bad joke. Sorry.

He could have just called for immediate testing to remove doubt instead of making up a story about someone comeing to him with a mea culpa, as I suspect.

Personally I doubt that what Gary said was "made up." He probably does have personal knowledge that some pro golfer, at some point in the past ten years, took some sort of drug that resulted in a "dramatic change" or whatever Gary said.

My own problem is that instead of just saying "I believe strongly in testing for PEDs," he took the "neener neener I know a secret" approach. Perhaps he felt he couldn't get enough attention just saying he wants drug testing, but all his comments seemed to do was further push current Tour players from accepting drug testing. They were nearly unanimous in saying "I don't see any evidence that anyone's taking drugs."

That said: Why the hell should we care who uses drugs and who doesn't? Athletes are entertainers. it doesn't bother us when musicians use drugs ...or actors, or even politicians. So what's the big deal?

Because there are winners and losers. Musicians and actors play on a stage where there are no real winners or losers (they just occasionally lose their life to drugs).

Silly or proper, we like the idea that competition is pure. We don't like cheaters. You can't really "cheat" at acting by snorting coke - heck, acting is the art of cheating or at least pretending or lying, you could say - but you can definitely cheat at golf.

[withdrew]

Because there are winners and losers. Musicians and actors play on a stage where there are no real winners or losers (they just occasionally lose their life to drugs).

Totally agreed.

Artists, actors, musicians and the like have cranked out the most amazing and creative stuff while under the influence of drugs. Not that I condone drug use (because I don't) but the world would be a very different (and probably boring) place without them, especially in the hands of those very talented folks!

[Baynative]

... he's right that there should be drug-testing for the guys on tour. Even if he can't name a single person on the tour that is on steroids, there should still be testing. It is silly to not have drug testing.

In a game that relies on honor where players have called penalties and even DQ'd themselves from important tournaments, it's hard to think that they would take this chance if the PGA said "Don't do it".

[SubPar]

I can't figure out what drugs could possibly be a significant help to a golfer. It is a game that requires as much mental ability and toughness as physical, maybe more. Unlike a lot of sports that require momentary bursts of energy or physical strength, golf requires a cool head and delicate touch over days of competition.

Most drugs we normally think of as "performance enhancing" mess with your head and juice up the body. Maybe some kind of mental relaxer is in play but most of those also take down energy and sharpness. Gary Player probably thinks anything but a multivitamin is over the line.

Maybe roid-rage explains Pat Perez!

SubPar

[g-funk13]

Maybe some kind of mental relaxer is in play but most of those also take down energy and sharpness. Gary Player probably thinks anything but a multivitamin is over the line.

Hey, that's a thought. As an Opera singer, I personally know people who have used beta blockers (originally blood pressure medicine) to calm their nerves, so they don't freak out for the big high note.

Many liked the results at first, while some found they lost their edge, and whereas they got in the "zone" occasionally before drugs, they were permanently in the "haze" on the meds. Wonder if Tour Pros use nerve calmers?

[JaY_B]

Everyone seems too have missed a trick here that G Player has picked on, publicity good or bad is good publicity, doing this he has created a load of publicity for himself, and simultaneously to making these comments he had been releasing a book, so it is a smart move from Mr. Player.

If its nothing to do with the book i think its a mistimed and terribly thought out comment which he said because of sour grapes, maybe (big maybe) he doesn't like not being able to compete despite how *fit* he is, and there fore other players MUST be using drugs to possibly be as fit as he is

Anyway I'm waffling now so I'm going to let you get on with your debate that will never get solved as no one will know why he did it and most likely who he meant.

[themasteroncbs]

Sometimes I think Gary Player says stuff just to hear himself talk. Was a great player (no pun intended), but has always had a huge mouth!

[flash]

Like I said a week ago.Gary Player LOVES any spotlight he can get his 26" waist into