Tiger's Own Words May Be Cause for Concern About Anthony Galea
by Ryan Ballengee on Dec 18, 2009 11:33 AM EST
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PrintEver since this whole Tiger Woods thing started, seems like every marketing slogan that Team Tiger partners used to present their products through the lens of the perfect athlete has been a punch line. So, too been scrutinized has been every word that Tiger Woods has ever said.
When Michael Vick waited several long weeks in 2007 to acknowledge his lead role in a disgusting dog fighting ring, Woods advised Vick in an interview with ESPN, "If you made that big a mistake, you’ve got to come out and just be contrite, be honest and just tell the public that ‘I was wrong.'"
"Waiting a long time got a lot of people polarized. ... If he would have come out earlier, he would’ve diffused a little more of it."
It took Woods some two weeks, a slew of rumors, a verified voicemail recording, and mounting further evidence for Woods to finally admit infidelity to his marriage after first acknowledging indiscretions.
Just a few days before this whole saga began with a first-dismissed rumor in the National Enquirer, Woods was asked by an interviewer in New Zealand, "Family first and golf second ... always been that way?"
Woods replied: "Always. Always."
Tiger also said that he and Steve Williams talk about everything together, despite denials from Stevie that he knew anything of Woods' personal failings.
Do you get where I'm going with this? Woods' actions have run counter to his public statements about himself and advice he would offer to others. That is a serious pause for concern when it comes to use of HGH or other performance-enhancing drugs. Why? Because Woods said in 2006 that drug testing should be done on the PGA Tour...immediately.
"I don't know when we could get that implemented," Woods said. "Tomorrow would be fine with me.
"I think we should be proactive instead of reactive. I just think we should be ahead of it and keep our sport as pure as can be. This is a great sport, and it's always been clean."
Commissioner Tim Finchem, as well as other players, long resisted calls for drug testing but Woods effectively forced the program's development and '08 implementation with that statement. Woods himself was even tepid about the topic when asked about drug testing by Geoff Shackelford in 2005.
Yes, the New York Times' investigation was very much late to the party in indicting Canadian doctor Anthony Galea, now under suspicion of transporting illegal substances to the United States. Still, it remains that Woods has some kind of known relationship with Dr. Galea for a legal "blood spinning" practice - and that Galea is not licensed to perform medical treatment in the United States.
Keeping in mind everything above, it is worth investigating if Woods' calls for drug testing were contradictory as well despite strongly worded comments from Woods' IMG agent Mark Steinberg. Considering how seemingly off-guard IMG was caught by Woods' personal behavior, it seems that this lash out against the New York Times piece may have been partially-based out of frustration.
In a conference call yesterday, Tim Finchem was alarmingly dismissive of the investigation into Galea. Finchem said, "I have no reason to have a concern with respect to him and a doctor [Galea] who has used HGH with patients for whom it’s not an illegal drug [in Canada]."
How that is possible is stunning considering that the Tour just recently suspended journeyman Doug Barron as the first published violator of the Tour's anti-doping program. HGH is a drug that violates the anti-doping program. Even though there is nothing tantamount to a smoking gun implicating Woods with Galea beyond human-calf blood mixing, such an allegation cannot be dismissed that easily.
Provided that Woods has not exactly been consistent between what he has said and what he has done, it may be worth taking an honest look at the issue. I stress strongly: Woods has been tested for PEDs by the PGA Tour on multiple occasions with no indication that he failed the test. The guy is innocent until proven guilty on a matter like this, which is drastically more serious than how he has chosen to approach his marriage. But he was also innocent until proven guilty by the tabloids, so perhaps it is time for traditional media to take a page from the supermarket rags and dig up some dirt - even if it is clean dirt.
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we've ALL done that...
…“do as I say – not as I do”
Vick was being investigated for felonies that were ultimately going to put him in jail – he lied to the commissioner, lied to his teammates, lied to the media…and lied to his mother’s face in public.
Tiger covered up a string of extra-marital affairs – not a crime, but a big source of pleasure for tabloids, gossip mongerers, and people who just want to ruin the lives of people who have money.
Anthony Galea may be in trouble himself because he was not licensed in the US or Florida – but HGH is not illegal as a medical treatment. As it stands now, the only allegations are during the period Woods was doing rehab from his surgery.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
HGH isn’t a legal medical treatment in Canada, but it is an illegal substance according to the PGA Tour’s doping manual. So in the case that Tiger was treated with HGH (which there is no proof of one way or the other), then Tiger would need a Therapeutic Use Exemption like Doug Barron applied for and didn’t get from the Tour.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Dec 18, 2009 1:03 PM EST up reply actions
better check your facts again – HGH is most definitely a legal medical treatment in Canada
it is on the PGA banned substances list, but TIger wasn’t playing – he was rehabbing. None of the dates in question were after Tiger made his comeback.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Whoops, that was a mistake on my part, I meant to say it was legal.
Anyway, under the anti-doping program, a PGA Tour member can be tested anywhere at anytime, including while not playing. So, rehab isn’t an excuse.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Dec 18, 2009 2:07 PM EST up reply actions
very true – but that’s why they have their system of asking for exemptions for substances. Do you REALLY think they’re going to tell Tiger he can’t take HGH during rehab if it got him back on Tour sooner ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
They denied a TUE to Doug Barron for his low testosterone, so I don’t know how they would treat an application for HGH.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Dec 18, 2009 2:28 PM EST up reply actions
You think?
“…..on a matter like this, which is drastically more serious than how he has chosen to approach his marriage” I assume you mean as it relates to his career? Otherwise, have you discussed this line of reasoning with your fiancee;o)
and yet, these “urinalists” insist on drawing conclusions and asking everybody and their grandmother what Tiger should do.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Well, I think he has only one option.....
it’s fourth and long, his defense is failing and he has no offense, so his only option is to punt. It seems the hole just gets deeper and deeper. I never went to Tigers web site before this, but I visited right after he attacked the fire hydrant……the comments from posters were overwhelmingly supportive of Tiger. A few days later and several bimbos later, the posts were getting more and more critical of Tiger. Then it seemed the critical posts heavily out weighed the supportive ones. After his last “statement” it seems the comments pages are gone. I haven’t checked lately, but it looks like Tiger is not taking comments any more. Team Tiger censorship??? WHO DAT!
UNLESS !!...
…you’re using the Yale mentality…4th and 22 with a chance to beat Haa-vud for the first time in 7 years…did they punt ? Of COURSE not…fake punt…didn’t make it…HAAAAAAA-vud scores a touchdown and wins the game. (lol)
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
LOL LOL LOL......That's one thing
I’ve never been accused of……“using the Yale mentality”…..So what is the “Stanford” mentality…..run and hide???
WOWZA
em66 is correct about www.tigerwoods.com All the blogs have been completely eliminated and probably due to the fact that in the past it was a warm and fuzzy place for “all things tiger luvin” and since the incident and infidelity admission all hell musta broken loose. Thats a sad day when you block out “your fan base” of support and kick em to the curb, not to mention freedom of speech from all. I was never a visiter to the site accept once or twice, so I don’t care what they do over there, but the tale of the tape is pretty bleak when you put a screaching halt to the access of your own fans blogging opportunities…jumpn/progolf
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Speaks volumes.....
about Team Tiger and how he view his fans…..which I’ve been saying for awhile is very poorly. He takes them for granted. Maybe he will be like Obama and put together an enemies list…lol……..I saw where you invited Fairways and Grins to join us. He’s ok, but we’ve been battling over at TGC. I had almost stopped posting there, but he and boobcheck got my juices flowing.
Mecca ??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
It was a complaint of ours over there court. BUT, the post were being erased by posters themselves and not TGC. Over at TW .com they have been completely eliminated period as in NO LONGER A LINK with topics to blog on about. Personaly I don’t give 2 craps about it, but I believe its a bad PR move on team tigers part and makes him look like he has that """I’m taking my ball and going home""" mentality. The regular drooling TW fans must be pissed. jumpn/progolf em66 I saw your battle hahahaha and yes I invite everyone, good, bad or indifferent. LOL maybe we should invite tiger here to post some comments, he must be looking for something to do about now.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
hey – here, all we’re are expected to do is be relatively polite, don’t take things too personally….and occassionally buy Ryan an adult beverage. :-)
No kidding ? Other posters could delete your posts ? Yikes – what a way to run a blog.
Hard to blame Tiger for shutting things down. Too many people to keep up with, on both sides of the aisle, many willing to get pretty nasty with their opinions.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I can’t blame the guy for taking the site down. If all you guys did was barrage me 24/7, I would probably stop posting. But don’t get any ideas.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Dec 18, 2009 2:07 PM EST up reply actions
alright I'll be back later.
I gotta scoot out and deliver some holiday golf gifts to some of my local customers. And NOOO I am not dressing up as St Nick as the costume would be waaaaaay to big for me and I don’t look that great in a beard. """Pingle Bells , Pingle Bells, Pingle all the way, O’h what fun it is to ride your driver down the fairway hey. Heck, Boo Weekly did it at the Ryder Cup…jumpn/progolf
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
I'm so very confused
True or False? (Posts vary from blog to blog)
1. Anthony Galea licensed to perform medical treatment in US or Florida
2. HGH legal as medical treatment in US
3. Use of substances on banned list still requires Tour approval even whilst in rehab/not playing
4. No effective test for HGH
5. HGH remains in fatty body cells for 18 months or more
6. TW tested several times whilst in rehab
Whilst never a fan of TW as a person but unable to deny his superlative golf skills, so hoping nothing illegal has taken place, are any of the following scenarios possible/probable?
- Galea not licensed in US, but can advise TW’s own practitioner, and perform the blood-spinning provided he does not take the initial blood nor reinsert it?
- Galea licensed so can do all of above
- Tour granted exemption for blood-spinning and/or HGH (if latter legal in US) during rehab. (If so why not simply come out and say so – in TW’s own interest as well.
-
-
Oh never mind – it’ll all come out in the wash – and my spirits have now been lifted by all the posts which have just jumped (!) in whilst I was typing this one.
Ryan – I don’t barrack you – I ask you genuine questions to which you never reply (especially relating to blogs I erroneously attribute to Court – oh wait..)
False
True
True
True – sort of – there is a blood test for HGH, but it is only affective 24-48 hours after the substance has been taken. there was supposed to be a urine test, but the results weren’t consistent enough to be considered accurate.
HGH affects fat cells – helps with weight loss and musle tissue production – fat cells have HGH receptors, but since HGH is also a natural substance to the human body, it is hard to detect in fat cells – an injection of HGH wouldn’t be detectable that long afer entering the body
Nobody knows – the tests are kept secret
That seems plausible – but Galea flew to Orlando and met with Tiger – it’s concievable that he just gave “advice” without actually laying hands on him. (no – not in the biblical healing sense) :-)
If Tiger came out and admitted that he took HGH during rehab, he would go through another firestorm of people digging into his life and accusing him of doping across his career, etc.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
1. False, not licensed
2. Can be prescribed, but against the anti-doping program
3. Yes, any illegal drug use needs to be cleared and approved with PGA Tour
4. Debate on that one
5. Not certain on that one
6. I don’t know how often he was tested in rehab, though I do remember hearing about a test
To your next set of questions, my big questions would be around an exemption for HGH. Blood spinning is legal, so that’s ok.
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroomryan, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
Thanks chaps
I’ll push off in a mo’, but IF TW applied for and received exemption to take blood-spinning and/or HGH, particularly in view of how long he was going to be in rehab (maybe even agreed a timeframe in advance), then he would not have been cheating. BUT if that were the case surely TW/The Tour would come out and say so (waive confidentiality).
For now, innocent until proven guilty on this one. If guilty – I’d have to accept a plea of insanity!
Tigers dilema
Gentleman,…from where I sit, Woods using banned performance substances is almost a certainty. I have suspected as much for years based on his record, his physical change and his mood swings. It all adds up to me. I believe it will only be a matter of time until his career is disgraced ala Barry Bonds. It was a fairy tale, and millions were duped………………….Z.
you're still away,...choke on it !
Handi
I would have loved to come up with a great suggestion, but if it’s anything golf-related, I always buy it for myself anyway. (“What do you need a new golf bag for?” What’s wrong with your old one?" “Don’t you already have x?” – j/k – well – half j/k). Spa gift vouchers were suggested to NiceBallz who asked for ideas, but Court’s suggestion of (L)PGA tickets sound good to me.
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