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Chron: Congress to hear from Rockets' trainer Jones

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Rockets34Legend, May 18, 2005.

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  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Member

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    If it's been posted, lock it up.

    http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/3187075

    Congress wants trainer's take
    Rockets trainer says steroid use a rarity in NBA
    By JONATHAN FEIGEN
    Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle

    Rockets vice president of basketball operations/trainer Keith Jones, having seen widespread steroid use in professional football and almost none in basketball, said Tuesday he will take those experiences to this week's round of the ongoing congressional examination of steroid use in sports.

    Jones, a veteran of 16 seasons in the NBA, including nine with the Rockets, expects to receive a subpoena today to testify on Thursday before the house government reform committee. Jones will be part of a panel with NBA commissioner David Stern, NBA senior vice president and general counsel Ricky Buchanan, NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter, and Washington Wizards guard Juan Dixon, the only athlete who will offer testimony this week.

    Stern is also scheduled to testify today before the House Commerce trade and consumer protection subcommittee, along with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, MLB commissioner Bud Selig, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and MLS commissioner Don Garber.

    Jones is in the unusual position of having worked directly with players in the NFL and NBA. He was an assistant trainer with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1983 and spent two seasons in the USFL with the Oklahoma Outlaws and Arizona Wranglers. Having served as a student trainer at the University of Arkansas, he returned to college athletics as the football trainer at the University of Minnesota for 2 1/2 seasons. He then spent one season as assistant trainer for the Orlando Magic and six seasons as head trainer for the Los Angeles Clippers before moving to the Rockets.

    "Sure, at the pro level in football, steroid usage was very prevalent," Jones said. "In college, there were a few really, really scattered incidents. Through counseling we were able to teach them not to use it. But in pro football it was a lot more prevalent."

    Jones would not estimate how prevalent, saying only that steroids were not used by the majority of pro football players. He said he has never seen indications of steroid use in the NBA.

    "We're just talking about steroid usage in the NBA, how there is not much of it compared to other sports," Jones said of his testimony. "The league has asked me to bring that, because I'm with the guys on a day-to-day basis. I worked with football for a lot of years. We don't have the same problems.

    "The nature of the game, the culture of the NBA, the type of players we have, it's not a problem with us. I never even suspected it was being used. I can't think of anyone other than Don MacLean that tested positive."

    Former NBA player Matt Geiger is the only other player thought to have tested positive.

    "Looking at Don MacLean, his ability was to shoot the ball," Jones said. "Trying to add bulk to his frame took away from one skill."

    Jones said that while NBA players have asked him about the use of performance-enhancing drugs, he has always successfully argued that their effects would be counterproductive.

    "Guys would ask, 'What does it do for you?' " Jones said. "We would always tell them, 'It's not what you need. It will not make you a better basketball player. It might give you bulk, it might give you strength, but it is not the sort of strength you need for basketball. The bulk is wrong. It would throw your balance off. You would not be able to jump as well.'

    "We want lean, supple, sinewy body strength. That's not what you get when taking anabolic steroid substances."

    jonathan.feigen@chron.com
     
    #1 Rockets34Legend, May 18, 2005
  2. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    May be more of a hangout/D&D question, but is there a legitimate reason for the feds to be looking into regulating major league drug testing? In another article, they qoute a congressman asking why they shouldn't be treated the same as the Olympics, while I'm wondering why they wouldn't be treated the same as corporate America. Unfortunately, it looks like the commissioners are happy to invite the feds in because they need help against the unions.
     
    #2 JuanValdez, May 18, 2005
  3. JamesC

    JamesC Member

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    Maybe thats why David Stern let the issue with Van Gundy go cause needed Keith Jones to testify on his and the NBA's behalf. Maybe I'm making something out of nothing. Who knows?
     
    #3 JamesC, May 18, 2005
  4. Davidoff

    Davidoff Member

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    steroids??? WHATCHA TALKIN 'BOUT WILLIS!?!?!?!
     
    #4 Davidoff, May 18, 2005
    Last edited: May 18, 2005
  5. tolne57

    tolne57 Member

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    The Federal government does regulate Corporate America to make sure that "cheating" doesn't take place. For example, if your company is listed on the NY stock exchange, you have to be SOx compliant. So maybe they are thinking something along those lines.
     
    #5 tolne57, May 18, 2005
  6. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    SOx compliance makes sense because publically traded companies are of interest or potential interest to everyone. Specifically, the public has money riding on them. I don't really see the public interest in privately-owned leagues.
     
    #6 JuanValdez, May 18, 2005
  7. tigermission1

    tigermission1 Member

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    Keith Jones is on steroids?!:eek:
     
    #7 tigermission1, May 18, 2005
  8. RocketKid

    RocketKid Member

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    why juan dixon? :confused:
     
    #8 RocketKid, May 18, 2005
  9. PhiSlammaJamma

    PhiSlammaJamma Member

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    They are picking people who will testify that steroid use is not a problem in the nba. I don't think they are calling in any of the suspected users because there are none really. The thing is the nba does not test well. Maybe once a year or something. So they are probably going to get reamed by congress.
     
    #9 PhiSlammaJamma, May 18, 2005
  10. blazer_ben

    blazer_ben Rookie

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    Guys lke Anthony mason or Kral malone never used Steroid?:rolleyes: .. or how bout grandd mama larry Jhonson?
     
    #10 blazer_ben, May 19, 2005
  11. Zboy

    Zboy Member

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    Don Maclean of all people. :D Add Matt Geiger to the list. What kind of message does that send to potential steriod try-outs? Dont do it or you are gonna SUCK real bad like Don and Matt!

    If I had to bet, I would put my money of Karl Malone. His body fits the mold. I also suspect he had such a long career with that output because of steroid use.
     
    #11 Zboy, May 19, 2005
  12. 3Rings

    3Rings Member

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    What are Jones' responsibilities as VP of basketball operations?
     
    #12 3Rings, May 19, 2005
  13. JumpMan

    JumpMan Member
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    Congress if full of very stupid people. They managed to imply that steroid use could of caused the brawl in Detroit.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2063742

    During the hearing, Lynch pointed out that the NBA's current program calls for in-season testing of veteran players only if there is "reasonable cause." Noting that one of the effects of steroid use is violent behavior, the congressman asked Hunter whether the melee involving players and fans at a game in November between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons constituted such cause.

    That led to the most contentious exchange of the day, with Hunter calling Lynch's question "a quantum leap."

    "I'm not saying it was caused by steroid use. I'm saying you don't know," Lynch said.

    They went back and forth, interrupting each other, before Stern joined in.

    "On behalf of the players of the National Basketball Association, I would like to say that the guilt that you seek to attribute to them on the basis of this policy is ill-taken and very unfair," Stern said.

    That drew a retort from Lynch, to which Stern responded: "It's a free country, and I would just like to disagree with your approach, that's all."
     
    #13 JumpMan, May 20, 2005
  14. JuanValdez

    JuanValdez Member

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    Again, I'd like to say that Congress needs to butt the hell out. I know baseball has a problem with drugs that the league is having a hard time addressing, but Congress is asserting itself where it does not belong. If they have a problem with the drug use, maybe they should do a bust and send some athletes to prison. It's not right that they can legislate that a private body do their law-enforcement for them. Looking at SOx compliance again, the requirement there is to submit documents and promises to a government department, with the threat of fines and jailtime as the stick. Legislating what a company's HR policy should be is another thing entirely.
     
    #14 JuanValdez, May 20, 2005
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