First of all, let me say this about the league: Bigger, fatter, more out of condition and getting hurt a lot. You can quote me on that. I’ve never seen more fat guys in my life. And I’ve never seen more injuries in my life. We’ve got guys that can get out of a game with a broken finger, a twisted wrist, or a high ankle sprain. It’s unbelievable. That’s basically my answer. I don’t see how they could be using too much illegal stuff that’s helping them. When I’m in the locker room and I’m looking around, I don’t think I’m looking at a lot of guys that are trying to cheat. Every once in a while a guy might come along that’s a physical freak and you might be suspicious. But I don’t think there is a lot of stuff that’s being used, to be honest with you.
**
Nice quote! Where did you find that?
Nice quote! Where did you find that?
An interview on Yahoo Sports.
Yeah, the NFL is clean, no need to raise any eyebrows with guys being 6’5" tipping the scales at 270 and running a 40 in 4.5.
It’s just a cycling problem, right?
I don’t know if there is a player in the NFL or college that weighs 270 and can run a 4.5. You need to understand the difference between 4.50 and 4.75. In slowtwitch terms it is the equivalent of a 2:20 marathon and a 2:50 marathon.
BTW - Tomlinson runs about a 4.45 at 221 lbs.
How about Shawn Merriman? He is in his second year, has put on about 28-30 pounds since his days at the Univ. Of Maryland and doesn’t look a step slower…actually faster if anything. Pro Bowl, Defensive Rookie of the Year, etc.
And what just happened to him?
Edit: He ran a 4.6, not bad though at what 270? And barely over 240 a year and a half ago?
Good point, the guy is really 6’1", weights 240 and runs 4.7 and is still on the suace
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Vernon Davis, rookie TE for the Niners, is listed as 6’3" / 253 lbs. and ran a 4.38 at the NFL combine last Spring.
Almost forgot, he benches 460 lbs.
Shawne Merriman is not a typical NFL LB, obviously there was a reason. If everyone in the NFL was that freakish I would agree that the NFL has a major drug problem, but I have a few friends in the league that I trust. They say its pretty clean. The NFL was embarassed in the 80s by the Tony Mandarich/Brian Bosworth disasters and has been cracking down fairly hard. I’ll bet about 60%+ of the league was using in the 80s. Many of my friends that grew up in Chicago say Walter Payton was even rumored to be a user. I don’t want to believe it, but you have to wonder.
that is crazy! The speed. The bench press is what I would expect.
He is a goddamn freak. I am a 49ers fan, so I like him and hope he is clean.
He benched 225 like 45 times or something like that. I am somewhat muscular for a triathlete and I know I couldn’t bench 125 45 times, damn, try bench anything 45 times and it’s hard.
mmmmm, my thoughts are more along the lines of "we'll never know". Cycling and Track and field are good candidates for drug crackdowns, as you get the great stories of deception, positives, false positives, "careers" ruined, blah blah blah. The big sports will never come under a sudden and strong crackdown simply because there is too much money involved; gate receipts are nothing compared to merchandising and TV time, and the ad revenue generated from the latter. Too many people with too much to lose in the big sports.
My thoughts as well. As long as we get to see big guys run fast and hit each other no one is complaining, keept the money rolling in. Owners are happy, TV people are happy and we are all happy sitting in our recliners believing every damn thing we read and hear.
I don’t know I think its all gonna blow up in baseball’s face. The first test will be Big Mac’s HOF voting.
that is crazy! The speed.
There’s a difference between NFL combine times and real times. The guys start one step behind the line. The coach drops his hand and clicks the watch at the bottom of the drop. The guy starts on the hand motion. The coach hand-stops the watch.
Skeptical types have done this sort of testing, comparing to electronic timing. You have to put a “+/- 0.2 seconds” after these hand measurements. It’s all wildly inaccurate and is done more for hype than for anything else. The country is littered with unemployed guys with no college degree who blistered the times at combine and couldn’t close on a receiver to save their life.
Speaking of the NFL…anybody recognize this guy? We grew up together. Went to the same church, played HS football together, graduated together, dated the same girl (at different times) and spent the summer of 1977 partying our underaged asses off. Just a regular guy from the neighborhood who made good.
Steve Bisciotti
Owner of the Ravens
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Actually, not that hard. I weigh 135 lbs at 5’ 6" and can bench press my weight about 40 times. The only thing I’m guilty of is eating junk food.
EDIT: I haven’t thought of it the way Jim Brown has said, but he has a somewhat valid point. This change my way of thinking about the NFL. At the very least, cast some doubts about who I think is using.
5’6"…geez, you were built to bench press 
It is certainly easier with shorter arms.
That said, I’d be willing to bet 99% of the people on here, regardless of height or weight CAN’T bench press 135 pounds 40 times.
Bench press? I can do that for bicep curls 
135? I can do that in one week on the run