The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons gave athletes one piece of good advice: Play ball! Just do it safely. The 2007 statistics show that more than 203,000 US children from the age bracket of 5 to 14 had baseball-related injuries. These injuries were treated in hospital emergency departments, doctor’s offices, and other medical settings, says the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Dr. Donald J. Zoltan, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine and the spokesman for the academy, said that the “little league has become a very popular sport among children today. Coaches and parents need to remember that a child’s bones, muscles, ligements and tendons are still growing, making them more susceptible to injury especially from overuse.”

Related Little League injuries include throwing too many pitches. These injuries are very common and they are often known as the “Little League elbow.” But these injuries can still be prevented and kids and can still play baseball and other sports. The academy has suggested a list of guidelines that youngsters can follow. First is to keep in good physical condition and don’t play while in pain or feeling tired. It is also important to pay close attention to following the game’s rules and regulations. It would also help if children are using protective gears including batting helmets, athletic supporters, shoes with plastic cleats. Meanwhile, catchers need catchers’ mitts, chest guards, face guards, and knee and shin pads. Athletes must also keep in mind that the equipment fits properly. Warming up muscles before playing can also avoid injuries. Do several minutes of light exercises followed by slow, gentle stretches, and hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. And lastly, children must stay away from steroids and other performance-enhancing substances.

It can be noted that steroid controversies and big athletes testing positive for banned substances have stirred the world of sports. Steroid use is not only rampant in professional sports but also among student-athletes. The number has even doubled among high school students using steroids according to the report submitted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 6 percent or as many as 1 million US students are said to have taken for at least one steroid cycle, meaning 8-12 weeks of use. But along with the pumped-up muscles and optimum energy level, anabolic steroids can damage heart and liver, prevent bone development, and can cause extreme mood swings. Acne and weight gain are also some of the effects of steroid use, experts say.

The academy also urged parents and coaches to learn recognize the symptoms that are signs of steroid use. The academy also stresses that youth sports are supposed to be fun. While many team members, coaches and parents fall into prey of wanting to win “at all costs,” this attitude can later on lead to injuries. Parents and coaches should protect young athletes by teaching them not to ignore the signs of injuring and preventing them from steroid use. This way, students won’t have to suffer any injuries and not to play in pain.

An increasing number of student-athletes testing positive for banned substance is now prevalent. Jeremy Jarmon was not the very first University of Kentucky (UK) athlete to cut short his career because of a positive drug test. Though he is not the only one, he is the most prominent among the group. Also, one UK athlete was release from the team between July and December of 2008 because of testing positive for marijuana. Also according to the records of the internal testing at UK Athletics, another athlete was tested positive for marijuana but was simply penalized because it was only a first offence. The UK records which the Herald-Leader obtained were from the school’s internal testing and not from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Jarmon on the other hand, came up positive after the conducted random test by the NCAA. However, the substance was not revealed.

Records also show that two other UK athletes were dismissed in the school year of 2007-2008 as they tested positive for marijuana. The university’s official however did not name the athletes or their teams. And during the 2006-2007, 13 student-athletes tested positive for marijuana and one positive for cocaine. In 2005-2006, there were 10 positive tests for marijuana. University of Kentucky did not provide any information about how many students the positive tests represented in those years or what disciplinary actions were done.

The records also revealed that UK regularly tests for banned substances. Among the drugs included for testing are amphetamines, barbiturates, prescription drugs such as Valium and Darvon, marijuana, cocaine, Quaaludes and opiates. In addition, the policy of the University may also test for any NCCA-banned drug any time. Banned substances included in the NCAA list are anabolic steroids, stimulants, street drugs, diuretics and other urine manipulators. Anti-estrogens are also listed as they are said to be used to minimize the side effects of steroid. Other banned drugs include peptide hormones and analogs such as human growth hormone.

The university’s athletics hires an outside firm to do the testing, spending roughly $40,000 each school year. In a year, over 500 athletes would undergo the said testing. It is also stipulated in the UK’s drug policy that any athlete who takes supplements or medication from any source must fill out a disclosure form. In the 2008-2008 policy, UK is discouraging its student-athletes on the use of supplements because the university already provides its athletes some supplements that do not contain substances banned by the NCAA.

According to the policy, “student-athletes must be cautious of using supplements available through commercial outlets as many contain substance banned by the NCAA. Please use extreme caution when taking anything given to you or purchased from a commercial outlet…Bottom line: the student-athlete is responsible for knowing what is contained in any supplement that he/she takes.”

The issue of drug testing on student-athletes has caused a national debate. The debate mainly revolves on the right to the privacy of the athlete and whether such testing is constitutional under the U.S Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure. However, the main reason why NCAA conducts drug test among student-athletes is to curtail and prevent drug use when playing.

A report released by the US Justice Department revealed that two deputies, a Henderson County sheriff’s deputy and a deputy from Decatur County, have been indicted on federal charges for their conspiracy in distributing anabolic steroids. Thomas Derek Bowman, 25, of Henderson County and Matthew Simpson, 33, of Decatur County, were indicted last May 18 by the federal grand jury. This was according to the US attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, Lawrence J. Laurenzi. Both deputies appeared in the federal court and have been released on their own recognizance. Because of the cases filed against them, the two have been fired as deputies and was arraigned on Tuesday at 2:15 p.m.

In a written statement last Thursday, Henderson County Sheriff Brian Duke said that “hiding behind a badge is not a good place to be conducting illegal activities. “Both (Decatur Country Sheriff Roy) Wyatt and I will not tolerate that and (that’s why) they are terminated.” The release also mentioned that separate but related indictments were also being held. Bowman and Simpson were also charged with conspiring with other persons to distribute anabolic steroids in and around Decatur and Henderson counties. Aside from the conspiracy charge, Bowman will also face three counts of distribution of steroids while Simpson is charged with one count of illegal distribution of Testosterone. A search operation was done in Bowman’s residence and authorities found 500 dosage units of suspected steroids. Once found guilty, Bowman could be sentence up to 20 years in federal prison and 10 years for Simpson.

Decatur Sheriff Roy Wyatt said it is an unfortunate incident but the laws still apply to everyone. Wyatt also added that he was not sure on how long Simpson had been employed with the sheriff’s department. And after becoming a Decatur County sheriff in 2006, he said that he has not had any discipline problems with Simpson. “One of my campaign issues that I had was that we would be working on the drug problem, and that still holds true. No one is exempt from that,” the sheriff said.

Bowman graduated from the state’s law enforcement training academy last 2006 and was working for the second time with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. He has worked for the sheriff’s office before he joined the Jackson Police Department in 2008. He was fired from the police department just three months after joining the force. He was fired because of reckless driving for being clocked driving a motorcycle 124 mph. After leaving the police department, he once again joined the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office.

The Simpson and Bowman’s cases resulted from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Decatur, County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lexington Police Department. The Assistant US Attorney Jerry Kitchen is handling the case for the government, according to the press release.

The case of these two sheriff deputies is just an example in an increasing trend among men in uniform working tough beats. Even the police departments are investigating a growing number of incidents involving uniformed police officers using steroids.

The Clackamas County judge ordered a 3-day jail sentence to the man who admitted supplying steroids to a Canby police officer. It can be recalled that there were recent reports that a Canby police officer was being investigated for using and buying steroids when on duty. Jason Deason, the officer, is allegedly addicted to steroids and the FBI is thoroughly investigating him for almost two years now. Greg Kroeplin, his chief police officer, resigned and expressed his retirement from the police force, just two years before his 50th birthday.

Judge Douglas Van Dyk also told Brian Jackson, the steroid supplier of the police officer, not to use or posses any steroids or human growth hormone, nor any alcohol or drugs and pay the fine amounting to $107. Jackson shares the name of the former Knappa High and Oregon State basketball star. The judge said that he must also avoid contact with Jason Deason, who resigned from the force last summer during the FBI investigation.

Investigations revealed that Kroeplin knew more about the misdemeanor of his police officer and even lied on why he did not investigate his subordinate. The safety of the public was also threatened since Deason has a history of violence yet he was still allowed to be on duty even during an investigation. Kroeplin also received complaints from colleagues about his officer’s untoward behavior such as several psychotic tendencies that really needed psychiatric help. Kroeplin also received a memo from the Canby City Council informing him that the officer will be fired. So instead of taking the appropriate actions, the officer decided to resign.

Meanwhile, the judge told Jackson that the case is not over and he’ll be back in court if he does not follow orders. Scott Thompson, Jackson’s lawyer said that his client was very remorseful and does not expect to return to court again. Clackamas County prosecutor Michael Wu said that the agreement that Jackson will only stay for a month in jail was reached because he accepted his responsibility and cooperated with the investigation done by the FBI. Jackson’s conviction is the very first result from the federal public corruption investigation into the steroid abuse of the Canby police officer. He pleaded guilty to supplying controlled substance to a police officer on duty and in uniform. The officer was even seen riding his police motorcycle to Oregon City and buying steroids from Jackson.

Another steroid-related investigation is being done in Madrid as Spanish hurdler Josephine Onyia resulted positive for steroid clenbuterol. The International Association for Athletics Federation has already passed the Onyia case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Spanish reports disclosed that the national federation was already informed of the positive test of Onyia for steroid use several months ago but still allowed her to compete through the indoor season because there are surrounding doubts regarding the drug test result. Onyia was reportedly positive for clenbuterol two days before and two days after her steroid test.

Onyia changed her nationality from Nigerian to Spanish in April 2007, just like what Glory Alozie did. Her personal best time is 12.50 seconds, a Spanish national record during the IAAF Golden League in Berlin on June 1, 2008.

There is no scarcity in baseball tell-all books, exposes, and memoirs, that’s one thing for sure. It seems like book after book authored by an ex-baseball player, or current baseball star sprouts every year as frequent as steroid scandals do. It makes you wonder, does everyone in baseball have a confession to make? And are they writing it all out on the page as a catharsis, or as atonement for their sins? Or maybe as a plea to their fans asking for some understanding and sympathy? Or is it all just another tactic to rake money and fame in? Regardless, for baseball fans, it’s hard not be intrigued and gobble up whatever is spewed out of the marketing treadmill of baseball agents and managers. But more intriguing than memoirs and autobiographies are biographies of baseball stars written by journalists who are out for blood.

Like the guilty pleasure of reading tabloids, biographies of baseball stars such as “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez,” one of the most recent and intriguing tell-all books to come around are hard to pass up even if they are lurid with gossip and malicious intent. Written by Selena Roberts, who not-so-discreetly hates A-Rod’s guts, this biography and others such as these are only good for bathroom reading, but promises to be entertaining. It ranked number nine at the New York Times’ nonfiction bestsellers list.

Indeed, as baseball has become what it has these days, one has to keep a good and sober distance and see it all as entertainment not too far from the way you watch a wrestling match. With steroid scandal after steroid scandal, MLB has become a big joke that is simply hard to redeem and take seriously again in the same way it used to be enshrined in the divine sports pedestal.

Two new biographies on Roger Clemens and his adventures into the “underworld” of performance enhancing drugs came out this spring but it seems to be not faring as well as the Rodriguez biography. Jeff Pearlman, author of “Love Me, Hate Me,” a book on Barry Bonds, learned a lesson about writing sports biographies. Particularly writing about Bonds’ anti-social behavior and weird upbringing and looking closely into his formative years, Pearlman’s book had mediocre sales. He thinks that it may be because people don’t pick up sports books to learn why their sports idols are flawed idiots. He also adds that he thinks readers are tired of steroid books and he doubts if a publisher will jump at an upcoming book about Manny Ramirez.

There are many possibilities why baseball star biographies are staring to dwindle in the market. One is saturation. With book after book after book coming out, any fan who has read two or three will get the drift of what these books are all about. The commercial appeal is just not appealing anymore especially when they explore the same angles again and again. Perhaps someone should come up with a definitive Tell-all book to finally put a closure on the steroid era. Maybe then we can all move on.

The British five-time Dart World Champion Raymond van Barneveld admitted that he quit the British Darts Organization (BDO) after they have accused him of doping which includes steroids and other banned substances. Most popularly known as the Dutch Destroyer, Raymond van Barneveld was disappointed with British Darts Organization that he even attacked them for trying to stop him from playing with Phil Taylor. He even said that the BDO even banned his wife Silvia from attending events.

Last week, Barney finally signed a £200,000 deal for darts manufacturers Unicorn. He left the British Darting Organization and decided to join the Professional Dart Corporation in 2006.

He published an explosive new book entitled ‘Barney- The Eye of the Tiger’ that attacked and criticized the former world champion and England captain Martin Adams as well as the British Darting Organization Master of Ceremonies Martin Fitzmaurice.

According to Van Barneveld, Fitzmaurice used all the opportunity that he can have to make him look bad. He even said that he thinks Fitzmaurice was hateful because he is paid much less compared to the dart players. He also accused Fitzmaurice of jealousy that has led to a negative influence. He said that in 2000, Fitzmaurice accused him publicly of using cocaine which he thought was due to his habitual going to the toilet before a tournament begins. But according to him, he never even smoked a cigarette much more cocaine. He then took a drugs and doping test at the PDC world championship after his victory. He was glad and proud that he tested negative for cocaine, steroids and other banned substances.

Adams who was furious with Barney because of leaving BDO for PDC was also criticized. He even questioned whether Adams would win the 2007 world title if he had not left the BDO.

In 1999, Barney accused the British Darting Organization for trying to stop him from playing with Phil Taylor in a head-to-head of the rival codes. According to him, Phil wanted to compete against him because he had won the Embassy twice. The first competition initially offered all or nothing from the £100,000 prize but then eventually they settled for 60-40 division.

He said that the BDO threatened him with exclusion from the 2000 Embassy games because the BDO didn’t want him to play as a PDC player. He was also very dismayed to find out that even his wife Sylvia was not allowed during the 2007 Lakeside competitions.

As of now, Barney is very glad after the well paid deal he had with Unicorn. He already consulted the ex-Government secret agent missile expert “UniBoffin” to help him with his dart problems. He believes that joining Unicorn will help him to find the right set-up and hopefully to challenge Phil and regain his world champion title again.

According to Unicorn’s Edwards Lowry, they are going to assist Barney in all possible ways in order to bring him back to the top of his game. He believes that all Barney needs is just a bit more support that will take him to the top again.