'Nitro' not leaving anything on the table...
I hope by now you've had a chance to hear my interview with Dan Clark, AKA 'Nitro' from the original American Gladiators. He's the author of the book "Gladiator: A Tale of Roids, Rage and Redemption, released Wednesday to the public. If you haven't heard it yet, click HERE for the audio.
Clark was honest in his memoir and he was honest with me on the program Wednesday, not holding anything back in recalling his tales of steroid side effects such as lack of sexual performance and male breast growth. He also admitted making mistakes in his life, with steroids being the glaring regret.
Clark also criticized the lack of honesty out of Alex Rodriguez and his "confession" of steroid use earlier this week. While Major League Baseball dominates the steroid discussions, Clark is a reminder that there is a problem with steroids all across the board and it's not just limited to the diamond. Clark recalled the story when he first started taking roids back in the 80s, he even named the substance, and the drugs he also took to counteract the side effects. So how does A-Rod "not remember" the drugs he pumped into his body a mere 5 years ago? Dan didn't buy it and neither do I.
I will say this, while I respect Dan Clark's honesty and candor regarding his steroid use, I would be naive if I were to expect the same brutal honesty out of A-Rod, or any other Major Leaguer for that matter. The reason? Legacy.
While Clark has turned activist in hopes of keeping kids off the damaging steroids that ruined his life, nobody is calling for his records in American Gladiators to be wiped off the books, nobody is asking for his 'powerball' and 'joust' wins to be thrown away because he cheated...it was a TV show, not the National Pasttime.
Alex Rodriguez is trying to protect a legacy, his records, his stats, his possible election into the baseball Hall of Fame, all things Clark doesn't have to worry about. While I would love Clark's honesty to rub off on A-Rod, it just won't happen.
I also ask myself, that in some parallel universe, if the roles were reversed and it were 'Nitro' worried about "The American Gladiators Hall of Fame," would he be so inclined to pen a tell-all memoir? Rediculous as it sounds, it's a valid question to think about. And while I know there is no "Hall of Fame" for Dan Clark or other Gladiators, I will say his new quest, his new efforts to prevent other athletes from getting hooked on the juice are Hall of Fame in my book.
Clark was honest in his memoir and he was honest with me on the program Wednesday, not holding anything back in recalling his tales of steroid side effects such as lack of sexual performance and male breast growth. He also admitted making mistakes in his life, with steroids being the glaring regret.
Clark also criticized the lack of honesty out of Alex Rodriguez and his "confession" of steroid use earlier this week. While Major League Baseball dominates the steroid discussions, Clark is a reminder that there is a problem with steroids all across the board and it's not just limited to the diamond. Clark recalled the story when he first started taking roids back in the 80s, he even named the substance, and the drugs he also took to counteract the side effects. So how does A-Rod "not remember" the drugs he pumped into his body a mere 5 years ago? Dan didn't buy it and neither do I.
I will say this, while I respect Dan Clark's honesty and candor regarding his steroid use, I would be naive if I were to expect the same brutal honesty out of A-Rod, or any other Major Leaguer for that matter. The reason? Legacy.
While Clark has turned activist in hopes of keeping kids off the damaging steroids that ruined his life, nobody is calling for his records in American Gladiators to be wiped off the books, nobody is asking for his 'powerball' and 'joust' wins to be thrown away because he cheated...it was a TV show, not the National Pasttime.
Alex Rodriguez is trying to protect a legacy, his records, his stats, his possible election into the baseball Hall of Fame, all things Clark doesn't have to worry about. While I would love Clark's honesty to rub off on A-Rod, it just won't happen.
I also ask myself, that in some parallel universe, if the roles were reversed and it were 'Nitro' worried about "The American Gladiators Hall of Fame," would he be so inclined to pen a tell-all memoir? Rediculous as it sounds, it's a valid question to think about. And while I know there is no "Hall of Fame" for Dan Clark or other Gladiators, I will say his new quest, his new efforts to prevent other athletes from getting hooked on the juice are Hall of Fame in my book.
posted by Corey Costelloe at
10:31 AM
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