Ryan Braun wins appeal of positive test for PEDs. Gob rejoices, MM still banned

[Goober]

I should also note, that as someone who closely follows the inner workings of both MMA & pro wrestling (the two most blatant PED infested sports/activities aside from possibly track & field or weightlifting), almost every single MMA fighter immediately offers to take a second test upon coming up positive. Gee, I wonder why. And they pass about half the time. Gee, I wonder why.

Synthetic testosterone is not something that randomly pops up in your system. I'm not trying to crush Gob's soul here, i'm just laying out some things i've learned over the years.

I'd feel more comfortable with siding with Braun if we weren't dealing with synthetic testosterone. That part is hard to find any wiggle room with.

With that said, I suppose we should let this play out.

What is so frustrating is that I'll be grasping at straws for a few months now until the verdict is decided. Fuck whoever decided to break this story.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

This depends entirely on when the second test took place. Unfortunately we don't know because espn sucks ass. If the second test was immediately after the first, (the next day?) then I'd say there's reason to believe the first test was invalid. If it took place a few weeks latter then yeah, different story.

Looking at twitter now, it seems as though there is some confusion as to whether the second test was from a different sample, or the same sample. This is coming from baseball writers, not fans.

Usually when they test, they take two samples, an A sample and a B sample. This way if the A sample is positive, they can check out the B sample for a potential inconsistent result.

What we need to know, is if his B sample is what supposedly came up clean, or a subsequent second test at a later date. Usually the voluntary second test is a PR move, with the player knowing full well he is going to pass.

If it's the B sample, i'm not sure how MLB handles that. In MMA, the state athletic commission comes together and rules.

 

[Goober]

@ReggieMillerTNT Reggie Miller
Just spoke with my neighbor Ryan Braun, he says test is bogus, can only believe a man for his word.. Truth will always come out..

 

[SethMode]

I should also note, that as someone who closely follows the inner workings of both MMA & pro wrestling (the two most blatant PED infested sports/activities aside from possibly track & field or weightlifting), almost every single MMA fighter immediately offers to take a second test upon coming up positive. Gee, I wonder why. And they pass about half the time. Gee, I wonder why.

Synthetic testosterone is not something that randomly pops up in your system. I'm not trying to crush Gob's soul here, i'm just laying out some things i've learned over the years.

I'd feel more comfortable with siding with Braun if we weren't dealing with synthetic testosterone. That part is hard to find any wiggle room with.

With that said, I suppose we should let this play out.

Ralph Wiggum playing the part of Gob:

 

[Goober]

Usually when they test, they take two samples, an A sample and a B sample. This way if the A sample is positive, they can check out the B sample for a potential inconsistent result.

What we need to know, is if his B sample is what supposedly came up clean, or a subsequent second test at a later date. Usually the voluntary second test is a PR move, with the player knowing full well he is going to pass.

If it's the B sample, i'm not sure how MLB handles that. In MMA, the state athletic commission comes together and rules.

Obviously we don't know if the positive test was from sample b, or a sample taken at a latter date. Which makes it all the more frustrating. However if it was sample B, this is bush league journalism from ESPN.

Jay Jaffe
@jay_jaffe Jay Jaffe
ESPN story unclear about whether Braun's 2nd test was retest of orig. sample or new sample. Important distinction, clarification requested

 

[SethMode]

Obviously we don't know if the positive test was from sample b, or a sample taken at a latter date. Which makes it all the more frustrating. However if it was sample B, this is bush league journalism from ESPN.

I like Braun, so deep down I hope that this is bad journalism honestly, but this is the same organization that refused to report about Bernie Fine becuase there wasn't enough evidence. I am guessing that this will most likely not work out in Braun's favor.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

As much as I am salivating over the possibility of a division with no Pujols, no Fielder, and no Braun until June, I hope this guy gets off and this story is bullshit, because i'm tired of the PED cloud.

The fuckers need to learn how to plan their cycles better, or hire better "doctors" who can give them harder to detect designer drugs. They should talk to the main event level MMA fighters who can afford such things, who all cheat and almost never get caught.

 

[Goober]

As much as I am salivating over the possibility of a division with no Pujols, no Fielder, and no Braun until June, I hope this guy gets off and this story is bullshit, because i'm tired of the PED cloud.

The fuckers need to learn how to plan their cycles better, or hire better "doctors" who can give them harder to detect designer drugs. They should talk to the main event level MMA fighters who can afford such things, who all cheat and almost never get caught.

It is rather disturbing that they can cheat and there's no way to get caught unless you fuck up. Which may or may not be the case here. And if suspended, Braun's first game back would be May 31st, at Dodger's Stadium of all places.

 

[Goober]

@Haudricourt Tom
Just spoke to someone familiar with the details of Braun's test and was assured he will be found innocent. If so, horrible this leaked out.

Brewer's beat writer.


Seriously fuck espn and whoever decided to leak this story.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

It is rather disturbing that they can cheat and there's no way to get caught unless you fuck up. Which may or may not be the case here. And if suspended, Braun's first game back would be May 31st, at Dodger's Stadium of all places.

One thing i've learned over the years, that no matter what the punishment, athletes will roll the dice and use PED's. The best we can hope for is that all of the higher paid guys smarten up and learn how to beat the tests, or stick with the higher end stuff that is ahead of the testing curve. It used to be HGH, which had no reliable testing, but now the blood testing along with baselines seems to work.

Thinking any sort of testing or policy will ever make guys stop using is a foolish pipe dream. THEY WILL NEVER STOP. EVER. IN ANY SPORT. The best we can hope for is the stars stop getting caught (because nobody cares about the non stars, so they don't really matter).

 

[Goober]

Braun responded to the test result by telling MLB.com's Adam McCalvy in a text message: "I would love to talk, but unfortunately I'm not really allowed to say anything right now. My day will come soon, though."

A spokesman for Braun released the following statement on Saturday: "There are highly unusual circumstances surrounding this case which will support Ryan's complete innocence and demonstrate that there was absolutely no intentional violation of the program. While Ryan has impeccable character and no previous history, unfortunately, because of the process we have to maintain confidentiality and are not able to discuss it any further, but we are confident that he will ultimately be exonerated."

Braun told USA TODAY of the test results, "It's B.S."

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111210&content_id=26144628&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb

 

[Goober]

@JeffFletcher1 Jeff Fletcher
Although no one has ever succesfully appealed a MLB steroid test, they haven't been around that long. Possible Braun will win appeal.

San Francisco beat writer

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Braun, 28, was tested during the playoffs and notified of the positive result in late-October. Elevated levels of testosterone in Braun's system triggered the positive test, which prompted MLB to ask the testing agency to perform a second test. The second test determined that the testosterone was exogenous, meaning it was produced outside of Braun's body.

This, combined with the Braun side inculding the word intentional in their statement, leads me to believe they will concede the test fail and play the tainted supplement card, or something similar.

 

[tigstah]

M-V-PED

got caught, miss 50 games......whiff

 

[SethMode]

M-V-PED

got caught, miss 50 games......whiff

Again, insert Dotel joke here.

 

[Goober]

But a source familiar with the situation told the Journal Sentinel that a second test requested by Braun was negative and was being used in the appeal process to overturn the first results. That source also indicated the banned substance was not a performance-enhancing drug.

“The truth will prevail; I really feel good about that,” said the source. “It just stinks that this got out before the appeal process is finished. Initial positive tests have been overturned before, proving the player is innocent, and nobody ever knows.”

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/brewers.html

 

[Goober]

@BNightengale Bob Nightengale
People writing that no one has won an appeal. How do you know? Could have been dozens anonymously #MLB #Brewers

 

[moneyman255]

I just received a text message from Ryan Braun. Because his appeal of a positive drug test is ongoing, he cannot comment on the record about any of the details or give any information about what happened and what's going on.

But Braun was quite adamant that he will get this positive drug test overturned. He said he wanted to hold a press conference today to give his side of the story but was adviced against it while the process is ongoing.

"I can't wait to get that opportunity," said Braun.

"This is all B.S. I am completely innocent."

 

[Goober]

I just received a text message from Ryan Braun. Because his appeal of a positive drug test is ongoing, he cannot comment on the record about any of the details or give any information about what happened and what's going on.

But Braun was quite adamant that he will get this positive drug test overturned. He said he wanted to hold a press conference today to give his side of the story but was adviced against it while the process is ongoing.

"I can't wait to get that opportunity," said Braun.

"This is all B.S. I am completely innocent."

That's all Braun can say for now, which is understandable. But I appreciate him reaching out to me to say what he could.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/135392393.html

 

[ThomasTomasz]

ESPN probably had a writer looking to break some big news with the Pujols story being all that is talked about. And how much more can we bust that into the ground? I had to turn off MLBNetwork Radio on XM on the way home because it is just repeats of the same crap.

In any case, someone didn't double-check their facts or sources, and as someone who used to be a writer for a paper, I am extremely disappointed in journalism like this. It will be interesting to see what happens, both to this writer and to ESPN, if Braun wins his appeal due to a false-positive test.