Steroids found in pro wrestler's body

[samanthajane13]

By GREG BLUESTEIN, Associated Press Writer

DECATUR, Ga. - Pro wrestler Chris Benoit had a steroid and other drugs in his system when he killed his wife and young son last month and hanged himself in the family's home, investigators said Tuesday.

Benoit's body contained 10 times the normal level of testosterone, as well as amounts of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone, authorities said.

The testosterone, a synthetic version of the primary male sex hormone, is considered an anabolic steroid. The state's top medical examiner said it appeared to have been injected shortly before Benoit died.

Dr. Kris Sperry said there was no evidence of any other steroids in the wrestler's body, and nothing to show that steroids played a role in the death of Nancy and Daniel Benoit. He also said the boy appeared to have been sedated when he was asphyxiated, and Benoit's wife had a "therapeutic" level of sedatives in her body.

Sperry said there is no consensus that the use of testosterone can contribute to paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."

"This a question that basically no one knows the answer to," Sperry said. "There is conflicting scientific data as to whether or not testosterone creates mental disorders or leads to outbursts of rage," he said. "There's data that suggests it and other data that refute it."

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Chris Benoit tested negative for alcohol. Investigators had been eager to determine whether alcohol was a factor in the killings after 10 empty beer cans were found in the home, as well as an empty wine bottle a few feet from where Benoit hanged himself.

Benoit killed his wife and 7-year-old son, placed Bibles next to their bodies and then hanged himself on the cable of a weight machine. After the slayings, prescription anabolic steroids were found in the family's home, raising questions about whether the drugs played a role in the killings.

Benoit's wife, Nancy, tested positive for Xanax, hydrocodone and the painkiller hydromorphone. Daniel Benoit had Xanax in his system, authorities said. The GBI said it could not perform tests for steroids or human growth hormones on the boy because of a lack of urine.

Nancy Benoit's body had a blood-alcohol level of 0.184 percent, more than twice the level at which Georgia law considers a driver intoxicated. But, Sperry said, that level may have been affected by decomposition.

Federal authorities have charged Chris Benoit's personal physician, Dr. Phil Astin, with improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two patients other than Benoit. He has pleaded not guilty.

Investigators have also raided Astin's office several times since the deaths, seizing prescription records and other documents.

Before he was charged, Astin told the AP he prescribed testosterone for Benoit, a longtime friend, in the past. He would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office June 22, the day authorities believe Benoit killed his wife.

World Wrestling Entertainment last screened Benoit for steroids in April. It said the results released Tuesday were proof Benoit did not test positive for illegal substances.

"All it means is that scientifically, it's now known that sometime between April 10 and when he died, he had treatment with testosterone," said Jerry McDevitt, a WWE attorney. "That's all it establishes."


++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Leave it to WWE to cover their *****es about the steroids and other meds. Next, I half expect McMahn to posthumously fire Chris for steroid use.

I know the hydrocodone has legitimate uses, and Chris DID have pain issues from having his neck surgically repaired a few years back.

Xanax is an anti-anxiety medication-I've been on it myself. If he had alcoholin his system when he took it, it could make him MORE DEPRESSED\ANXIOUS-but he had no alcohol in him.

Nancy's the one who consumed the wine and beer...

As for sedating Nancy and Daniel, maybe he thought it was a more humane way to kill them...let them drift off so they couldn't struggle, but that doesn't explain the bruising on Nancy, unless they had some kind of brawl.

Maybe that's it. Nancy may have tied one on, had an argument with Chris that escalated into a knock-down drag-out fight, and she threatened to go through with the divorce she started years ago.

And maybe Chris couldn't live with the though of that happening.

What I don't get is why Chris would inject himself with the testosterone shortly before he hung himself...it's not like he's numb the pain or be high from it...it just makes no sense.

The more I read, the less sense the whole case makes...it's just so damned sad...

Chris, nancy and Daniel took all the answers with them...

RIP Chris, Nancy, and Daniel

[samanthajane13]

Wrestler Chris Benoit Used Steroid Testosterone; Son Sedated Before Murders
Tuesday, July 17, 2007

DECATUR, Ga. — Professional wrestler Chris Benoit had an elevated level of testosterone in his system but no other steroids in his body, and his 7-year-old son was sedated at the time of his death, a Georgia medical examiner said Thursday.

"This level of testosterone indicates that he had been using testosterone at least within some reasonably short period of time prior to the time that he died," said Dr. Kris Sperry, chief medical examiner for the state with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, as he released the results of the toxicology report for the wrestler; his wife, Nancy; and son, Daniel.

"Although testosterone was found in Christopher Benoit's urine, there is no evidence of any other of the illegal types of steroids, or the whole laundry list of anabolic steroids that are out there to be used," Sperry said, adding, "the presence of the testosterone alone even could be an indicator that he was being treated for testicular insufficiency."

Besides steroids, Benoit's body contained the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone, according to a statement from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The GBI said Benoit tested negative for blood alcohol.

But Sperry said that they found a drug in the child's system that surprised them: Xanax.

"It is our opinion that Daniel Benoit was sedated by Xanax at the time that he was murdered, so that (means) he was sedated prior to the time that he died," he said.

The GBI said it could not perform tests for steroids or human growth hormones on the son because of a lack of urine.

Benoit's wife, Nancy, tested positive for Xanax, hydrocodone and the painkiller hydromorphone, but the decomposition process hindered the ability to determine the precise levels of the drugs at the time of her death. An elevated alcohol level found in her system could also be due to the decomposition process, Sperry said.

"The decomposition will affect the ability to interpret these drug levels reliably," Sperry said. "Before she died, they may have been higher. They could have been lower. We just don't know and we'll never know."

The test results were expected to shed more light on Benoit's last moments. Authorities said Benoit killed his wife and son in their suburban Atlanta home, placed Bibles next to their bodies and then hanged himself on the cable of a weight machine.

Anabolic steroids were found in the home, leading officials to wonder if the drugs played a role in the killings. Some experts believe steroids can cause paranoia, depression and violent outbursts known as "roid rage."

"There is no reliable scientific data that conclusively says that elevated levels of administered testosterone lead to excessive rage or behavioral disorders," Sperry said. "All the testing that's been done regarding that has been completely inconclusive."

Federal authorities have charged Benoit's personal physician, Dr. Phil Astin, with improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two patients other than Benoit. He has pleaded not guilty.

Investigators have also raided Astin's office several times since the deaths, seizing prescription records and other documents.

Before he was charged, Astin told the AP he prescribed testosterone for Benoit, a longtime friend, in the past. He would not say what, if any, medications he prescribed when Benoit visited his office June 22, the day authorities believe Benoit killed his wife.

"It's a little unclear to know exactly where this leads us, but you take this piece and you compare it with what a witness said or what was found at the scene and suddenly the picture begins to become more in focus," said Scott Ballard, district attorney for Fayette County. "And that's what we're certainly hoping to do."

FOXNews.com's Sara Bonisteel and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[samanthajane13]

Wrestler Chris Benoit's Toxicology Report Released

Investigators had hoped a toxicology report would provide clues to what drove pro-wrestler Chris Benoit into a murderous rage. But, investigators are instead left with questions as to why he killed his wife and son before killing himself.

The medical examiner only found one steroid in his system, and it wasn't an illegal substance. The testosterone had been injected into his body, 10 times the normal level, according to authorities .

Also found in Benoit, the anti-anxiety drug, Xanax, and the painkiller Hydrocodone. Investigators initially suspected a high dosage of steroids, or "roid rage," but the test results did not shed light on what led Benoit to murder.

Last month, Benoit killed his wife Nancy and their seven-year-old son Daniel in their suburban Atlanta home. He then hanged himself.

At 5'11" and 220 pounds, Benoit was a popular wrestler from Canada who made it big in the World Wrestling Entertainment, and WWE officials say he passed his last drug test.

But it's drugs, specifically Xanax, found inside his son's body that has the medical examiner puzzled. The ME says that drug wouldn't normally be given to a child for any routine purposes, but in this case, it appears Xanax was used to sedate the boy.

He also found that Benoit's wife, Nancy, had taken a cocktail of prescription drugs. But doctors say none of this contributed to their deaths, and the reason the wrestler killed his family remains a mystery.

[samanthajane13]

WWE Issues Statement On Toxicology Report For Chris Benoit
Submitted by Errol Leigh Farrell on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 at 4:55 PM EST

The WWE has issued the following statement:

WWE understands that the toxicology reports for Chris Benoit indicate that he tested positive for testosterone and negative for anabolic steroids. On Mr. Benoit's last drug test in April 2007 administered by Aegis Labs, he tested negative for anabolic steroids and for testosterone. Given the toxicology report of GBI released today, it would appear that Mr. Benoit took testosterone sometime after his April 2007 test and the time he died. WWE understands that his dealings with Dr. Astin are currently being investigated, and WWE has no knowledge of whether Dr. Astin prescribed testosterone for Mr. Benoit at some point after the April 2007 tests.

For over 20 years, the WWE has been demonstrating our concern for the well being of our contracted athletes, instituting drug testing in 1987 leading up to our current Wellness Program which began on February 27, 2006, administered by Dr. David L. Black of Aegis Sciences Corporation - one of the world's foremost drug testing authorities.

We believe our Wellness Program is at the very least comparable to those of professional sports and is a program that will benefit WWE Superstars for generations to come.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Deja Moo-Sounds like I've heard this BULL-S**T before!!!

Just keep covering your behind, McMahon-WE KNOW you have your own standards for those steroid tests...

Steroids may not have killed Chris and his family, but it certainly contributed to Eddie Guerrero's VERY EARLY death!!!

Ya got lucky this time, but...

Who's gonna die next, Vince!!!

Personally, I don't put much credence in that report. The double murder/suicide of the Benoit family made International headlines and severely threatened the wrestling industry and the WWE.

If the ME's report is "inaccurate", or if the ME is "mistaken", it won't be the first time (or the last) such "inaccuracies" and "mistakes" were made in famous cases where a lot was at stake and/or reputations were at issue.

JMO, IMO, MOO

[nightwatcher]

Originally Posted by samanthajane13

WWE Issues Statement On Toxicology Report For Chris Benoit
Submitted by Errol Leigh Farrell on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 at 4:55 PM EST

The WWE has issued the following statement:

WWE understands that the toxicology reports for Chris Benoit indicate that he tested positive for testosterone and negative for anabolic steroids. On Mr. Benoit's last drug test in April 2007 administered by Aegis Labs, he tested negative for anabolic steroids and for testosterone. Given the toxicology report of GBI released today, it would appear that Mr. Benoit took testosterone sometime after his April 2007 test and the time he died. WWE understands that his dealings with Dr. Astin are currently being investigated, and WWE has no knowledge of whether Dr. Astin prescribed testosterone for Mr. Benoit at some point after the April 2007 tests.

For over 20 years, the WWE has been demonstrating our concern for the well being of our contracted athletes, instituting drug testing in 1987 leading up to our current Wellness Program which began on February 27, 2006, administered by Dr. David L. Black of Aegis Sciences Corporation - one of the world's foremost drug testing authorities.

We believe our Wellness Program is at the very least comparable to those of professional sports and is a program that will benefit WWE Superstars for generations to come.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Deja Moo-Sounds like I've heard this BULL-S**T before!!!

Just keep covering your behind, McMahon-WE KNOW you have your own standards for those steroid tests...

Steroids may not have killed Chris and his family, but it certainly contributed to Eddie Guerrero's VERY EARLY death!!!

Ya got lucky this time, but...

Who's gonna die next, Vince!!!

I completely agree with you SJ13. When you have the kind of money that Vince McMahon has, it's pretty easy to cover your behind. That is exactly what I think he is doing, and he is disgusting too. He is the last person who should ever call anyone a "monster". IMO

[nightwatcher]

Originally Posted by Hey Paula

Personally, I don't put much credence in that report. The double murder/suicide of the Benoit family made International headlines and severely threatened the wrestling industry and the WWE.

If the ME's report is "inaccurate", or if the ME is "mistaken", it won't be the first time (or the last) such "inaccuracies" and "mistakes" were made in famous cases where a lot was at stake and/or reputations were at issue.

JMO, IMO, MOO

Hi, Hey Paula! It's good to see you again. I totally agree with you. Vince McMahon, with all his money & power, has the ability to make things happen in his favor. He will do anything for money, and he has more than proved that by the way he exploits his own family, in those ridiculous story lines of his on WWE. IMO

Originally Posted by nightwatcher

Hi, Hey Paula! It's good to see you again. I totally agree with you. Vince McMahon, with all his money & power, has the ability to make things happen in his favor. He will do anything for money, and he has more than proved that by the way he exploits his own family, in those ridiculous story lines of his on WWE. IMO

Hi there NW!

It's always a pleasure to see you too!

Human lives seem to be devalued by the almighty dollar. Three people are dead, one of them was Daniel Benoit, who at age 7, never really got a chance to live. I believe drugs were at the root of the problem and caused Chris Benoit's erratic behavior.

Athletes in other sports (baseball and football, e.g.) exhibit the same erratic and violent behavior, and it's attributable to drugs and roid rage. They wouldn't be super athletes without them. But even though their achievements come from a bottle or a needle, the industry is making money because of it, so sadly it will continue and claim more lives. Whether or not they die in the literal sense, they and their families will cease to exist as they did before those drugs were taken.

IMO

[One2Snoop]

Thanks samanthajane for posting the updates. Something caused Benoit to go off the deep end so to speak and I think his constant use of steriods was a big part of it. Sad that his wife and son paid the price for it.
I hope the WWE is monitored even more closely after this. Money shouldn't talk, but we all know it does, unfortunately.

[samanthajane13]

As a member of this forum, I feel it's my duty to share what I find, even if I don't agree with it, or if it breaks my heart.

I was hoping they might have found evidence that proved Chris was innocent-a break-in or whatever...whether he was innocent or guilty, he took that proof to the grave with him.

We will never truly know what happened that week-end, although many will speculate for years to come.

The family, co-workers, fans and friends of Chris, Nancy, and Daniel Benoit will be in my prayers...as will Chris, Nancy, and Daniel.

They are all in a better, safer place.

They are in God's healing arms...Safely Home.
He has a reason for ALL things, and He knows the truth.

RIP-Chris, Nancy,and Daniel

[samanthajane13]

Coroner:Benoit on Steroids
Josh Grossberg
Tue Jul 17, 10:01 AM ET
Yahoo! News

Los Angeles (E! Online) - The test results are in and the suspicions confirmed: Chris Benoit had steroids in his system when he murdered his wife and child and then took his own life.

The anxiously awaited toxicology findings on the wrestler and his family were announced Tuesday by Dr. Kris Sperry, chief medical examiner for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

While the only steroid found in Benoit's was testosterone, the levels were elevated enough to indicate he was injecting it shortly before he died, Sperry said. But he cautioned that the results do not indicate the kind of abuse that may have triggered so-called 'roid rage.

"There's no way to know how this could've affected Chris' behavior," Sperry told reporters at a press conference. "With respect to testosterone...There is nothing conclusive that could be said."

Sperry cited conflicting data from studies regarding how elevated levels of testosterone might contribute to altered behavior. He also noted that Benoit might have been taking testosterone just as easily for "testicular deficiency."

Benoit's personal physician, Dr. Phil Astin, has been charged with improperly prescribing drugs to patients other than the former wrestling champ. Astin, who has pleaded not guilty, came under scrutiny from federal officials after admitting to prescribing testosterone to Benoit.

The World Wrestling Entertainment has tried to downplay the steroid angle since the murder-suicide and has previously stated that Benoit tested clean for steroids as well as testosterone as recently as April. On Tuesday, the company pointed out that the toxicology results came up negative for anabolic steroids, but acknowledged that one of its biggest draws had been taking testosterone.

"It would appear that Mr. Benoit took testosterone sometime after his April 2007 test and the time he died. WWE understands that his dealings with Dr. Astin are currently being investigated, and WWE has no knowledge of whether Dr. Astin prescribed testosterone for Mr. Benoit at some point after the April 2007 tests," the company said in a statement.

The WWE also noted that it had launched an initiative last year shows to test its entertainers. "We believe our wellness program is at the very least comparable to those of professional sports and is a program that will benefit WWE Superstars for generations to come," the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, the coroner said "highly elevated levels" of the prescription drug Xanax were discovered in the body of Benoit's seven-year-old son, Daniel.

"There's clear evidence to me that Daniel Benoit was sedated at the time he was killed," added Sperry. "That's an unusual finding."

Sperry also said the child appeared normal and that it was impossible to conduct any kind of genetic test to determine whether Daniel suffered from fragile X syndrome. A WWE official claimed the boy required growth hormones for the disorder—something vociferously denied by surviving family. The coroner also said that there wasn't any urine available to determine whether growth hormoes were in Daniel's system.

Three prescription drugs were also found in the body of Nancy Benoit: hydrocodone, hydormorphone and Xanax, but all were at "therapeutic levels" and were likely prescribed for orthopedic ailments.

Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard said the investigation will remain "ongoing" to determine why the 40-year-old pro grappler strangled his 43-year-old wife to death in their suburban Atlanta home, and then smothered his son the next day before hanging himself.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anyone reading only the heading of this article would assume that anabolic steroids had caused these deaths...too bad reporters aren't being held responsilbe for what they write and they way they word things.

The article itself clearly contradicts the head-line.

Chris's family should be sueing these jerks for libel.

And then we have the ever-present WWE mouthpiece playing CYA, and acting all sanctimonious and protective over their wrestlers...

They make me wanna PUKE!

[nightwatcher]

Originally Posted by samanthajane13

As a member of this forum, I feel it's my duty to share what I find, even if I don't agree with it, or if it breaks my heart.

I was hoping they might have found evidence that proved Chris was innocent-a break-in or whatever...whether he was innocent or guilty, he took that proof to the grave with him.

We will never truly know what happened that week-end, although many will speculate for years to come.

The family, co-workers, fans and friends of Chris, Nancy, and Daniel Benoit will be in my prayers...as will Chris, Nancy, and Daniel.

They are all in a better, safer place.

They are in God's healing arms...Safely Home.
He has a reason for ALL things, and He knows the truth.

RIP-Chris, Nancy,and Daniel

That was a wonderful post, SJ13! You sound like a person worth knowing. Your family is lucky to have you in their lives. IMO

[nightwatcher]

Originally Posted by Hey Paula

Hi there NW!

It's always a pleasure to see you too!

Human lives seem to be devalued by the almighty dollar. Three people are dead, one of them was Daniel Benoit, who at age 7, never really got a chance to live. I believe drugs were at the root of the problem and caused Chris Benoit's erratic behavior.

Athletes in other sports (baseball and football, e.g.) exhibit the same erratic and violent behavior, and it's attributable to drugs and roid rage. They wouldn't be super athletes without them. But even though their achievements come from a bottle or a needle, the industry is making money because of it, so sadly it will continue and claim more lives. Whether or not they die in the literal sense, they and their families will cease to exist as they did before those drugs were taken.

IMO

Excellent post, Hey Paula! There isn't one thing you've said, that I don't agree with, and I always enjoy reading your posts. You sound like a very caring & loving person. IMO

[samanthajane13]

Nightwatcher-

Thank you very much for the lovely compliment.

I'll definitely keep your words in mind the next time anyone tried to get in my face.

Hugs-
Donna

[nightwatcher]

Originally Posted by samanthajane13

Nightwatcher-

Thank you very much for the lovely compliment.

I'll definitely keep your words in mind the next time anyone tried to get in my face.

Hugs-
Donna

You're welcome. Please remember that too.

[samanthajane13]

'Roid Rage

Baseball's new k*ng swats one close to home

By Richie Whitt

Published: August 16, 2007

My 10-year-old son: Isn't that Barry Bonds?

Me: Yep.

My 10-year-old son: Didn't he take drugs? Isn't he a cheater?

Me: Yep.

My 10-year-old son: Then why is everybody cheering for him?

Me: Because he...well...Hmm. Hold that thought...

Don Hooton, I need your advice.

Your 17-year-old son, Taylor, took steroids to become a bigger, better baseball player for Plano West High School in 2003 and wound up committing suicide. In his memory and the wake of the BALCO scandal, we're teaching our kids that steroids are illegal, dangerous and worse than bad. That cheaters never win and winners never cheat. Yet Barry Bonds took steroids, cheated, lied and is now the proud new owner of one of the most hallowed records in all of sports.

What gives?

It's as though The Joker kicked Batman in the nuts, ripped off the caped crusader's mask and stole the Batmobile, all while ESPN's Pedro Gomez chronicled it as heroic, historic and, gulp, positive.

"With an event like this we're losing sight of the kids who look up to elite athletes," Hooton says. "I fear that until the controversy surrounding Barry is cleared up that they are getting the message it's OK to use performance-enhancing drugs. It's about education, and we're making progress. But the discussion should be centered more on Bonds' felony behavior, rather than simply whether or not an asterisk should be put beside his home run record."

Congratulations, Barry Bonds, you've hit more home runs than any player in baseball. And kudos, you're also the most dangerous, despicable role model in the history of sports.

Nice guys finish last. And in this screwed-up world, Bonds finishes first.
"What should have been a celebration of a historic moment in our national pastime is tainted by the widely held belief that Bonds' achievement was due to the illegal and unethical use of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs," Taylor Hooton Foundation Chairman Gary Wadler said in a statement released after Bonds passed Hank Aaron with homer No. 756. "The message this so-called home run record sends to our youth will be tragic if they, in any way, are left with the notion that cheating counts."

Says Hooton, "Bonds is playing to a different jury. It's young people, young athletes who can't convict him, but can decide for themselves whether or not to pull out a syringe and be like their favorite big-leaguer. In the end, the only votes that will matter about Bonds will be cast by the kids."

By now, ad nauseam, you know Bonds' story. Entered the Major League in 1986 as a spindly lead-off hitter. Matured into a Hall of Fame player even before 1998, when his ego chafed at Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire grabbing the headlines during their epic home-run battle. So Bonds started juicing. He grew thick muscles and an enlarged cranium and went from 49 homers in 2000 to a single-season record 73 in 2001 at an age (36) when most athletes are well into decline.

Though his personal trainer (Greg Anderson) and business associate (BALCO founder Victor Conte) were convicted on steroid-related charges, the defiant Bonds swears—under oath, mind you—that he never knowingly took drugs. Flaxseed oil, he thought. Some kind of topical cream. Maybe he figured it was the next incarnation of Viagra, or perhaps a cure for his eternally surly disposition.

Yeah, right. And Michael Jackson hasn't had a nose job and Clinton didn't get blown by Monica Lewinsky and Jim Schutze sincerely misses Mayor Miller and steroids didn't kill Taylor Hooton.

He was a popular kid entering his senior year at Plano West. A student with a 3.8 GPA and a pitcher with an average fastball. He took steroids to increase his strength, but the associative psychological problems—violent mood swings and depression—pushed him to make a noose out of two belts and hang himself over his bedroom door on July 17, 2003.

"Four years and it's still like a bad dream," Hooton says.

The Hootons no longer hang Christmas lights because that was Taylor's job. They always hesitate for a reflective second before swigging orange soda, his favorite. But mostly, Don pours his time and energy and sorrow and passion into the foundation.

Despite the accolades misplaced atop Bonds' artificially enhanced head, slowly but surely Hooton's work is beginning to at least thaw Mount Steroid.

Hooton, who received a $1 million grant from Major League Baseball, has testified before Congress and presented programs to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the National High School Coaches Association. Though the NFL has declined to partner, football Hall of Famer Dick Butkus has signed on as a spokesman. And Hooton's "Hoot's Chalk Talks"—a series of youth clinics designed to solve the problem of performance-enhancing drug use through evaluation, education and elimination—recently made a stop at Dodger Stadium, hours before you-know-who took his fraudulent swings at history.

"Serendipitously positive," Hooton says of the delicious coincidence.
With Bonds' exploits, professional wrestler Chris Benoit's killing of his family and self, and the recent Tour de Farce cycling scandals, steroids are consistently wedged into our national dialogue. But even while slugger Jason Giambi apologizes for taking "that stuff" and commissioner Bud Selig salutes Bonds' record-breaking homer with hands in pockets, Hooton refuses to tap-dance.

"What's going on is graphic," he says. "It's needles and syringes with kids injecting themselves."

Hooton's isn't a one-man crusade against Bonds, but rather a lifelong mission to stop young athletes from following Taylor's destructive path. His legacy is looming. This fall Texas is expected to implement the nation's largest and most comprehensive steroid testing of high school athletes.
What the locally initiated Amber Alert has done for missing children, "Taylor's Law" will do for kids considering steroids.

"It's a sad commentary on our society, but for now punishment is the most important deterrent in preventing kids from making the decision to try this junk," Hooton says. "With a more reasonable chance of getting caught, we raise the chance they won't try it in the first place. It's a vital first step."

Hooton envisions a day when coaches willingly lecture their players about the dangers. When athletes rely on hard work rather than hard drugs. When America sees Bonds not as an American hero, but rather a steroid serpent disguised in a sweet swing.

My 10-year-old son: So, uh, Dad, why is everybody cheering Barry Bonds?

Me: Look around, son. Listen closer. I'm not. Your coaches aren't. Your friends aren't. Taylor Hooton isn't.