Link: SI article implies that Bama football players used illegal substances (S.W.A.T.S.)

Status
Not open for further replies.

CrimsonChuck

Hall of Fame
Nov 15, 1999
5,639
4
0
51
Philadelphia, PA
I am surprised that this hasn't been posted here yet.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20130129/the-strange-lab-that-lured-numerous-athletes/

"You're familiar with HGH, correct?" asked Key, referring to human growth hormone. "It's converted in the liver to IGF-1." IGF-1, or -insulin-like growth factor, is a natural, anabolic hormone that stimulates muscle growth. "We have deer that we harvest out of New Zealand," Key said. "Their antlers are the fastest-growing substance on planet Earth . . . because of the high concentration of IGF-1. We've been able to freeze dry that out, extract it, put it in a sublingual spray that you shake for 20 seconds and then spray three [times] under your tongue. . . . This stuff has been around for almost 1,000 years, this is stuff from the Chinese."

IGF-1 is also a substance banned by the NCAA and by every major pro league. Alleging that the NFL warned players away from S.W.A.T.S.'s spray because it's a threat to "Big Pharma," Key boasted that S.W.A.T.S. is "the most controversial supplement company on Earth."

And so on the eve of facing LSU in the biggest game of their careers, a clutch of Alabama players huddled around Key, an aggressive pitchman who once was arrested for trespassing after giving chips and the beam-ray treatment to an LSU player in his hotel room at the 2010 Senior Bowl. (The charges were dropped, but he was banned from the hotel for life.) Neither Key nor S.W.A.T.S.'s owner, Mitch Ross, an erstwhile male stripper and admitted former steroid dealer, has a college degree in science. No matter. Unbeknownst to Crimson Tide coaches, S.W.A.T.S. had an audience with players on the No. 2 team in college football, a gathering that Key taped with a pen camera and showed to SI. He handed out some of the company's products gratis -- "It should never come up, but I'll go to the grave saying you bought this," Key told them -- and one, linebacker Alex Watkins, six months later gave a video testimonial on YouTube citing the boost he got from the chips, water and deer-antler pills during Bama's 21-0 BCS title victory
I think I remember seeing the ads for the magnets on TV. I don't think that part matters so much. It is the deer antler/IGF-I part that concerns me. But I am still trying to process this article because it has a lot of information in there.
 

257WBY

Suspended
Aug 20, 2011
2,077
1
0
I seemed to remember the owner being interviewed on Finebaum a couple of years ago. Is there anyway to detect it? I guess if Watkins gave a YouTube testimonial, the evidence is there. I don't see this going anywhere, but who knows?
 

TheRealPokeChop

Hall of Fame
Jul 7, 2010
5,970
3,149
187
Hueytown, Al
Since the School and the NCAA screen randomly, then its likely the school had no way of knowing about it. The chips and bracelets and water are all fine since they don't do anything. The deer antler extract could be a problem but since he has never failed a screen any possible penalties would likely be placed on the player and since the only current player named in the SI article is Adrian Hubbard, I would expect to see him miss some playing time next year, if not a lot of it.

Mostly this story is not new, UA addressed the issue with swats a long time ago, and the owner of the company is obviously a pimp and needs to be put under one way or another.
 

bamafaninOhiO

All-American
May 11, 2010
2,114
0
0
Dayton, Ohio
Since the School and the NCAA screen randomly, then its likely the school had no way of knowing about it. The chips and bracelets and water are all fine since they don't do anything. The deer antler extract could be a problem but since he has never failed a screen any possible penalties would likely be placed on the player and since the only current player named in the SI article is Adrian Hubbard, I would expect to see him miss some playing time next year, if not a lot of it.

Mostly this story is not new, UA addressed the issue with swats a long time ago, and the owner of the company is obviously a pimp and needs to be put under one way or another.

Change 'Pimp' to 'pusher', and I agree completely...
All youn can do is educate your players about the shady people out there, its up to them to listen.
 

bamabelle1991

All-American
Jan 1, 2009
4,040
179
87
South Alabama
Funny that this topic ends up on TF today because on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, there was a discussion about Ray Lewis using some potion made from the "velvet from deer antlers" and he bought it from a male stripper. This was purchased to help his tricep heal and he had no idea the IGF-1 was in it. They concluded that since Lewis' last game is this weekend, the NFL likely won't address it.

ETA: the conversation on Cowherd didn't mention SWATS, but since it referred to a male stripper, clearly it is the same person.
 
Last edited:

CrimsonChuck

Hall of Fame
Nov 15, 1999
5,639
4
0
51
Philadelphia, PA
Funny that this topic ends up on TF today because on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, there was a discussion about Ray Lewis using some potion made from the "velvet from deer antlers" and he bought it from a male stripper. This was purchased to help his tricep heal and he had no idea the IGF-1 was in it. They concluded that since Lewis' last game is this weekend, the NFL likely won't address it.

ETA: the conversation on Cowherd didn't mention SWATS, but since it referred to a male stripper, clearly it is the same person.
You are correct...this is the same story.
 

Rasputin

Suspended
Apr 15, 2008
5,686
1
0
Funny that this topic ends up on TF today because on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, there was a discussion about Ray Lewis using some potion made from the "velvet from deer antlers" and he bought it from a male stripper. This was purchased to help his tricep heal and he had no idea the IGF-1 was in it. They concluded that since Lewis' last game is this weekend, the NFL likely won't address it.

ETA: the conversation on Cowherd didn't mention SWATS, but since it referred to a male stripper, clearly it is the same person.
There are more of us than you think...
 

Catfish

Hall of Fame
Oct 11, 2005
6,566
2
45
60
Birmingham
Mostly this story is not new, UA addressed the issue with swats a long time ago, and the owner of the company is obviously a pimp and needs to be put under one way or another.
I knew Mitch Ross years ago before he started SWATS and never cared for him much. He liked himself well enough for everybody, though.
 
Last edited:

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
84,528
39,619
437
Huntsville, AL,USA
I will be amazed if there were enough 1-GF in the spray to be detectable, and I mean even in the spray, much less in the blood...
 

davefrat

Hall of Fame
Jun 4, 2002
5,169
3,884
282
Hopewell, VA
I will be amazed if there were enough 1-GF in the spray to be detectable, and I mean even in the spray, much less in the blood...
what a shock that the chinese first came up with this 1000 years ago considering that they grind up the private parts of wild animals for aphrodisiac effect.
 

mdb-tpet

All-SEC
Sep 2, 2004
1,478
1,189
182
So, Key is described as lying in the article, and has no proof of anyone taking the alleged supplement. Where's the real news? Just another snake-oil salesman in a hotel room trying to make a buck off of other well known people.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.