Because I would rather not judge or jump to conclusions, I'm only seeing one side? No, I'm asking folks to see all sides and not paint it black. I'm not saying he's innocent but yet that's what some think I'm stating. He's guilty. Two thoughts continue to arise:
1. The weight gain in the eyes of the public is questionable, therefore it's assumed it must be associated with that.
2. The fact that he hasn't mentioned what it was to the public seems to point to public distrust. People feel the need to know.
I agree with your second section and feel it's not the appropriate time. They may never release the what.
First, let me say that l, as well, have worked with many 18-25 year olds in counseling, plus I am the father of two.
Most people formulate opinions and judgments based on past experiences. And given the report of the significant weight gained followed by a positive test for PED's simply makes that, based on most experiences, the most logical and simplest assumption to make.
Having worked with many in similar circumstance to WG I will say this emphatically and unquestionably:
People lie. Not saying WG is lying. I'm saying that I've seen far too many in his circumstance lie, and based on my experiences, I take what he says with a very large grain of salt. And
IF WG is lying, it is
NOT saying he is an awful person. Most in his situation are dealing with three very important emotions: embarrassment, guilt, and shame. And those three emotions make being completely truthful very difficult. It is a defense mechanism.
WG is a smart kid. We live in an information age, yet he had little or no idea of what he was taking? Most 18-25 y/o in the gyms these are "walking pharmacopeias" when it comes to illegal prescription drugs and non prescription supplements. And they know what is questionable and what isn't. WG is surrounded by nutrition and conditioning experts. I'm certain Coach Mac and his staff have counseled players on numerous occasions about ban substances. A simple caveat: If you don't know what's in it, don't take it. It never crossed WG's "gray matter" to simply ask? That is a very difficult leap in logic to make.
Would I like to believe WG? Certainly. I don't want any kid punished for making a mistake he was not aware he was making. But you're asking to me to look at something that looks, walks, and quacks like a duck and, then set aside almost everything logic and experience tells me, and say "well maybe it isn't a duck."
As far as WG's father is concerned, I fully expected for him to believe and back his son. Most parents do. We love our kids and expect them to be truthful. However when placed in a difficult circumstance, people many times choose denial, rationalization, and deflection because it makes the situation much less painful to deal with (temporarily). Our kids have "feet of clay" like the rest of us.
I know this first hand. My son wouldn't do that. "This has to be a mistake." Not my son. "He wouldn't lie".
Wrong....wrong....wrong. And it almost killed him.
And no, I'm not cynical. I'm just realistic.