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Steelers raising steroids suspicion
posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: NFL
So there I was, reading a fabulous story by Brendan J. Lyons of the Albany Times Union about a major federal steroids investigation, when I came upon what Bob Woodward would call a "Holy Crap!" bit of reportage: Last month, a New York investigator who has been tracking suspicious purchases from Signature Pharmacy flew to Pittsburgh to interview a top physician for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers about why he allegedly used a personal credit card to purchase roughly $150,000 in testosterone and human growth hormone in 2006.
The physician, Richard A. Rydze, who won a silver medal in platform diving in the 1972 Olympics, told the investigator the drugs were for his private patients, according to a person briefed on the interview. Rydze is an internist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He also is a consulting physician for the FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration.
There are no allegations Rydze violated any laws. Many doctors are allowed under Pennsylvania rules to order and dispense prescription drugs. But investigators in New York said his orders of testosterone piqued their interest because of the large volume, his position with an NFL team and because he allegedly used a personal credit card.
Are you kidding me?
A Pittsburgh Steelers associate team physician allegedly buying $150,000 worth of testosterone and HGH?
In one year?
Using a personal credit card?
This is very interesting, even if you approach the NFL from the belief that a fair amount of players use steroids, and that the NFL and NFLPA privately acknowledge a lot of these guys have to use to make it through the season, and bust just enough of them to give fans and Congress and even cynical media the impression that they've got doping licked.
The Times Union reported that Rydze -- a '72 silver medalist in platform diving who is also a medical doctor of the FBI's Pittsburgh office, the Community College of Allegheny County, and the Little Sisters of the Poor nursing home -- told investigators the dope was for private patients. Sources also told the paper the retail value of these steroids purchased by Rydze, who attends Steelers home and away games, was $750,000.
How far will this investigation go? Who knows. Rydze won't comment, but did tell SI.com earlier this month that he gives the HGH to elderly patients and that it's "not for athletes, never. ... The Rooneys are aware that I do this ... I mean, they have my trust that I would never do this with an athlete."
Greg Aiello, the NFL's spokesman, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the league will "very definitely be looking into it."
posted: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 | Feedback | Print Entry
filed under: NFL
So there I was, reading a fabulous story by Brendan J. Lyons of the Albany Times Union about a major federal steroids investigation, when I came upon what Bob Woodward would call a "Holy Crap!" bit of reportage: Last month, a New York investigator who has been tracking suspicious purchases from Signature Pharmacy flew to Pittsburgh to interview a top physician for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers about why he allegedly used a personal credit card to purchase roughly $150,000 in testosterone and human growth hormone in 2006.
The physician, Richard A. Rydze, who won a silver medal in platform diving in the 1972 Olympics, told the investigator the drugs were for his private patients, according to a person briefed on the interview. Rydze is an internist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He also is a consulting physician for the FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration.
There are no allegations Rydze violated any laws. Many doctors are allowed under Pennsylvania rules to order and dispense prescription drugs. But investigators in New York said his orders of testosterone piqued their interest because of the large volume, his position with an NFL team and because he allegedly used a personal credit card.
Are you kidding me?
A Pittsburgh Steelers associate team physician allegedly buying $150,000 worth of testosterone and HGH?
In one year?
Using a personal credit card?
This is very interesting, even if you approach the NFL from the belief that a fair amount of players use steroids, and that the NFL and NFLPA privately acknowledge a lot of these guys have to use to make it through the season, and bust just enough of them to give fans and Congress and even cynical media the impression that they've got doping licked.
The Times Union reported that Rydze -- a '72 silver medalist in platform diving who is also a medical doctor of the FBI's Pittsburgh office, the Community College of Allegheny County, and the Little Sisters of the Poor nursing home -- told investigators the dope was for private patients. Sources also told the paper the retail value of these steroids purchased by Rydze, who attends Steelers home and away games, was $750,000.
How far will this investigation go? Who knows. Rydze won't comment, but did tell SI.com earlier this month that he gives the HGH to elderly patients and that it's "not for athletes, never. ... The Rooneys are aware that I do this ... I mean, they have my trust that I would never do this with an athlete."
Greg Aiello, the NFL's spokesman, told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that the league will "very definitely be looking into it."