A LOOK AT VICTOR CONTE
Victor Conte
San Francisco, CA– Having been on the Bay Area music as a native, and a guy who seen everybody from the Rolling Stones to Frank Sinatra and more, I know a little more than the average music fan. I consider this a preface for what I’m sure what I’m about to write about is going to irk some of you, while others think that I’ve hit a least a double were we playing baseball and not writing. That being the following story is the most prevalent subject in sports and boxing, that being “Drug Use.” And no I’m not talking about Cocaine, Heroin, and Meth (Speed), I’m on the subject of fighters using Performance Enhancing Drugs such as Steroids and the like.
A BASS PLAYER IS A WEIRD DUDE/CHICK
Most of the bass players that I’ve encountered were introverted. But Victor Conte, who had led bands prior to becoming part of Tower of Power in 1976, joining his cousin and guitar player Bruce Conte for one album, was the exact opposite of that notion of being “an introvert.” He can charm the media, and at the same time sell his top of the line SNAC.com (Sports Nutrition For Advanced Conditioning products in a manner that can pay four (at least) salaries and leave Victor smiling. As far his playing bass, having played drums and trombone in school, the bass player was always a “different” type guy.
EXTROVERTED CONTE QUITE TH OPPOSITE
We all know he “rigged” some of the 2000 Olympics, which set Conte for prison for a little less than a year. 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist Marion Jones went to jail, not for cheating, but for lying under oath over her use of Conte’s designer steroids. He feels he played an integral role in Shane Mosley beating Oscar De La Hoya in the rematch “down the stretch” regarding Shane’s incredible recovery. But after the prison stint, I truly think Conte turned over a new leaf and is not working with illegal substances, such as Steroids and other Performance Enhancing Drugs.
THINK BERTO MIGHT HAVE BEEN MUCKED OVER
Having studied steroids to an extent, if my memory serves me correctly, Nadrolene doesn’t stay in the system the two years as Conte was quoted in recent days. According two a pair of steroid users who have used Nandrolene, one said they cleared in 28 days, while it took others they estimated four to five months. One source stated that it took 18 months, which is close to Conte’s estimate as for how long it will be Berto’s system. I just don’t think Berto alone, and certainly not with experts monitoring this, would have allowed him to do Nandrolene. It is akin to committing to “professional suicide.” People have, wrongfully I feel and hope, accused Conte of giving Berto the Nandrolene. I just don’t think Victor would ever give another athlete illegal stuff and risk a longer stint in the jail, be it Club Fed or not, Conte could get five years or more on another conviction for charges related to Steroids.
ALSO THINK CONTE IS SMARTER THAN THE WADA-USADA-VADA
If Conte were part of this plan to give Berto the Nandrolene, let me make this clear, Berto would have never been caught if they were cohorts on this. From my professional and far lesser degree personal contact with him, I have to say I never felt he was completely forthright about baseball’s Barry Bonds and his use of the “Juice.” Outside of that, I think Conte has been at the forefront of trying to “wake up” the boxing establishment that has been purposely ignoring him on the drug issue. In closing, if I were running an Internet business that was a Fortune 500 type relying on computers, I’d want the best computer hacker working for me to avoid any “hacking” issues.
CONTE THE BEST OF THE ‘ROID “HACKERS”
The same applies to Conte, whether he’s a former Felon or not, he’s the best at what he does, that being the knowledge of Performance Enhancing Drugs. The U.S. Government or individual State Commissions, they should ask Conte to abolish his work with athletes and instead work to clean up not only the boxing world, but also the sports world at large! The problem is two-fold. 1) Conte is not trusted by the “establishment.” If so, he’d have been hired a long time ago. 2) The establishment doesn’t want to find out that the Mickey Mantle’s of today’s “different” major sports are on PEDs.
Pedro Fernandez