Lowell Wants Nothing Less Than 100%
Even before the Boston Baseball Writers’ Association Dinner began tonight, Mike Lowell had already made the news. Mike was asked about whether he would submit to blood testing for HGH – and he said yes… if the test was proven to be 100% accurate.
If it’s 99 percent accurate, that’s going to be seven false positives. Ninety-three percent is 70 guys. That’s almost three whole rosters. You’re destroying someone’s reputation. What if one of the false positives is Cal Ripken? Doesn’t it put a black mark on his career?
While I understand his point, I think it’s going to be difficult to ever find ANY testing method that is absolutely, positively, without a doubt 100% correct with zero margin of error. Are any medical testing methods 100% foolproof? Testing for steroids is far from being 100%, and yet MLB (and the Players Union) has deemed the problem serious enough, and the test reliable enough, to institute testing anyway. So if we’re waiting for an HGH test that has a zero margin of error, we’re going to be waiting a loooooooong time.
On a completely unrelated note, Mike totally has a crush on Rene Russo. Per the Associated Press report, he “gushed” about getting to do a photoshoot with her… and was more excited about that than his upcoming White House dinner with the President. BURN.
“I’m pretty sure most people are going to say, ‘Who’s that guy with Rene Russo?’ ” Lowell said. “It was awesome. I had to do nothing. I just kept looking straight.”
Oh, my…that’s a beautiful photo.
(Had to leave white space to catch breath)
Right now I’m wishing I was Rene.
My God, he’s a good looking man!
FYI… You’re right no medical test is 100% accurate. However, they tend to combine tests to minimize that–for example, first they’ll run a test that has more false positives, then one that has more false negatives, and so on.
So, he has a point, BUT… the false positive results shouldn’t be the focus. Those errors are the fault of a machine, but the way to really muck it up is to let human beings handle the results.
The key is knowing the quality of the work and the testing protocol. knowing how to explain statistics to the public… it is do-able with tests as it is, but the way careers get ruined or saved is more a question of the PR, public education and what the appropriate response to positive results would be.
The point isn’t of the testing isn’t the testing in and of itself, from what I understand, by the way. The testing is in place to scare players away from doing HGH.
And yes, he’s awfully handsome. Old-school Hollywood hotness. I’ll bet he takes Handsome Guy Hormone.
But has he ever explained that demi-stache?
…Yummy. When it comes to baseball my heart may belong to another man (who I, embarrassingly enough, can identify by just his left ear), but Mikey is a solid second!
Just the fix I needed before I leave tomorrow. I had to learn cricket because that’s as close as I’ll be able to get to watching baseball for almost a month. Hopefully I’ll be able to get to an internet cafe to check the latest news. Your site is so great; you always have the most important news and goings-on.
… holy biscuits, mikeLOL.
i am now requiring of a cold shower.
;D
Sorry, TG, if you really want to discuss something, you’re going to have to refran from distracting us like that…but please don’t. ;)
OK – he’s now a certifiable HUNK….why did I not notice before??