Cuban sizes up steroids

Published Oct. 21, 2009 at 12:56 p.m.

Hot-button issues are Mark Cuban's specialty. He's never afraid to give a contrary opinion.

So when he was speaking to several hundred University of Pittsburgh studends Tuesday afternoon, and somebody asked him about steroids in sports, Cuban took the opportunity to say that, someday, if chemists and doctors can alleviate long-term side-effects from steroids, he believes they should be OK'd for sports.

Sitting courtside before the game against Cleveland Tuesday evening, he clarified.

"How is it different than getting Lasik surgery so you can have perfect vision?'' Cuban said. "Or how is it different than Tommy John surgery so you can get a perfect elbow? If they can improve steroids to where they have no harmful long-term effects, I don't see the problem with wanting perfect muscles.''

Interesting thought, but Cuban acknowledged that modern medicine -- as great as it is -- hasn't reached that point yet.

Until it does, he added, steroids can't be legalized for sports.

--Eddie Sefko

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