The NFL has random testing and is the most popular sport in the United States. MLB lost popularity because they were soft on steroids.
It's in Dana's best interest to mainstream Ultimate Fighting, not mismanage it back to fringe sport status.
Todd,
You're assuming that one has to do with the other (i.e., football is popular b/c of random testing). That's not the case.
The NFL is more popular than baseball for several reasons, mainly because the NFLPA and owners get along much better than most labor organizations.
That allowed the NFL to implement the toughest drug testing policy in American professional sports while the baseball union fought against testing.
You are assuming that random drug testing would thin the herd. I give the fighters a lot more credit than that.
Random drug testing would send the message that the UFC is truly a sport, not "steroid fueled human cockfighting"
"If the fix was on, do you think the league would let one of the best players embarrass himself and his organization like that?"
i dont think there is a fix at all. But the NFL, UFC or whoever, IF they really were tough on steroids they would simply give lie detector tests along with pee tests. As for the random - ness, they could test everyone every three months period (NFL) if they were THAT concerned about steroids. They are not that concerned, but looking concerned goes alot further for public image than a true attempt to catch juicers.
They dont, because they would much rather "look" tough on drugs than have a complete zero tolerance policy. Because a true zero tolerance could have some unwelcome consequences.
Do you know how often NFL players are randomly tested?
" IF they really were tough on steroids they would simply give lie detector tests along with pee tests."
Lie detector tests are not nearly reliable enough for that. Also the players would never allow it.
"MLB lost popularity because they were soft on steroids."
Bullshit! Steroids saved baseball in the US. The sport was in the shitter after the last strike. It was the steroid fueled homerun battle between McGuire and Sosa that got people to start watching again.
The NFL's testing and penalties are a joke. They had a repeat offender in the Pro Bowl last year.
I wonder how it would be viewed if a manager/agent knew his fighter was juicing and thought he knew enough about the testing procedure to manipulate it in order to yield a negative result come fight night... only he was wrong in his thinking and his fighter failed.
Cindy
And McGwire didn't get inducted into the Hall of Fame. Baseball has lost most of the momentum falsely gained by the home run chase. Bond, McGwire, Sosa and Palmeiro got exposed by their testimony.
Baseball is about as clean as the Tour de France in the eyes of the average American.
Yeah, random testing by Zuffa would really clean up the sport? Maybe on the surface, as all it would do would be to enable Dana to pull fighters failing tests from the card - then no failed tests come show time = clean sport?
Now random testing by an independent or state controlled body (costs of tests to be paid by Zuffa?)might be a different thing and probably not a route Dana would like to go?!
If Dana pulled guys who randomly tested positive off the card, they wouldn't get paid. Financial penalties are the best punishment in professional sports.
"NFL'ers have enough money for the high end designer drugs and hGH"
DING!
I believe that positive tests will go down as fighter pay goes up.
" Baseball has lost most of the momentum falsely gained by the home run chase."
If it lost it's momentum why is it making more money than ever before?
Inflation