Published on: 16th September, 2009
Keep those Pacquiao steroid accusations under your hatDoes he or doesn’t he? Only his haberdasher knows for sure.
The question is whether Manny Pacquiao uses steroids, and it was raised this week by Floyd Mayweather Sr., which doesn’t exactly give it any journalistic validity. Pacquiao is far more powerful at 144 pounds than he was at 124, but that’s probably because 144 is closer to his natural weight. He doesn’t need steroids, and I think he’s too sensible to use them.
Still, I couldn’t help noticing in recent photos that Manny’s head is really huge, almost O.J.-like, especially compared to that of Nov. 14 opponent Miguel Cotto.
The issue was put in perspective at AT&T Park, where we watched Barry Bonds’ skull grow faster than his home-run totals. Pacquiao’s noggin wouldn’t seem to stand out in those environs, but maybe the setting makes it stand out more. His head has always been large, and perhaps the Barry Bonds get-up conveyed an inappropriate subliminal message as to why.
This has been compounded by other Pacquiao-Cotto publicity tour stops such as Yankee Stadium, where comparisons to