Keep those Pacquiao steroid accusations under your hat

Published on: 16th September, 2009

Keep those Pacquiao steroid accusations under your hat

9/13/09,San Francisco,Ca. --- "GIANTS AMONG GIANTS" --- (L-R) Giants in boxing, six-time world champion pound-for-pound king Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao,General Santos,Philippines and three-time world champion and the pride of Puerto Rico Miguel Cotto, Caguas, Puerto Rico attend the San Francisco Giants - Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game at AT&T Park in San Francisco Sunday to promote their upcoming "FIREPOWER" World Welterweight championship fight. Three thousand cheering fans braved the pouring rain to attend the public press conference after the game. Pacquiao vs Cotto is promoted by Top Rank, in association with MGM Grand and Tecate, will take place, Saturday,November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will be available live on HBO Pay Per View. --- Photo Credit : Chris Farina - Top Rank (no other credit allowed) copyright 2009 | read this item

Does 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 Babe Ruth are inevitable.

Head size is apparently a longstanding issue in baseball, as this Sports Illustrated anecdote involving Pete Rose and Ty Cobb attests.

By: Colin Seymour

Source: examiner.com