Brooks story: True or False?

[yubfrontin]

All this talk of ChatGPT and I had to try my hand at it.

[BAC]

I see the PSU haters are out in full force in this thread.  If it were up to this crowd, Brooks would be banned for life, jailed, and sterilized for good measure. 

Brooks was boneheaded, no doubt. Not reading the label of a natural supplement is a inexcusable, pneumonia or not, so I'm not sympathetic. I'm also ticked that his actions will hurt the strength of Team USA.  But saying he's outright lying and intending to cheat, without a lick of evidence, is pretty nasty stuff. 

If the USADA decides otherwise, then I'll defer to that finding, as there may be more to the story.  But if the USADA determines this was a result of negligence, and not an intent to cheat, is this crowd going to collectively petition the USADA to reconsider, and to impose a harsher punishment?

It used to be the case that when a guy graduated and was on the World team, the entire USA wrestling community would be behind him.  I guess not so anymore.  I can just see some of you guys cheering like maniacs when Ramazanov came from behind to beat him at the Olympic semis.  Best day of your life, eh?

I guess some guys just can't get over the beatings Brooks gave your team in his college days.  

Edited Monday at 10:08 PM by BAC

[MPhillips]

25 minutes ago, BAC said:

It used to be the case that when a guy graduated and was on the World team, the entire USA wrestling community would be behind him. I guess not so anymore. 

Jordan Burroughs

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

The apologists continue.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 minute ago, MPhillips said:

Jordan Burroughs

Don't forget DT vs Cox angry tweets.  PSU fans didn't like Cox so much either.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

30 minutes ago, BAC said:

 

Brooks was boneheaded, no doubt. Not reading the label of a natural supplement is a inexcusable, pneumonia or not, so I'm not sympathetic. I'm also ticked that his actions will hurt the strength of Team USA.  But saying he's outright lying and intending to cheat, without a lick of evidence, is pretty nasty stuff. 

 

LOL natural supplement?  If DHEA is "natural," then so are testosterone, hGH, and EPO. 

[BAC]

8 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

LOL natural supplement?  If DHEA is "natural," then so are testosterone, hGH, and EPO. 

DHEA is a hormone that your body naturally produces. I assume the supplements are a synthesized version but it's irrelevant -- the point is when you buy supplements, it's likely a non-FDA approved use, which means you need to be extra careful to check the ingredients.  However made, DHEA is a steroid, full stop, so he's getting dinged for it -- rightly so.

The only question is whether he intended to cheat.  Here, there is zero evidence of it.  The fact that he wasn't planning to compete anyway points the other way.  (He didn't get his test results until WTTs were over.)

Yet here you are, along with 90% of other "fans," celebrating the downfall of a world team member, accusing him of lying, and all but DEMANDING the USADA find him guilty of intending to cheat.  Why? Because his alma mater kicked your favorite team's azz.  That's all.

Welcome to Team USA, home of the worst fans in the world.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

40 minutes ago, BAC said:

DHEA is a hormone that your body naturally produces. I assume the supplements are a synthesized version but it's irrelevant -- the point is when you buy supplements, it's likely a non-FDA approved use, which means you need to be extra careful to check the ingredients.  However made, DHEA is a steroid, full stop, so he's getting dinged for it -- rightly so.

The only question is whether he intended to cheat.  Here, there is zero evidence of it.  The fact that he wasn't planning to compete anyway points the other way.  (He didn't get his test results until WTTs were over.)

Yet here you are, along with 90% of other "fans," celebrating the downfall of a world team member, accusing him of lying, and all but DEMANDING the USADA find him guilty of intending to cheat.  Why? Because his alma mater kicked your favorite team's azz.  That's all.

Welcome to Team USA, home of the worst fans in the world.

LOL

Also test, hGH and EPO are natural supplements by your logic.

Yeah, I won't be cheating for Brooks or Daton Fix ever again.  They were both caught doping.  

Also, he was never a world team member.

You sound like a true "fan" short for fanatic, and blinded by loyalty.

Edited Monday at 11:37 PM by Interviewed_at_Weehawken

[Mr. PeanutButter]

1 hour ago, BAC said:

DHEA is a hormone that your body naturally produces. I assume the supplements are a synthesized version but it's irrelevant -- the point is when you buy supplements, it's likely a non-FDA approved use, which means you need to be extra careful to check the ingredients.  However made, DHEA is a steroid, full stop, so he's getting dinged for it -- rightly so.

The only question is whether he intended to cheat.  Here, there is zero evidence of it.  The fact that he wasn't planning to compete anyway points the other way.  (He didn't get his test results until WTTs were over.)

Yet here you are, along with 90% of other "fans," celebrating the downfall of a world team member, accusing him of lying, and all but DEMANDING the USADA find him guilty of intending to cheat.  Why? Because his alma mater kicked your favorite team's azz.  That's all.

Welcome to Team USA, home of the worst fans in the world.

The he-wasnt-competing-therefore-he-couldnt-possibly-be-cheating narrative is a lame narrative.

Dopers dope. They dope whether there is a competition at the end of the season or not. Plenty of athletes, including wrestlers, got caught, kept blasting gear, came back as good if not better only to get caught again. In fact, doping when there is not a looming competition is eggsactly when it's most advantageous to ingest trenbolone sandwiches. That's how cycling works.

The other reason why this is a dumb narrative is that Aaron himself said he was planning on competing at final X up until he got sick in In this here interview so he could have been juicing all season long.

People aren't buying the eggscuses because the story is dumb and flimsy, for various reasons that have been discussed ad nauseam. 

Furthermore, how many people do you know that, after suffering through a serious illness, tell themselves: "you know what I could use right now? Some amateur recreational trifling with my hormones" 

Finally, I believe a good portion of the response to this story stems from the asshole rule: when you act like a tool, you forfeit a good deal of grace and patience. Nowhere is that rule more on display than with Carter Starocci right now, for example. 

Edited yesterday at 12:02 AM by Mr. PeanutButter

[bnwtwg]

I think the real lesson we have all learned is that we let Jesus take the wheel, he will drive us straight to Wegman's and deliver a story full of holy's in it for USADA

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

Oh, and then you have clowns like Basch saying stuff about taking full responsibility while making up about a half dozen excuses about how there was no intentional cheating.

[Caveira]

2 hours ago, BAC said:

Not reading the label of a natural supplement

Not the label.  The title of the drug.  It’s like the name of the product was illegal drugs.  
 

also praise Mohammad.  

[The Kid]

15 hours ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

The apologists continue.

Sanderson Derangement Syndrome

It is cult like in every aspect.

Edited yesterday at 01:59 PM by The Kid

[BAC]

14 hours ago, Mr. PeanutButter said:

The he-wasnt-competing-therefore-he-couldnt-possibly-be-cheating narrative is a lame narrative.

No one's saying that.  But if he were ramping up for a competition, there's be a stronger inference of intent to cheat.  Since he wasn't, the inference cuts the other way.

14 hours ago, Mr. PeanutButter said:

The other reason why this is a dumb narrative is that Aaron himself said he was planning on competing at final X up until he got sick in In this here interview so he could have been juicing all season long.

The point is that the supplement was allegedly purchased *after* he was sick (according to his dad), and he didn't find out about the negative test result until *after* Final X had passed.  It isn't dispositive, but that too cuts in favor if it being inadvertent.

14 hours ago, Mr. PeanutButter said:

People aren't buying the eggscuses because the story is dumb and flimsy, for various reasons that have been discussed ad nauseam. 

Um, OK.  Whatever that means.

14 hours ago, Mr. PeanutButter said:

Furthermore, how many people do you know that, after suffering through a serious illness, tell themselves: "you know what I could use right now? Some amateur recreational trifling with my hormones" 

Well, the problem here is we don't know exactly what he bought, or how that product lines up to his explanation.

His dad says he was "looking at his doctor’s report and all the things he’s lacking in. And he went to get supplements to replenish whatever it is that needs to be replenished."  If I'm the USADA, I want to see what the doctor's report says, and whether/how the product he bought replenishes that.  Again, it isn't a defense, but it might tend to show it was bought more for healing purposes than competitive purposes. 

Conversely, some are claiming he bought supplements that are literally called "DHEA."  But do we know that?  His dad says he bought "a supplement, a natural, plant-based supplement," which doesn't quite track, unless he's referring to the soy/yam from which I understand DHEA can be synthesized. I guess we'll find out. If it was literally called "DHEA," that's some next-level stupid and you can't claim it was ingested accidentally (only that you didn't know it was banned). This we won't know until the report comes out, but don't see the point in definitively stringing him up without knowing the truth.

14 hours ago, Mr. PeanutButter said:

Finally, I believe a good portion of the response to this story stems from the asshole rule: when you act like a tool, you forfeit a good deal of grace and patience. Nowhere is that rule more on display than with Carter Starocci right now, for example. 

What's the basis for tagging the "asshole" label on Brooks, besides his misfortune of having gone to a college that kicked everyone's butt?  I could do without his Christian proselytizing too but he's entitled to his views and I'm entitled to mine. You may find his outward religiosity cringey but a-hole is a stretch.

[BigRedFan]

45 minutes ago, BAC said:

What's the basis for tagging the "asshole" label on Brooks, besides his misfortune of having gone to a college that kicked everyone's butt?  I could do without his Christian proselytizing too but he's entitled to his views and I'm entitled to mine. You may find his outward religiosity cringey but a-hole is a stretch.

A billion Muslims would like a word.

[BruceyB]

3 hours ago, BAC said:

Conversely, some are claiming he bought supplements that are literally called "DHEA."  But do we know that?  His dad says he bought "a supplement, a natural, plant-based supplement," which doesn't quite track, unless he's referring to the soy/yam from which I understand DHEA can be synthesized. I guess we'll find out. If it was literally called "DHEA," that's some next-level stupid and you can't claim it was ingested accidentally (only that you didn't know it was banned). This we won't know until the report comes out, but don't see the point in definitively stringing him up without knowing the truth.

Yeah, let's listen to what is coming out of Aaron Brooks' camp for what happened.. 

Last year he popped positive and the issue was later fixed. If he didn't learn how diligent he needs to be about what he puts into his body after that, then I don't feel bad for him. Second, how dumb do you have to be to take something that replenishes your hormones without asking if it's legal first? If he had low-t would he just go take some testosterone boosters because the doc said he was low? 

DHEA was likely the mask for whatever he was actually doing. If it wasn't then he is just an absolute moron for taking hormone boosters without checking if they were legal. He's a cheat, he's dumb, or he's a dumb cheat. If he's dumb enough to take two different "meds" in a calendar year that caused failed USADA tests, then he deserves whatever criticism he gets. 

I don't know of any legitimate cases of people "accidentally" failing USADA tests. That's just the default excuse. With all of the knowledge given to athletes and with what is at stake with a false test, it would be pretty tough to be that naive.

[BruceyB]

3 hours ago, BAC said:

What's the basis for tagging the "asshole" label on Brooks, besides his misfortune of having gone to a college that kicked everyone's butt?  I could do without his Christian proselytizing too but he's entitled to his views and I'm entitled to mine. You may find his outward religiosity cringey but a-hole is a stretch.

I forget the exact interview, but last year after OTT, he really came off arrogant and disrespectful, especially in regards to DT. His lack of humility and the disrespect for David Taylor rubbed many, including myself, the wrong way. When you supplant an aging legend of the sport, have some class and respect for what they accomplished, at least in the public eye.

And I would say that is still a lesser offense than the one mentioned by @BigRedFan.

[Truzzcat]

It could be a different instance of DHEA use but on the USADA website that last instance of a DHEA ban since 2023 was posted on 6/18/2025 and it was a 4-year suspension. I feel like we would know if that was Brooks just interesting.

[BruceyB]

2 minutes ago, Truzzcat said:

It could be a different instance of DHEA use but on the USADA website that last instance of a DHEA ban since 2023 was posted on 6/18/2025 and it was a 4-year suspension. I feel like we would know if that was Brooks just interesting.

I admittedly know very little about how all of this works, but I'd imagine there is something more significant coinciding with that test than just plain ol' over-the-counter DHEA. 4 years is crazy.

[Truzzcat]

1 hour ago, BruceyB said:

I admittedly know very little about how all of this works, but I'd imagine there is something more significant coinciding with that test than just plain ol' over-the-counter DHEA. 4 years is crazy.

I would assume that is in the instance of it being found as a masking agent.

[dragit]

1 hour ago, BruceyB said:

Yeah, let's listen to what is coming out of Aaron Brooks' camp for what happened.. 

Last year he popped positive and the issue was later fixed. If he didn't learn how diligent he needs to be about what he puts into his body after that, then I don't feel bad for him. Second, how dumb do you have to be to take something that replenishes your hormones without asking if it's legal first? If he had low-t would he just go take some testosterone boosters because the doc said he was low? 

DHEA was likely the mask for whatever he was actually doing. If it wasn't then he is just an absolute moron for taking hormone boosters without checking if they were legal. He's a cheat, he's dumb, or he's a dumb cheat. If he's dumb enough to take two different "meds" in a calendar year that caused failed USADA tests, then he deserves whatever criticism he gets. 

I don't know of any legitimate cases of people "accidentally" failing USADA tests. That's just the default excuse. With all of the knowledge given to athletes and with what is at stake with a false test, it would be pretty tough to be that naive.

Best case scenario seems to be an absolute and total disdain for his responsibilities under and within the rules and the oversight system.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

2 hours ago, BruceyB said:

I forget the exact interview, but last year after OTT, he really came off arrogant and disrespectful, especially in regards to DT. His lack of humility and the disrespect for David Taylor rubbed many, including myself, the wrong way. When you supplant an aging legend of the sport, have some class and respect for what they accomplished, at least in the public eye.

And I would say that is still a lesser offense than the one mentioned by @BigRedFan.

Baschamania.

He also talked about during the weight cutting process the last day, he was chanting "Walk on water," almost as if he was considering himself a Christ-like figure.  Very odd.

[Doublehalf]

6 hours ago, BruceyB said:

I don't know of any legitimate cases of people "accidentally" failing USADA tests. That's just the default excuse. With all of the knowledge given to athletes and with what is at stake with a false test, it would be pretty tough to be that naive.

To this point- I had a flashback of Roger Clement's blaming his wife for the HGH he had...

Im not sure I can think of one person who was caught cheating in which their first response was "Oops, you got me!"

They deny deny deny until it goes away or they can't anymore and that's just the way it's been forever. Where there is this much smoke there is usually fire and anyone not looking at his story with a ton of skepticism is being naive.. His views and comments on others in the past (Specifically DT for me) has earned him no benefit of the doubt from me.

[Caveira]

4 hours ago, dragit said:

Best case scenario seems to be an absolute and total disdain for his responsibilities under and within the rules and the oversight system.

Don’t tell that to Bac.  Nothing so far is bad to him. Not the cstar stuff … not Brooks… Gilman.  None of it. 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 hour ago, Caveira said:

Don’t tell that to Bac.  Nothing so far is bad to him. Not the cstar stuff … not Brooks… Gilman.  None of it. 

Blood Alcohol Concentration

...and like I said before, not a great look to have an RTC coach with such blatant disdain for USADA rules.  

If I were an admin at PSU, not the type of guy I would want to have around my athletes.

Edited 18 hours ago by Interviewed_at_Weehawken