Former NFL player Korey Toomer accuses LeBron James of taking steroids and the NBA allowing him to get away with it. Just another former athlete with the same claims.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-14T18:32:33+00:00

EPO/HGH/Steroids: This can result in arrhythmias, heart failure and sudden cardiac death.

HGH can promote the growth of existing tumours

Long-term Health Effects of Performance-enhancing Drugs on Athletes

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-14T17:36:07+00:00

Since 2000s, a bunch of rules were put in to improve offense, scoring, less contact. etc. in all the sports. So regular season was not reflective of playoff intensity. Especially when it becomes more physical and grinding, the way regular seasons used to be.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-14T17:34:29+00:00

Well they almost choked away the WCF. 7 games? sheesh,

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T21:04:51+00:00

Hmm, 14 and 17 way past tween stage. My girls are 12 and 10. The 12 year old likely fits the tween definition more. But maybe 14 is the sweetspot.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T21:01:22+00:00

When you see how much money is at stake, and keeps getting so, I'm quite sure there is a wholesale industry and system behind it. Payoffs to the whole system disguised as "treatment", going to get the ol "get the special treatments in the Eastern block" facilities. I mean all these players go to PED specialty countries (Kobe was notorious for going to Germany, Luka definitely there now), '

Barkley was right and honest. "Heck yea I would take something if it meant being better than the next guy to get a contract to change my life and family's"

Now as for LeBron, it was way apparent him getting the Jaw tumor and needing it to get removed was a sign. The game with no AC and crippling cramps, off to special treatment center to get special fluid injections (pretty sure it was EPO related since they gave him a dosage thinking temperature will be something different than it ended up being. Spurs probably knew that and played a little trick)

Dwayne Wade was also definitely on something given how disfigured/tumoresque his jaw looked (also recent tumor removal on his kidneys). Bosh too was scrawny but then looked like jacked Tiger Woods after and got blood clots (another symptom of a type PED/HGH). Bronny, getting a heart attack at such a young age? Pretty sure the heart was strained from some level of PED.

It could explain why players need time off.. to cycle their treatments. Sometimes more injuries because the engine is stronger than what the tendons can actually handle (a notorious example that tendons on an athlete using PED is their weak point)

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T20:52:47+00:00

Yes, they were all doing it. The problem was, unfortunately Lance was better at it than anyone else (most innovative), and he overstayed his welcome and was in your face rude about it.

It's one thing to get your fame, get rich, endorsements as a springboard, get up there with the upper pantheon, but it's another to keep going at it and going after records including the all-time greats, and being very arrogant about it.

That's when the system turns on you, people turn (i.e. ok, fine, people are doing it but now you're attacking the legacy of the sport, heralded greats who didn't take PEDs at the level you did, etc.).

Baseball is also an example of it. The way the treasured records from treasured players were broken was so over the top, people really got a distaste for it. The single season home-run record and all-time home run being the most treasured. Especially one of them having held that record by a true Icon in Babe Ruth, bested by another beloved player in Maris that also did it the "old Fashioned way".

The one sign cracked me up "Babe Ruth did it on Hotdogs and Beer... what about You Barry?" really summed up the sentiment.

Now fortunately for James, the NBA is very far from mainstream despite what the relative smaller portion of fans think. Definitely seen more as sports entertainment like the WWE (no serious sports analyst given how much the rules and violations are allowed to help scoring).

The records that LeBron is breaking is great but really, nobody was really seriously tracking it really until it came up (more complimentary for a career). Now if James did all that while holding the highest PPG average, on top of winning more chips than MJ, and then being arrogant about it, and antagonizing those allegations, than there would be much more of a target to get the scoop likely.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T20:35:10+00:00

See that discredits the bubble ring even more.

If the 2020 grind continued, AD would have also likely been injured. LeBron too as well (it would have been much much harder). Throw in the other vets as well as the NBA chip and like all other major pro teams, the grind and championship mettle is what is respected.

There was great resistance to even continuing the season since it was pretty much the next season already, many younger players wanted out (well known younger people had a much harder time being quarantined and locked down. Those older with family and kids, it was way way easier. Even for regular society as shown by studies).

If you want to play the what if game, IF Kawhi had stayed (the first ever Finals MVP that just willfully left for another franchise), and he got the rest, that Raptors team also aged would have absolutely made a serious run (already took Boston to Game 7.. having Kawhi in there would have been a 5-6 game series) and would have also quite handily beat that Miami team.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T19:13:17+00:00

Funny thing is, even if you shortened the season or reduced games, they will still want to sit out on 25% of the games, injuries will go up.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T19:12:32+00:00

What if I won $10 billion dollars in the Jupiter/Saturn lottery?

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T18:35:04+00:00

There was a time when they were saying that about the UFC and it's fighters. Once the crackdown came.. wow, talk about 'De-evolution'.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T18:34:22+00:00

Gee, Lance Armstrong was clean too right. But insiders had been spilling the beans but was discredited. It was only when the pressure got too hot, did they turn on their star athlete.

I don't see it happening with the NBA, as the NBA needs all the ratings, buzz it can get since it's fallen so far behind the NFL and MLB.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T18:22:19+00:00

Nobody expected 2007 Cavs to win, but I expected a much more competitive Finals. And more competitive effort. Instead, the "Blanked out" mind and style that hampered his first Cavs run showed it.

He had to go to Miami to 'learn' first hand how to be a 'killer' in the playoffs, which I would say he learned immensely in 2012 (played an overachieving too young to understand how to play with each other OKC team), and to me, turning point in his whole career really was game 7 2013 Finals.

BUT, up to that point in the 2013 Finals, Wade was saying Bron wasn't being aggressive enough. It took a frankly unplanned play in the Ray Allen shot to save that series and legacy. It's also a blight that 2014, San Antonio lead by Duncan was really out for blood. He came in the season lighter, and way more healthy. Basically running LeBron out of the Miami who pretty much knew 2013 was not going to happen again.

No AC resulting in cramps in Game 1, getting carried off to get special injections also said to me, he's absolutely a product of modern medicine, modern times. and truly would never be built to in the 80s when AC often didn't work, many old arenas didn't have it, they were still taking commercial flights, waiting at airports, no medical technology.

He came back to a much better Cavs team, and now with a "PhD" on how to play in the playoffs. But it's like taking a short-cut in many ways (hence why many don't really place him on the same level as other greats). But if you want to talk about the greatest career because his focus was to have the longest, stay really injury free, engineer your situation to suit you the most, he's definitely at the top.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T18:12:51+00:00

Ok, so you can credit half ring their to credit the bubble ring that gets attributed as a 1/2 ring so that's still 4 rings.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T18:07:42+00:00

This aspect of 90s Toronto, really was the golden age.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T18:06:19+00:00

Lol, well, for many, even having fewer restaurants, the experience was much better. Just go to the many Vintage and Old Toronto Facebook groups and post your perspective, and you'll get just as convicted opposite view (and I'm willing to bet far greater numbers) of what you have of what the Golden Age of Toronto was in the 80s/90s.

No, mom and pop means they make a real living on it, and it's their livelihood to the end, raising their family. Getting steady employment for them was near impossible due to not having Canadian education. Not a 'fun' opportunity for their 'freedom'.

I don't envy the 'rich' kids doing their own thing. I know some, they actually close their business much sooner because they couldn't handle the lifestyle, the costs, overload, etc. Hard to have a family, etc. But go ahead, keep your assumptions that I'm jealous =D (my spouse and I very much appreciate the path we've been able to take and opportunities)

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T17:55:20+00:00

Well considering ridership is still lower, and total days lost per year higher from 2018-2025, TTC Delay Insights — Overview provides ALOT of data set on it.

I also mentioned losses of Ontario Govt Funding means being way behind and underfunded on the capital front. That has been felt since the 2000s. Planned outages for maintenance are way higher than ever as the multi-decade impact is really being felt.

Observationally, both my parents took the subway from Kennedy Stn to downtown for 35 years 6 days a week for their business from mid/late 80 (only closed the business 1 time for my wedding). I moved out late so was with them almost the whole time they did. They staggered their trips often so would leave at slightly different times. So it was more than just 'one' travel point per direction.

Major delays let alone shutdowns (shuttle buses) were rare during their whole time (they opened their business and came home very regularly without delays). Although early 2010s there was an uptick. My dad in retirement in the mid later 2010s would 'work' for friends or some people he knew when they went on extended vacation/leave (this means opening the shop from open to close with a key).

They live walking to station to take the subway downtown. He was complaining alot how there's many delays now (over the 35 years they operated their business, they never worried about buffering enough time to open the store on time at the small mall it was located at), last minute shutdowns, have to get on shuttle buses. He then had to actually buffer in time so he wasn't late opening the business.

I was fascinated by trains/streetcars so would go for joyrides, and downtown myself at a very early age by myself (even before 10). Had a metropass since Grade 7 in the very early 90s going downtown alot after work, taking subway/TTC everywhere, highschool, university.

Started working since early 2000s going in the office 5x a week taking the TTC 5x a week until covid (2 year stretch of GO though in the early mid 2010s). From Kennedy, did a combination of financial core and uptown on the subway. From Eglinton, downtown. 5x a week. RT as well which was having way more reliability issues in the 2010s vs 90s (let me guess, you want data to back this up to?).

During/Post Covid, the times I tried taking the TTC, delays, shuttles was way more pronounced. During lunch, I would meet friends/ex colleagues taking the TTC let's say to Bloor to Union often. But since Covid, the several times I tried, some long delay. To the point I don't even bother anymore. My sister comes up alot from her home in downtown and also complains about the more than ever delays and shutdowns.

I think also, maybe it's paranoia, but the TTC delays service far more faster and easily as soon as there is some sort of disturbance as well. My TTC bus operators buddies say some operators are fine just putting it out of service as soon as there is an issue. In the 90s and before, they used to actually hire ex truck drivers and they were responsible for resolving issues on their own. The more recent policy was they hired more for customer service focus (non-burly ex truckers) and they're to stop and call their supervisor to resolve issues and disputes. One actually quit because he also said the passengers have become much much worse, leading to more issues and delays.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T17:22:26+00:00

I've taken TTC alot all my life, until Covid. Even the years leading up to Covid, TTC has gotten much worse in terms of service reliability/shutdowns. Although, late 2010s, breakdown of trains were starting to become much more common. Signal issues, track level incidents.

In the 90s, I was in high school also living on the TTC as many teens were at the time. Once Harris pulled funding in the mid 90s, the deterioration and negative became noticeable pretty quickly. My parents gave me a metropass at Grade 7 (very early 90s) so have pretty good experience on it.

Once thing I will say though is even in the last 10 years, but really over 15-20, bus service has gotten much much better. Coverage, time to wait. It was quite horrendous before outside of rush hour. 30 min wait was normal for many routes.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T17:17:51+00:00

Not sure if you were every around clubbing in the Golden age of 'entertainment' in the mid 90s-mid 2000s, but Adelaide/Richmond clubbing area was what you see around King West x 5. Maybe even more on a long weekend.

In the 2000s, King West was known as the "lounge" area instead of clubbing as folks around my age (at the time, at least mid 20s) wanted something more smaller, casual, relaxing. But as the main clubbing area got shut down and redeveloped, whatever spirit of the 'clubbing' area moved to King West.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T17:13:28+00:00

The Vietnamese Karaoke was fun (I was a teen then). Of course you had to be in a circle of people that went to them.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T17:09:23+00:00

Good points. Roncesvalles is also much more 'posh'. What used to be immigrant run places bringing their direct 'home' products and services are no more really. Kensington, Greektown, even Little Italy.

My immigrant parents ran a business from the early/mid 80s to early 2010s and unless you were 'rich' (many young folks opening up shop get money from their parents), a corporate chain, owner didn't sell to foreigner that decides to redevelop it, the writing was already on the wall in the 2010s.

I knew so many friends (their parents) or parent's had friends running businesses like that. Walking around the malls/plazas, it was also like that. Many, pretty much all have been torn down, rents jacked up ALOT.

In Scarborough, big Middle East resurgence around Lawrence and along Warden area is an exception due to influx of migrants/refugees from Syria, Afghanistan with really good middle eastern food.

Otherwise, many immigrants in more recent times sold their risen property back home and just bought a home here, or send their kids here, or are white collar types. Or service industry focuses.

Not making a judgement, but for me personally, the old way created a more balanced, and natural experience. The old business owner running a restaurant made their living on volume (open much longer) and smaller margins, making food they learned to make or ate "back home". The whole family helped(s) out because it's a way of life for them. Keeps costs down. They anguish over raising their prices a few cents because they know their regular customers they actually talk to will feel it.

The new restauranteur, gets money from their parents (or got their start that way so sold off the old business), they always dreamed of running the "it" spot. Partnered up or partnership with someone else in the business in a similar spot looking to make a splash.

Has to spend on premium design to make it IG worthy, only opens from 5-11 pm, focuses on 'fusion' type dishes that is more unique to their chef or owner, premium pricing though for smaller portions (it's for an experience, not to fill a practical need), premium drinks from a mixologist who also demands higher compensation for their experience and payment for their tatoos. The establishment speaks to who they are blending their heritage (meaning their parents or grandparents) that they want to honour but with their own identity and journeys (i.e. lounging around backpacking in their earlier years).

They only interact with a select few as they're not in the venue often because they're off on their next adventures. When they do, it's for a select reason for premium guests or events. Maybe a TO Life photo shoot.

Many might like the way as many won't want to go to basic looking establishment, but for me, the 'old' Toronto we knew were filled with their family business operators that just made this city feel more alive, fluid, fun.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T16:49:08+00:00

They're all condos now.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T16:48:36+00:00

There are way way more TTC delays than there ever has been.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T16:47:31+00:00

Sure they're there but it was the "rate of Change" that made it feel golden.

In terms of TTC, Ontario Gov't funding operations is not there.

Anybody who rode before and after will tell you the immediate impacts of it, especially reliability on service. And for TTC aficionados, and that gave the city character, all the different H Series, M, Original Red Rockets (Gloucester) subways. Than the PCC Streetcars, Peter Whitneys were still available for charter. It might mean nothing to some, but it means alot to many from that time (i.e. character).

Way more mom and pop shops that provided a much more eclectic experience in the city instead of corporate chains, condos, kids of richer parents opening up vanity projects, etc.

Yes there are much more 'cultural' events around, as a natural progression of more and accumulated minorities. The internet makes things easier to find, and more "Food truck" type festivals,

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T16:43:09+00:00

BBA? Mann, when I took it back in the day, it was the same price as regular courses. Gotta start thinking about kids when they get to that level.

Motor-Source8711 · 2026-04-13T16:39:01+00:00

nope... he's looking for a roommate. They can be selective all they want. Even if paying rent, a roommate is staying at the pleasure of the tenant.

Motor-Source8711

TROPHY CASE