Fumi ties talk to correlation of sports, drugs

He answered questions about anabolic steroids.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BOARDMAN — As the resident expert on The Ohio State University and its many athletic successes, noted area pharmacist Rocky Fumi had a different message for the Curbstone Coaches Monday, one that mixed athletics with the good and bad of the pharmacy industry.

Speaking to the group during its weekly meeting at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center, Fumi first lauded Mount Union College for the excellent job that head coach Larry Kehres has done with the Purple Raiders, complimenting their run this season as they head back to the Division III title game against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks on Saturday.

“What they have accomplished just a few miles up the road is nothing short of fantastic. To make it to the title game for the third consecutive year and the 11th time in the past 15 seasons is rather amazing,” Fumi said.

With nine titles overall and a 43-1 record in their last 44 outings, the two-time defending national champion Purple Raiders have scored 756 points this year — an average of 54 points per game.

Their offense has been outdone only by their defense where they’ve given up just 73 total points, or 5.2 per contest.

“Maybe it’s me, but I think their defensive coordinator is the one who should be giving speeches and doing clinics,” he added.

As for the Division I title tilt between the Buckeyes and LSU, Fumi was quick to point out that the Buckeyes were originally 31⁄2 point underdogs, but that has increased now to 5 points.

“When I was a freshman in 1950, Vic Janowicz won the Heisman Trophy while in 1954, my senior year, Woody Hayes led the team to the national title. I’ve seen coaches Wesley Fesler, Hayes, Earle Bruce, John Cooper and now Tressel pace the sidelines.

“We all know that Jim Tressel will have his team well-prepared by game time, and the numbers that you see right now won’t mean a thing come kick-off,” he added.

An OSU Oxley-Thompson Distinguished Service Alumni Award recipient, the most prestigious award the University gives to alumni who promote OSU, Fumi has recruited potential pharmacy students for the school since his graduation in 1955.

For 40 years, his greatest enjoyment has come from serving as the chairman of the OSU Alumni Association Scholarship Committee of the Mahoning Valley.

While commenting on the various drugs used in everyday life as well as those in the sports world, the pharmacology of sports expert covered in-depth a frequently asked question about anabolic steroids.

“Anabolic means promoting tissue growth by increasing the metabolic process in protein synthesis. Anabolic agents are usually synthetic, male hormones,” he noted. 

“Steroids are a group of compounds which occur naturally as male and female sex hormones; androgens and estrogens.

“Androgen is just one of a group of steroid hormones that stimulates development of secondary male sexual characteristics such as beard growth, a deepening of ones voice and of course, muscle development,” he stated.

“Just look at pictures of Barry Bonds as a rookie, and then compare them to the picture in his most recent baseball card. It’s truly an amazing contrast.”

Next week, Columbiana High football coach Bob Spaite and Columbiana superintendent Ron Iarussi will be the guest speakers.