PSA: Don't Be An Asterisk (Giveaway!)

I'm not really a huge sports fan, but I love me some hockey! (Go Leafs!) That's definitely the one thing I look forward to each Winter Olympics.

The The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Ad Council, along with the support of Olympic Team Sponsor Johnson & Johnson, have teamed up to raise awareness over the next 3 years about the national issue of illegal performance-enhancing drugs both within and outside of sport.


I actually had no idea how rampant this is in high school sports until a bust a few months ago... and I was stunned. It bugs me that our kids nowadays feel they need the extra boost to make it in sports... and off the field too. I "get" that it helps you perform better, but since every major sport from NFL on over to even the WWE test for steroid use, is it really worth losing that chance and being "outed" to the whole world? I wouldn't think so!

The campaign is called Don't Be An Asterisk, and they even have a cool website to go along with their TV, radio, print and Internet public service announcements. Over there they even have a section full of questions about steroids, so not only can your kids get the answers they might be looking for, parents can also zip on over and maybe get the answers to questions you might hear down the road from your kids. You can also visit the campaign Don't Be An * Facebook page. Here's some of the "official release":

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Ad Council announced today the launch of a multi-year public awareness campaign focused on teen steroid use. The campaign is being funded by U.S. Olympic Team sponsor Johnson & Johnson, and it marks the first time the USOC and the Ad Council have joined forces to raise awareness about the national issue of illegal performance-enhancing drugs both within and outside of sport.

“We know athletes and individuals who choose to engage in the destructive behavior of illegal steroid use live in fear of being found out,” said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr. “This initiative is geared to show teens and other age groups that illegal steroid use can only lead to a harmful and embarrassing end. Additionally, teens need to fully understand the dangerous health risks associated with steroids and other performance-enhancing substances."

Win it! One lucky reader will win a really cool Team USA Olympic photo album - look how neat-o it is:


It would be a really neat memento to put photos of your kids in sports in, wouldn't it? :) I'll make the question just as short (and easy!) to enter for you - tell me your favorite Olympic sport! Told ya easy peasy! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this campaign too - do you think it will hit home with teens? Do you remember steroids being a big problem when you were in school? Have your kids approached you about them?

As always, if you have completed the first entry above, you can also receive extra entries for:

-Subscribing to my feed OR following my blog
-Blogging about this giveaway with a link back
-Tweeting about this giveaway (leave the link or @psychotichouse me)

That's up to four (4) possible entries! Giveaway ends March 6th, 2010 at 11:59 PST. US Only, sorry. :( Please leave your email address in your comment, or have it available in your profile so I can contact you if you've won. Winners drawn via Random.org.

Yep, I didn't receive anything for this post, but one reader will win the prize stated above and fulfilled by the sponsor.