The Report To The Commissioner of Baseball of an Independent Investigation Into The Illegal Use of Steroids and Other Performance Enhancing Substances by Players in Major League Baseball is available for your reading pleasure. After a while it becomes repetitious and it repeats itself as the title might suggest.
It is clear that this kind of shenanigans could not go on without the complicity of everyone associated with the game - owners, managers, general managers, players, and, of course, the press that covered the sport.
Screw all of them.
If a single one of the accused players ever ends up in the Hall of Fame, they should step aside and defer to the induction of a player worthy of recognition, Shoeless Joe Jackson.
I take comfort that some of the most notable and biggest, in terms of abuse, salary, and girth, of the named players were New York Yankees.
My goodness.
Baseball is the American experience. It seems to be reflecting the politics of American life. The use of lies, media, spin doctors... All go to the greed of our society. If it means breaking the law, and other lowlife corrupt practices, to make millions of dollars this apparently is an accepted practice for people, let's face it, people, that work inside the corporate package. Baseball is the American experience.
Posted by: antpoppa | December 14, 2007 at 08:32 AM
Baseball has always reflected the society around it, not the other way around as many would prefer to think.
When America was segregated, baseball was too. When the power structures were corrupt, baseball was also corrupt. When Americans overindulged in drugs, baseball players did as well.
So, now that greed and getting away with whatever it takes -- by the proverbial hook or crook -- has permiated our culture, why is it in the least bit shocking that baseball is just as greedy and manipulative as the rest of our present-day American society?
When America finds better values, it's baseball will reflect them.
Other notes:
a. I hate the Yankees as much, if not more, than anyone -- yet, are we to believe that EVERYONE on the 2000 Yankees was juicing and NOBODY on the two-time World Series Champion Boston Red Sox was?
b. On a personal note, I was saddened to see a good buddy, Fernando Vina, turn up on the list. He was always a standup guy to me in the Brewer clubhouse and his inclusion on the list could scuttle his budding ESPN career.
c. Is it too much of stretch to wonder whether Roger Clemens was juicing the day he threw the chunk of bat back at Mike Piazza? Roid rage in the Series?
d. Since I was a beat reporter during the period in question, Im seeing many people suggest that I am also to fault for the steroid era. I SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING!
Well, a very good writer, Dave Nightengale, then of the Los Angeles Times, DID write about steroids in 1995!! Nobody cared as long as "our guy" was hitting all the home runs.
e. Bud Selig would like his legacy to be reletive labor peace and all those new ballparks. Instead, it will likely be Barry Bonds, steroids and the cancelled 1994 World Series.
Posted by: John Shivers | December 14, 2007 at 02:41 PM
John Shivers wrote:
"d. Since I was a beat reporter during the period in question, Im seeing many people suggest that I am also to fault for the steroid era. I SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING!
Well, a very good writer, Dave Nightengale, then of the Los Angeles Times, DID write about steroids in 1995!! Nobody cared as long as "our guy" was hitting all the home runs."
This has got to be the close to lamest excuse for not doing your job I have ever read. It makes sense he has found a home working for Rupert Murdoch.
Posted by: Thomas J. Mertz | December 15, 2007 at 09:47 AM