Cheating is cheating regardless of whether the arena is famous or unnoticed. The baseball world...which has my attention...is torn between the damage drugs do and the men we admire from a distance (and some as personal friends). The news from George Mitchell's report yesterday is no news at all. The talk of punishment and attack on this problem only calls for more shrugs and yawns. MLB has never been serious about this problem and that's why a few minor leaguers get their hands slapped during the season. Baseball gurus hope this little signal pacifies those wondering if this problem is being attended.
While the players deservedly will take the hits upon any penalties distributed (And who expects much of that?), there are matters not headed for congress which also should be investigated. What causes this blatant cheating? Money. The top 24 guys leaving Spring Training get the big bucks. The top spending teams "usually" have the best shot at the pennant....and additional money.
Who pays the big bucks to the big guys while turning their heads from the fact a player has bulked up and hits the ball so far and throws so strongly? The owners. They don't care about the men. Their bottom dollar is the bottom dollar.
At one time there was a Major League Commissioner who served neutrally between owners and players.....until the last appointment. The owners selected a man among themselves to be the new commissioner, Bud Selig, who once owned the Milwaukee Brewers. Today he's going to clean up the drug problem. How's he going to do that without cleaning up the dollar problem which has his ear bent by each of the owners?
I remain a die-hard baseball fan. The game, however, has lost its glitter and its charm because skill has been replaced by greed and the marketing schemes which follow. My proposal is to penalize the owners, the general managers, and the managers in the pocket book at each player violation. Money runs the game. Money removed might correct it.
6 comments:
I have the same problems being a fan of cycling. Until the money issues are corrected then the drug issues won't be.
I think is is funny that you blogged about baseball today since I was at a friend's house last night and saw a baseball card of you on their fridge.
I agree with your solution, but I also agree that probably very little, if anything, will ultimately come of this so long as Selig remains in power. I stopped caring about any major league sport years ago because of the money, the immature attitudes, and the millionaire thugs who just want more. The whole industry completely turns me off.
I'm just thankful today that my name was not on that list. Now maybe the rumors will stop for good! I'm not on preaching steroids! I'm just that good! (Yes, my bible has gotten bigger over the years. But that's proof of nothing.)
It is interesting that the "love of $ is the root....well you know
Until some major issues other than drug are addressed you have to wonder where things are headed.
NOW, a couple of other things.
WOW, after being off line for a while due to the storm I've been catching up on blogs.
You never stop amazing me.
I new you were now an accomplished blogger but had no idea you had progressed to posting pictures.
You are a pro.
Lastly, considering the comment sent by Dusty to this post it is now confirmed that he is just as crazy as his Dad.
Love you Dusty
I found this comment moments ago on VivaElbirdos....
Update [2007-12-13 13:18:44 by lboros]: here's the report.
whichever players are named, the two names that should be the most discussed are those of don fehr and bud selig. the union and the commissioner’s office. both organizations tacitly encouraged steroid use in the name of the dollar. steroids led to big home run totals, which led to big money --- for the union members, in the form of gaudy salaries; and for the owners, in the form of tickets and tv contracts and licensed merchandise and everything else. mlb and the union didn’t actively encourage steroid use, but both organizations actively prevented deterrence until congress got involved in 2005. they were the enablers --- without their acquiescence, most of the individual players listed here would probably have stayed clean.
as for the players: i’m not asking any of them to apologize. but i am asking them to be honest. if a guy juiced, then let’s out with it. “there was a widespread steroid culture in the game, and i was one of the many who participated in it.” is that so hard to say? the steroid cheats who’ve been honest about their use --- ryan franklin, for example --- aren’t dogged by it; they tell the truth, submit to the corresponding penalty (if any), and move on with their careers, without condemnation. it’s the liars who draw all the grief, and deservedly so.
I love baseball, and I love your idea. Let's call Selig.
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