A-Rod? I don't care.

[Pilgrim]

I don't care whether A-Rod took steroids or not. It was then, this is now, and as far as I'm concerned it's big, fat, hairy deal. Next issue....and there will be one, probably later this week. Some sports pundit will manufacture an issue, just watch.

Seems like everyone makes the biggest deal of stats and records, and ignores the fact that it's a game. Pro sport or not, it's a game. The science will never catch up with the cheaters in this or any sport.

If A-Rod deserves anything, it's credit for manning up and admitting what Bonds, Sosa and Maguire won't admit - he did it. He says he doesn't do it now. OK, fine with me. If he broke a law and someone can prove it, then arrest the man. If he didn't, shut up and let him play. The rest is between him and the team.

The nit-picky people will continue to argue about putting asterisks next to home runs and records, and as far as I'm concerned it really doesn't matter. The count is what it is. The youth of America are not polluted because Mark Maguire probably shot himself in the butt. Anyone who believes that young people will take 'roids because of A-Rod or Maguire is overlooking the much more immediate and important pressures caused by the kids' family and its values, local sports leagues and coaches. Those close-to-home factors are a much bigger influence on kids than what some big-leaguer did.

Wait 10 years and someone else with a better training program and a more scientific nutrition program and whatever else will re-set the records anyway. At that point, it's all moot.

Baseball is a great game, and it's fun to watch. Don't get caught up in all the garment-rending, just watch the game and keep your own perspective.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

[stratovani]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I don't care whether A-Rod took steroids or not. It was then, this is now, and as far as I'm concerned it's big, fat, hairy deal. Next issue....and there will be one, probably later this week. Some sports pundit will manufacture an issue, just watch.

Seems like everyone makes the biggest deal of stats and records, and ignores the fact that it's a game. Pro sport or not, it's a game. The science will never catch up with the cheaters in this or any sport.

If A-Rod deserves anything, it's credit for manning up and admitting what Bonds, Sosa and Maguire won't admit - he did it. He says he doesn't do it now. OK, fine with me. If he broke a law and someone can prove it, then arrest the man. If he didn't, shut up and let him play. the rest is between him and the team.

The nit-picky people will continue to argue about putting asterisks next to home runs and records, and as far as I'm concerned it really doesn't matter. The count is what it is. The youth of America are not polluted because Mark Maguire probably shot himself in the butt. Anyone who believes that young people will take 'roids because of A-Rod or Maguire is overlooking the much more immediate and important pressures caused by the kids' family and its values, local sports leagues and coaches. Those close-to-home factors are a much bigger influence on kids than what some big-leaguer did.

Wait 10 years and someone else with a better training program and a more scientific nutrition program and whatever else will re-set the records anyway. At that point, it's all moot.

Baseball is a great game, and it's fun to watch. Don't get caught up in all the garment-rending, just watch the game and keep your own perspective.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

I absolutely agree with you 100%. It's only sports, for cryin' out loud, not brain surgery. The Economic Stimulus stuff being dealt with in DC is far more important than whether or not A-Rod shot himself in the butt or not. What athletes do or don't do has no bearing on our lives except to the extent we allow them to.

And that's my small contribution to this discussion.

[MatticusMania]

So, yes on 'roids?

[Atoz]

I don't really care what A-Roid did, either.

[Nino Valenti]

I agree 100% with you pilgram. It's a freaking game!!!!!!


Also, if it weren't for Steroids, a Sadowsky would just be a Fender.

[MatticusMania]

Yeah, but if you were to tell me Dave Mustaine was on 'roids I'd probably flip my lid...

[GregC]

So it doesn't matter if some people cheat, because it's all "entertainment"? None of you care who wins or loses? I'm genuinely curious.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by GregC

So it doesn't matter if some people cheat, because it's all "entertainment"? None of you care who wins or loses? I'm genuinely curious.

+1 A clean game is what makes the feats memorable to me. It's what makes me sit at home and think, "man that's incredible".

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by GregC

So it doesn't matter if some people cheat, because it's all "entertainment"? None of you care who wins or loses? I'm genuinely curious.

Nah, in fact, I favor cheating in professional sports. I dont care who wins or loses. If I could, I'd inject myself with that syrum on Heroes and give myself superpowers, its almost the same thing.

[Jeremy Crockett]

Originally Posted by GregC

So it doesn't matter if some people cheat, because it's all "entertainment"? None of you care who wins or loses? I'm genuinely curious.

Welcome to the Generation Apathy. The Me Generation is sooooo 1979. This is part of the erosion of standards and ethics which we can see on a daily basis.

It's a symptom of a larger spiritual problem.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by GregC

So it doesn't matter if some people cheat, because it's all "entertainment"? None of you care who wins or loses? I'm genuinely curious.

Frankly, unless it's a team I root for, I DO NOT care who wins or loses. The drug testing in sports is strange and misses many more than it catches - and then it ends up penalizing players who take an over-the-counter antihistamine. I don't trust the drug testing at all.

And it doesn't matter to me today if A-Rod cheated five years ago, because that particular playing field was a lot more even than anyone is going to admit....remember, it wasn't that long ago that baseball actually enforced the prohibition on the use of steroids. For many years no one cared, no one tested, and athletes just did what they felt like doing. I'm far from convinced that the playing field hasn't been nearly leveled by uniform cheating.

Although Fay Vincent warned clubs in 1991 about players taking any illegal substance, specifically including steroids, there was NO testing for them until the 2003 season. So why should Sosa or Magwire confess anything about what they did in 1998?? MLB clearly wasn't serious about enforcing their own rules.

No, cheating isn't good. But it has been around pro sports for many, many years - every sport has its own ways to cheat, and the problem tends to run in cycles of cheat/catch/cheat/catch. And the higher the payroll climbs, the more tempting it is to cheat.

[sarcastro83]

I'd like to see a Major League Baseball game played entirely on Angel Dust... then maybe baseball would be the slightest bit interesting...

[T.O.Bass]

I thought this would be a rant against organized sports in general. Fie!

[mrpackerguy]

I give him a lot of cuddos for coming clean, so to speak. But a cheater is a cheater.

[fo shizzle]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Crockett

Welcome to the Generation Apathy. The Me Generation is sooooo 1979. This is part of the erosion of standards and ethics which we can see on a daily basis.

It's a symptom of a larger spiritual problem.

Sadly, you have this exactly right.

To the others they don't care because it's a "game"......... It's not just a game. It's a sport; a sport that's been part of the landscape for over a century. Baseball has multi-generational ties. Grandfathers discuss the game with their grandchildren. We compare players from different eras. The records matter, they really do. That's why this story and the others about PED's have such staying power.

Until everybody understands that baseball, and for that matter, sport in general, aren't "just games" there's not much to talk about, is there?

[SteveC]

I couldn't care less about over-paid, over-valued athletes and celebs except for the fact that kids - and adults - look up to them and model their behavior accordingly. Pathetic really. No one is worth what we pay these people. We need more Obama-esque payrolls in this country. Top people off at $500,000. If you can't live on that, there is something VERY wrong.

[Mushroo]

I think that MLB should declare an amnesty on players who used during the "steroid era." It's ancient history, and the deeper we dig, the more players we'll discover did it. As long as there is a good system in place going forward, forgive the past.

That being said, I hope A-Roid gets a good earful when he comes to Fenway.

[Pilgrim]

In today's Sporting News online, Hall of Fame voter Paul Hagen of the Philly Daily News made this point...."I think it's fair to assume that there was, in fact, a steroid era, and that most players - and pitchers - at least tried the stuff. So you either pick the players you think were the best of their era and vote for them, or you don't vote for anybody at all."

I think that sums it up nicely. It's not a clean deal, it never will be, we will never be able to sort those who did from those who didn't, and I don't see amy point in agonizing over it at this point.

The NASCAR champs of the 60's and 70's who cheated with nitrous or illegal mechanical devices still have their championships. The NFL players who used steroids or who crippled others with cheap shots still have their chaimpionships. Why? Because they didn't get caught.

I say go forward, not back. If MLB thinks it can stay ahead of the cheaters, than do so and be out front about it. but don't waste time digging through history 5+ years back and agonizing over old news.

[MJ5150]

The Boras Plan 2009 is working. Make sure you all be sure to buy Arod's book that is coming out shortly.

-Mike

[Disco_Gee]

I think it's sad that so many athletes are using steroids. I consider it cheating.