In breaking baseball news it has just been reported that the Boston Red Sox World Series Championship title is being revoked that due to rampant abuse of steroids by members of the team.
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced
“Major league baseball takes this issue very seriously. Professional athletes have an obligation to adhere to a higher standard and must work to uphold that. Recent events within major league baseball and other professional sports leagues have demonstrated that there is a slippage and abuse of the trust of the fans.
In order to preserve our sport and to demonstrate our committment to the fans we are stripping the Red Sox of the title. In the record books 2004 will be listed as not having had a World Series champion.
We intend to continue to work on solving this issue effectively, efficiently and expediently so that we may restore the luster of America’s pasttime before it is further tarnished.”
And who was it that said that the curse had been lifted.
As long as everybody is playing by the same rules and knows what they are, then there’s no need for a ban on steroids. Players can choose to use or not and let the chips fall where they may.In concept I agree, but something still doesn’t feel right to me about this whole situation and I am not sure what.
In terms of the ban across all sports, I think it’s up to the athletes in each sport. The fact that pro football players have it in their Collective Bargaining Agreement indicates that they want to be protected from themselves. If the pleyers, via their union, agree to that, then I have no problem with a ban.
In baseball, the MLBPA has consistently said it would not allow any testing of any kind. To me, that says the players want the right to juice up and they don’t care about the consequences. As long as everybody is playing by the same rules and knows what they are, then there’s no need for a ban on steroids. Players can choose to use or not and let the chips fall where they may.
But the point may be moot, becasue I heard this morning that now the MLBPA is interested in more frequent testing and harsher penalties. Som maybe a majjority of the players now want to be protected from themselves. Which is fine, too.
Hi BB,
You have some good points about comparing eras. Would you suggest lifting the ban across all of the sports?
Sorry, but I don’t see a problem here. Steroids are not illegal, if prescribed by a doctor (and won’t be because they are very useful with some diseases). While they can have some health consequences for the users, the MLBPA has consistently refused to accept testing or punishments for those who use and abuse. To me that means the players WANT to be able to use them. If they choose to do so and get sick later in life, so be it. That is their choice.
In terms of the integrity of records, I think it’s difficult to compare eras anyway. Today’s players make enough money that they don’t have to sell insurance in the offseason. They can work out year-round, eat better, take vitamins and recover from injury much quicker than 50 years ago. That is true in any sport. Babe Ruth was 6’5″ and about 220-250 pounds, which was massive for his day. Today, there are 50 players in the league that size, including Barry Bonds. You also have Closers, Left-handed relief specialists and other advances in strategy. If you are going to allow for comaprisons across generations with all that, then why is it so much different to also compare a guy who juices up to a guy who doesn’t?
If they want to use drugs and shrink their testicles, let ’em. JMO.