Steroids: Move On Dot Org

Is it me or do we need to finally stop talking about steroids? I get that when we talk about sports 24 hours a day on tv, radio, print, and the internet we need to find something to fill the headlines… And, I also get that our in-your-face society loves to see a person’s career and life ruined by allegations and press coverage, but I think it is finally time to stop talking about steroids in sports (especially baseball) and move on!

ALL PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES USED STEROIDS!! And by all, I mean around 60%… I would, with no real evidence, guess. Yes, I believe over half of all professional baseball players have at one time or are currently (while trying very hard not to get caught) using some form of performance enhancing substance. College athletes are pressured by coaches and agents to get bigger so they can be drafted, high school athletes are pressured by coaches (and parents?) to bulk up in order to win scholarships. I must say that I do not like the idea, nor do I condone it at all, but I certainly don’t think it is newsworthy anymore. I avoided using drugs to help myself when I was playing high school and college ball because I did not want to go down an illegal and unhealthy path; granted, I was never going to make it anywhere… but I knew it existed.

I would favor any and all strengthening of drug testing policies but it is laughable to beat two or three athletes to death while ignoring the bigger issue. Barry Bonds is the perfect example. I like Barry Bonds, and I was excited to see him go on that home run record chase. It is my understanding that he has never failed a drug test right? We don’t like his attitude off the field and can’t explain how one man’s body could change shape so drastically over the course of 5 or 6 years. I don’t care whether he used steroids or not, my point is he was outsmarting pitchers who used steroids, hitting through middle infielders and speedy outfielders using steroids, and stealing bases off catchers who used steroids. He was still the better athlete (even if we’re only looking at a juiced-up sample). Bonds broke Aaron’s record… none of the other 2 or 3 hundred professional steroid users did it… he is obviously better than them…

Again, I know it is not fair and not the way the sport is supposed to be played. I hope some day all the players are clean and I’m glad the commissioner continues to support expanded testing. We can’t simply put an asterisk on the stats of the players we don’t like, or the ones that are big stars. It quite literally has become the steroid era, if anything we have to put an asterisk on the era as a whole and when talking about stats from this time simply remember, “Oh yeah, that was when everyone was juiced… they were the best then… damn, glad we cleaned that up.” This cycle of secret names, scandals, wondering if the players are lying or not, tears, forgiveness, and tell-all books has to end.

And while talking about forgiveness: why is it that we so soon forget that players had broken the law, were bad team players, and put their health at risk once they apologize? It’s like saying “I’m sorry” is some sort of panacea and the public loves them again. Roger Clemens (I had a poster of him in as a Red Sock in my room as a kid), we all hate him, he cheats on his players, he cheats on his wife. He’s such an asshole. Andy Petite, close friend and teammate of Clemens, shed a few tears, said he was sorry, now we can’t wait for him to get back on his feet. Alex Rodriguez, what a chump, did drugs to live up to his $250 million dollar price tag, not a nice guy anyway, tried to explain himself, not good enough. Jason Giambi, teammate of Clemens and Rodriguez (maybe we just put an asterisk on the Yankees organization…) said he was sorry, grew a mustache, let’s give him an MVP award…. Are we really just looking for the apology?

Steroids are bad and I hope they are gone from athletics soon. But let’s not create these long lists of names, let’s throw out the  decade, or put an asterisk on the whole thing, and move on!