tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134378665307917746.post7698433711518583594..comments2023-12-26T01:55:26.015-08:00Comments on The Wrath of John: Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and Jerry SanduskyJohn Leachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01489933287811373294noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134378665307917746.post-51543902441143126392012-06-22T16:53:44.811-07:002012-06-22T16:53:44.811-07:00Wow. I never stopped to think (the usual) about Bo...Wow. I never stopped to think (the usual) about Bonds being drawn into it because of the attention Mc and So were getting. That's one helluva theory. Also agree the 3 (alleged) Roidateers rekindled interest in the game. Good stuff, Al. Keep it coming. <br /><br />There's only one thing that totally mystifies me. You agreed with one of my rants. Was it solar flares? An eclipse? A full moon? The Second Coming? Whatever it was, I missed it, but SOMETHING extraordinary had to happen. How else could such a strange phenomenon be explained? LOL Just messing with ya Al. As always, have a good one.John Leachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489933287811373294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134378665307917746.post-4318454198317704872012-06-22T14:53:05.588-07:002012-06-22T14:53:05.588-07:00This is hard to believe John, but I agree with you...This is hard to believe John, but I agree with you too. I don't blame the players for taking PEDs. Especially the marginally talented. I may be naive, but I think the only reason Barry Bonds juiced was because of what Sosa and McGwire were doing and being praised for saving baseball. Bonds was 4 times the player either Sosa or McGwire was and they were getting all of the attention and adulation - because of the juice. <br /><br />As I said before, Selig and the players union are to blame. And I blame Selig more than the union, as it is the union's job to protect their members. Selig was more worried about the dollar (Sosa and McGwire helped baseball back to relevance and profitability) than the long term damage done to the game. He could have pulled the "best interest of the game" and banned a few for life. That would have stopped this nonsense in its tracks.Alhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03938635539578047632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134378665307917746.post-21532928760517084012012-06-21T17:08:54.321-07:002012-06-21T17:08:54.321-07:00Good points Al, and I agree with most, especially ...Good points Al, and I agree with most, especially the the media burying their heads in the sand at the time, and now going overboard trying to make up for it. Objective people that stayed above the fray see that, but alas, most don't. Also, the uneven playing field for the guys that chose to stay clean. Then again, just to play the devil's advocate -- certainly at some point in time, the players (particularly the "marginal" ones) were acutely aware of PEDs being available and had a decision to make. Do I do it and possibly make millions -- or do I stay clean and and maybe never make it to the "show", only to fall back on whatever other job they can get. A couple years, even at the minimum pro salary, likely equals decades of toiling away at a "regular" job. Ethical vs practical. Throw in being able to afford many luxuries, a wife, kids, college educations, etc., and I can certainly appreciate the dilemma they were faced with. Here's the part you won't like. If, at that time, 'roids were the answer to putting one over the top, I don't blame them a bit for taking them. It was a choice. Here's a comparison -- an NFL running back is going to get hit hard and often. Without getting into possible head injuries, there's a strong possibility they won't be able to walk very well when they get older. This is the price they pay for riches and success. But they do it anyway. Whatever it takes for fame and glory at the time, mind and body be damned later. To me, the vast majority of pro athletes are just hunks of meat that are ridiculously overpaid for the services they provide. If they want to lose their teeth on a hockey rink, get their knees blown out on the gridiron, or take PEDs to succeed at the major leage level -- why should we care? Just kick back and watch the show. And I think I just blew another blog post on this response. LOL Have a good one.John Leachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01489933287811373294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3134378665307917746.post-72645246066627430412012-06-21T15:22:41.729-07:002012-06-21T15:22:41.729-07:00John, fair or not, the court of public opinion has...John, fair or not, the court of public opinion has no rules requiring the presumption of innocence. Your ability to remain undecided is indeed rare. <br /><br />Despite the incompetence of our Justice Department, there is no doubt in my mind that both Bonds and Clemens juiced. The way Bonds' head grew screamed of steroids. The way Roger Clemens could hardly hit 90 with his fastball when he got older, then miraculously was hitting 98 screams of steroids. That said, I am glad they both escaped jail time and a verdict that they were users. I think the media is brutal to them because the media ignored/missed the steroid issue in the first place. They were in the perfect position to blow the lid off, but chose to keep quiet.<br /><br />I think they both belong in the Hall of Fame, as they both were on their way before steroids. Let them in but put an asterisk on it, and a statement that they played during the steroid era and all of the records are suspect. <br /><br />The thing that really bothers me is there are some players who did not juice and had to compete against those who did. I am sure there are some who didn't even make the show who would have made it had the playing field been level.<br /><br />Also, I cannot look at any player who played in the steroid era and wonder if they were clean. Was Cal Ripken clean? How do you play so many games in a row without having something to help recover from the nagging little injuries that deserve a day off? <br /><br />Looking at it from a higher level, I blame the Players Union and the Commissioner for letting the whole thing start and escalate. One or two "Banned from Baseball for Life" examples would have stopped the steroid use cold.Alhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03938635539578047632noreply@blogger.com