Roger Clemens denied using any PED’s — a claim that no one seems ready to believe — and will now have to face the possibility of, what, exactly? If Congress subpoena’s him, we’ll get to see him face those clowns. He could be called into Selig’s office and face that clown. He will lose some HoF votes, as sanctimonious sportswriters will now have the grist they need to grind up another guy who they have deemed less than perfect.
Of course, what choice did Clemens really have? Pettitte admitted that he did use, and look at all the support he’s gotten. For the most part, he’s been given a ration of bullshit for using the “I used it to recover” defense, and no real pass for coming clean, other than the one he got from Mariano Rivera.
What about Torre? Cashman? Steinbrenner? Owners, GM’s, and pretty much everyone else in the front office has gotten a pass, except, of course, trainers; who are being insulted, challenged as liars, criminals, and generally being treated like shit.
Sportswriters know, of course, that if they go after the big guys, they risk losing access to the teams they cover, so they ignore the reality that everyone is culpable.
Of course, if you are willing to open your mind for a moment, I’d ask you to consider the following:
1. Steroids, used under doctor supervision, can be used to help the body recover from the rigors of professional sports, aid training efforts, and enhance the overall health of professional athletes.
2. This use is the future, not just in sports, but throughout any industry that inflicts physical stress to the body of its workers.
3. Punitive measures, aided by criminalization; zero tolerance policies, and government interference will never stop people from gaining access to drugs — or anything — that helps them improve, make more money, and/or be better at their jobs. All they will accomplish is to push use underground, make it more attractive to rebellious teenagers, and prevent medical supervision. In short, these efforts will only serve to worsen the problem, just as the expensive farce that we call the War on Drugs has in the US today.
Keep all of this in mind as you read the sports pages, listen as the talking heads moan and wail and gnash their teeth. It is this climate of sanctimonious, ill-informed gibberish that allows Peter Gammons to call Brian McNamee a “sewer rat” for coming clean about Clemens and Pettitte, while at the same time, continue to question the motives of Greg Anderson for not doing so about Bonds.
This is a story, one that makes sportswriters, sports editors, and ESPN more important than they really are. It is in their interests to cover it as a scandal, to demand honesty and offer none. To call into question any athlete’s words and actions, while being willing to do, say, and write anything they wish in their efforts to sell, sell, sell. It is in their interests to keep the drumbeat of scandal alive.
Listen to the owners, who are telling you everything you need to know. How important are considerations for the athletes health? How important are considerations for the law? How much concern is there for the “sanctity” of the record book? You have heard every answer to every question you have from these men. It is their silence now, their silence for the last decade, for all of the time there has been professional baseball; that is the answer you have to understand first and foremost.
They are interested in seeing the turnstiles click, and whatever it takes to make that happen, is A-OK with them. This is how Peter Magowan can ask but one or two questions about Bonds alleged use, and how Sabean can tell him there’s nothing to worry about. This is how the Yankees can give $118 million dollars to Jason Giambi even though they knew, absolutely knew he was using PED’s.
Save the children? Save the game? Protect the integrity of the records?
These are sucker ploys, designed to distract fools.
$6 billion dollars in revenue a decade after the game was in terrible –contract teams, terrible– financial disarray. If I were Bonds or Clemens or McGwire, I’d just as soon hear somebody say thanks. But, hey, apparently, that’s just me.
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I wonder if that’s all it’s really about.. a bargaining chip for the owners. How sad. I agree with every post here. I also wanted to say, having seen the quote, probably here from Bonds about baseball being entertainment… now, I worship at the altar of baseball, but it is entertainment. And yet our culture romanticizes Dylan Thomas for drinking himself to death, Keith Richards for his longtime substance abuse – these are all examples of how we romanticize our heroes. I have to assume as well that if Babe Ruth was just a church-going, quiet guy, he wouldn’t be quite the American historical legend that he is today. So how is it really that ballplayers are different? Ultimately, as I know i’m the millionth to say, the sheer silliness of all this is what is most amazing and appalling. How in any possible way is this an issue of major concern and import?
here is the saddest thing…while “fans” and the protectors of the sport decry ped’s….BASEBALL HAS MADE MORE MONEY DURING THE ROID YEARS THAN ANY TIME IN THE PAST
face facts people…we love it when our sports gods juice it up
On another note, it’s really sad to see HGH get lumped in with steroids. Yes, steroids certainly have great medical uses when applied correctly, but when it comes to healing HGH is actually a magnificent drug that doesn’t deserve to have its name dragged through the PED mud. If a player used HGH to recover from an injury (like Pettite claims and I believe him) I really don’t see anything wrong with that whatsoever.
I guess, if one could, if they were sanctimonious enough, make a case that recoviering from any injury is ‘cheating.’ tommy John surgery? Unnatural = cheating. Arthroscopic surgery? Unnatural = cheating. Maybe the rule should be, play til you’re in jured. Once injured you’re forced from the game.
Oh, and no weight training – too hard to regulate – and different players benefit/particpate at different rates/levels.
Great post. I especially appreciate this part…
“It is this climate of sanctimonious, ill-informed gibberish that allows Peter Gammons to call Brian McNamee a “sewer rat” for coming clean about Clemens and Pettitte, while at the same time, continue to question the motives of Greg Anderson for not doing so about Bonds.”
No kidding! Talk about a complete contradiction. I hate to play the race card, but it very much feels like Clemens’ trainer is being treated like a dog because he came clean about a good-old white boy, while Anderson is despised for not coming clean about that uppity black man Bonds. I mean, it’s not even a comparison, it’s the EXACT same scenario, so to treat them so differently is just ridiculous and pretty much indefensible. Is it partly because Bonds isn’t such a nice guy? I’m sure it is on some level, but to treat the same situation so differently reeks of underlying racism. And I’m a white guy saying this, so I can’t even imagine how pissed I would be if I was black.
Question: when you try to become a sportswriter, is there an unwritten prerequisite that you must be an absolute wind bag? Given that national coverage, the sheer lack of original, thoughtful responses is stunning. There are some, but they are few and far between.
Not only are the front offices et al getting a pass, the Mitchell report will ultimately be used to diminsh the power of the player’s association. The reason, in my mind, that Selig and his cronies listed players (while ownership hid behind the anonymity of their titles) and have started talking about reopening the CBA and implementing the suggestions from Mitchell’s group is that they know that the player’s association will want to examine the report, digest it and then negotiate a compromise. This is par for the course with the baseball suits, they’ve never copped to the tacit endorsement of the steriod era. They even ran an ad campaign around it- ‘Chicks dig the long ball’. But they are content to let players and the player’s association twist in the wind.
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I had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Man, I wish I had a “cartilage-growing” drug! Got a chunk of that irreplaceable tissue cut off and it ain’t growing back. Sure would help my skiing and my slo-pitch softball. But seriously, another excellent post here at OBM. My sentiments exactly. I’m still amazed by the number of people–none who are sports fans–who have an “opinion” about Bonds, Clemens, Marion Jones, PEDs, ‘roids, you name it. I direct them here when I get hoarse from arguing.
I confess. I am a criminal. If I held any records, I would give them back. I had a sports caused injury. Actually, I had a very bad race car accident and tore virtually every bit of soft tissue in my neck. When it ‘healed’ there were miles and miles of scar tissue. And I was beset with excuciating muscle spasms. My co-conspirator, my doctor, gave me injections of steroids. They both relieved the never ending pain and allowed me to under go physical therapy, which, ultimately allowed the scar tissue to be stretched into a managable state.
I realize now, after reading Lupica and Gammons and, and, and ESPN, that what I did was criminal. I am sure that committing suicied, which seemed like a very real solution, would have been far more ethical. And far more comfortable for them.
Great post!!
I’d like to add that when drug use is pushed underground, it significantly increases the amount of impure and dangerous product.
I’m a Clemens-aged male and I can’t see any rationale why drugs that could aid me or an athlete in healing would be difficult to obtain or perhaps completely illegal. The side effects of an injury – that is, sitting on my ass and watching TV while putting on 2 pounds a month – are much more harmful than a drug that would help me heal and make me more energetic.
Also, I echo the appreciation of Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds doing whatever they could to extend their careers. In Barry’s case especially, there is nothing more fun for me than watching the perfromance of the man whose APPROACH is the very best, whatever the results. Gawd, I hope they haven’t blackballed him. He’s got at least one year of superiority left in that body. Meanwhile, mediocrities have been signed for big money.
I’m just starting a new blog.
http://modernrooters.blogspot.com/
Check it out if you’ve got some time and let me know if you’d want to exchange links.
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And that is the beginning. The middle and the end. Truth is not that complicated. Its actually pretty straightforward. Unlike prevarication, obfuscation and out and out bullshit. Fuck mainstream media. Fucking lying assholes.
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I completely agree that the the owners and front office are getting a pass. The one thing that would put an end to all the performance enhancing drug use is if there was a monetary cost that made it not even close to worth the chance with a player that is under suspicion. Clubs should be fined millions of dollars for players found to be using.