tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595287980619371094.post8165149352043145769..comments2023-04-12T07:30:47.461-05:00Comments on Mr. Sports Know-It-All: A final PEDantic postMr. SKIAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16413256194282358185noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595287980619371094.post-11057599510603224932009-06-22T21:05:52.858-05:002009-06-22T21:05:52.858-05:00Bub:
While I believe steroids are worse, I can...Bub:<br /><br />While I believe steroids are worse, I can't agree that because the scuffers were very good at cheating that it made it okay. Besides, your supposition that all the PED-users needed was a supplier also ignores the fact that most of these guys did work their asses off in the weight room. Sure, the results were greater because of the drugs, but guys like Clemens and McGwire had remarkably intense workout regimens. <br /><br />Also, there is no denying that steroids can have severe adverse consequences to one's health, and we don't have to wait 10 years to see it. The anecdotal evidence abounds, as we need to look no further than the cases of Lyle Alzado and Ken Caminiti.<br /><br />Having said that, I agree the real tragedy of the Steroids Era is that there must have been several fringe players who refused to use PEDs and were for all practical purposes forced out of the majors by their drug-abusing counterparts. If this were the focus of the mainstream media's outrage, then I would side squarely with them. But unfortunately, it remains a poignant yet seldom-heard point.Mr. SKIAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16413256194282358185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595287980619371094.post-49909099750884880442009-06-22T18:34:56.913-05:002009-06-22T18:34:56.913-05:00I don't think you can equate steroid use with ...I don't think you can equate steroid use with doctoring a baseball. There's a reason that doctoring baseballs never reached critical mass like steroids did, because using a doctored baseball is actually fairly involved skill. There is not only "the getting away with it" skill, but also the technique of actually throwing a doctored ball. You can scuff a ball, but it won't do anything particularly unusual you've mastered the technique of throwing one. Steroids require no skill to use, just a supplier. But the greater issue is really two-fold: that irrevocable truth that steroid usage had an "extraordinary" impact on level of production (certainly varying depending, a player's given skill-set, and the types of PEDs used) combined with the fact that they also pose a serious health risk (laugh as you may only in ten years will we really no the price of using. I don't think it will be pretty). So what happened is that as the marked production boost become so evident and more an more players started using as a result, many players eventually were forced into a situation where they had to make a decision to use to have any chance of getting to or remaining in the league. I'm not trying to be Pollyanna about it, but that's always been what's troubled me about the issue more generally.Bubnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4595287980619371094.post-79105669062424927132009-06-19T10:29:47.794-05:002009-06-19T10:29:47.794-05:00Well said. I ammend my previous comment to also s...Well said. I ammend my previous comment to also say that any fans entering the ballpark must also prove they have been taking steroids. Then we can experience some real rage having to watch the Sox and Cubs play as they do.Damonnoreply@blogger.com