I've addressed the performance enhancement scandal before and it seems like the issue just won't go away. The saddest part of all this is that not only has a whole generation of the National Pastime's history been forever tainted, now even legitimate achievements might be looked at with a skeptical eye and unsubstantiated questions of "What if?" A prime example of that is ESPN's Skip Bayless speculating on air, with admittedly absolutely no proof whatsoever, about the integrity of the New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who is having an incredible season, building upon an incredible career. If Jeter were achieving all this at the age of 45, I would understand some people going "hmm" even if no evidence to suggest any wrongdoing was unearthed, but Jeter is only 38. Jeter should sue for defamation and slander, but any more attention to the absurd and unprofessional speculation would only add to the unsubstantiated gossip. Until proven otherwise, Derek Jeter still remains one of the classiest acts in baseball, if not in all of sports.
If Babe Ruth played today and accomplished everything he did during his heyday and more, would he be viewed as a cheater? If Roger Maris broke his single season homerun record today, would people look at him the way they do at Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa? If Hank Aaron knocked in all those homeruns during his career in this day and age, would we question how he did it? If Mariano Rivera returns from his injury and adds another great season or two to his amazing career, will folks look at him with accusatory gazes too?
Steroids of course still impacts other sports as well, from the Olympics to cycling, but baseball is my favorite and means the most to me. I hope someday we can all witness athletes accomplishing new heights without the spectre of performance enhancing drugs and techniques making us question their validity.
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This week I've seen Tom Brokaw's piece from "Boys in the Hall" on Whitey Ford. Man, I loved watching that guy when I was a kid--and he, like others of his generation and beyond (think Nolan Ryan) never seemed to have the nagging injury issues taking him on and off the injury list and keeping him off the mound.
It was about to become a tier 2 professional sport, a la the WNBA.
B. Methamphetamine is actually a much bigger problem than steroids (side note - Mickey Mantle spent his entire career drunk...baseball is a long and boring sport to watch and it is even worse for the players. Would Mick have been able to keep his sanity and play without the booze, or would he have been even greater than he was if he was sober?)
C. Steroids have no proven long term negative side effects for men (women are the only ones who have any long term side effects from steroids - their clitoris enlarges permanently...I don't know if it's positive or negative...I suppose it depends on who you ask).
D. The human body is not meant to throw a ball at 100mph, 100 times, every 5 days, which is why pitchers use more steroids than anyone else, but because they use it for regenerative purposes (you see Clemens comeback?) instead of bulking up, they go largely ignored.
E. No one gets hurt, the players do it of their own volition, and it helps them have longer, more productive careers. No player is truly judged outside of the era in which they play (Babe Ruth wouldn't make it out of the minor leagues today, still, he is one of the top 5 players in Major League History...obviously), and we have moved out of the Free Agent Era (which many said would ruin the game) and squarely into the Performance Enhancing Drug Era.
I say give 'em aluminum bats as well and make this shit REALLY exciting.