• 02:33 AM ET  12.14
Views
429
Comments
6
There is an old saying I am reminded of here: It is easier to beg forgiveness than to ask for permission.

All I heard from Bud Selig in his press conference following the Mitchell report was how this is not a baseball problem. It is a people problem, and that we are fixing it and that we need to move forward, move forward, move forward.

While listening to Selig talk, and thinking about the way Mitchell had claimed financial and economical reasons were behind MLB's lack of drug testing over the past decade, I got an image in my head.

I could picture a group of MLB bigwigs, the men who stand to gain the most from baseball's economical success, all sitting around in a dark room somewhere after the 1994 strike left them with a diminished fan base and less money in their pockets.

At least one of these bigwigs had to know that steroids and other drugs were making their way into baseball. From an ethical standpoint, they had to have known they should do something about it. But, they also had to know from an economical standpoint they needed something to save the game of baseball and bring the fans back to the game. They needed to save their pocket books.

"You know what we need," one of them might have said. "We need an offensive explosion. We need home run records to fall."

"What are you suggesting?" another bigwig asks.

"I am suggesting we let the players take steroids and anything else that will help them hit home runs. We will win the fans back."

"But, that would be cheating," says another bigwig. "We can't do that. Eventually the fans would find out about the steroids and we would be finished."

"Oh, that will take years. By then, we will have our fan base back. We simply ask them to forgive us, to understand that human beings make mistakes. How could we have seen this coming, we'll say."

"It might work. Then again it might not. It might backfire."

"What do we have to lose? We have no fans now, so I say we give it a shot. Heck, we can make it as easy as possible for players to get the juice they need, then just sit back and watch the fireworks. People will flock back to the ball parks."

Now, here we sit in 2007 with all this somewhat behind us. I am the perfect example of a fan who got sucked in to baseball because of the home-run-hitting show between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa that led to McGwire's record breaking (at the time) 70 home runs in 1998.

Prior to that year, I paid no attention to baseball whatsoever. I thought it was boring and slow. I had tried playing as a kid, but hated it. In 1998, though, sportscenter was full of home run highlights. McGwire hit two one day and Sosa hit three the next. Before I knew it, I found myself watching a game here and there. Then I was playing fantasy baseball. Suddenly, I was a baseball fan.

Years rolled along and I would watch a little more baseball and then a little more. Pretty soon, I had discovered that baseball was a great game, not all about home runs, but really a great game to watch.

I developed an appreciation for the strategy of the game, the different skills required of all the positions, the personalities of different players. I loved baseball, a game I had once hated.

Now, I sit on my couch in 2007 and I see Selig talking about moving on into the future. I ask myself if I think steroid use was forgivable, if essentially cheating is ok and acceptable and something I can just ignore as a fan and move on. My answer is no. When I really think about it, I am a little angry that we have been watching tainted competition all these years.

When baseball comes on the tube next season, however, I will be watching because I like the game. I'm hooked. I am a fan of baseball. So, I guess the bigwigs won. Their plan worked to perfection. They are begging forgiveness and they are getting it, even if it is begrudgingly.
December 14, 2007  02:46 AM ET

MLB has certainly been far too slow to respond to the problem, and far too unwilling to deal with it up until now. Hopefully we will finally see some decisive action. I'll just hurry up and wait to see what they do. : P

December 14, 2007  03:13 AM ET

This was perhaps the most accurate of descriptions of what may have occurred, though never vocally (the unstated truth, if you will). I have been a baseball fan since I was old enough to say baseball, and have been a Red Sox fan since the early eighties. I was disappointed to see some of my favorites (Mo Vaughn) and suprised to see others (Jay Gibbons...a year ago no one would have looked at him for this, though as this past year progressed...) There are many names that didn't make the list that should have been there...and probably will as time passes.

Either way, thanks for this blog. Sort of says what we all knew, and ignored, as fans of the game.

December 14, 2007  11:03 AM ET

Check out the interactive relationship map of players and other involved in the steroid scandal...

http://news.muckety.com/2007/12/14/steroid-report-centers-on-radomski-and- mcnamee/246

Two major informants play central roles in the searing report on steroid use in baseball, released yesterday by former Sen. George Mitchell.

Kirk Radomski, a former Mets clubhouse attendant, and Brian McNamee, a former strength trainer for the Yankees and Blue Jays, provided much of the information linking players to drug use. The document named 89 players, including superstars Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco and Jason Giambi.

<A href='http://news.muckety.com/2007/12/14/steroid-report-centers-on-radomsk i-and-mcnamee/246'>The full post and map is here...</a>

December 14, 2007  12:16 PM ET

Don't get your hopes up guys. I'll believe it when I see it. At this point all they have is just what they're calling it. A scandle--for the most part based on hearsay evidence.

December 14, 2007  01:30 PM ET

Nice blog.

 
December 14, 2007  09:22 PM ET

... yeah, collusion is rampant in the mlb...

Comment

Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.


Coming soon: Log in with your Facebook account, send comments and Throwdowns to Facebook and more.

Start Your Own Blog

Start Now

The Si.com Cover Hub Go to the Cover Hub

Stub Hub

The 2009 schedule has been released. Search for tickets!

Truth & Rumors

MOST POPULAR

  1. 1
    Merriman: Runyan is dirtiest player I've faced
    Views
    30171
    Comments
    234
  2. 2
    Damon's Yankee days likely over
    Views
    39591
    Comments
    163
  3. 3
    Berrian: Bears' defense no longer intimidating
    Views
    10143
    Comments
    61
  4. 4
    Oilers' Hemsky injured by hit from behind
    Views
    982
    Comments
    19
  5. 5
    Blue Jays in no rush to deal Halladay
    Views
    4471
    Comments
    14

Most Active Users

Comments + Blog Posts + Throwdowns

  1. 1
    Chico 2.0
  2. 2
    BBK - Now it's all football
  3. 3
    rstowe
  4. 4
    gigi_iv
  5. 5
    Never NDing Struggle

Message Boards

  1. NCAAF > General NCAAF

    No More 'Canes and Gators
    Views
    498
    Replies
    71
  2. NBA > General NBA

    WHAT TEAMS SHOULD PICK UP…
    Views
    294
    Replies
    1
  3. NBA > General NBA

    IVERSON IS SET TO RETIRE...
    Views
    168
    Replies
    2

Blogs

SI.com

Swimsuit

SI Photos