Conservative Blogger: Better, Stronger, Faster?...

I know the name of my web site is not "Sports Blogger." I know this. I don't normally talk about issues like this because, frankly, they're boring. They bore you. They bore me. I ask for your patience while I work through this thought.

In the interest of full disclosure, I used to love baseball. I followed it somewhat and even participated in a fantasy baseball league for a few years. I was turned off after the last full strike by players and the near strike that occurred about five years ago or so and I haven't really gone back. I watched the playoffs this past year where my Boston Red Sox won the World Series and in five years I've probably been to maybe a handful of games. I imagine I'm like a lot of people. That said...

Why the hell is the House Committee on Government Reform conducting hearings on steroids and Major League Baseball? It's not that I don't think it's important, I mean...it is. But aren't there more important things going on in the world today that should be concerning these guys? Iran? North Korea? Iraq? Oil prices? Social Security? The Economy?

I understand that committee has oversight on Federal drug policy. Great. This is the best they could come up with? The committee members say they're not grand standing, but I can't think of any other explanation for this. Baseball is a game and anything that is introduced into the game that is against the rules is cheating. Does the United States Government really need to insert themselves in this? I'm not saying that cheating is acceptable in baseball. I am asking why people are so shocked by this and why the House Committee on Government Reform is having hearings on this?

OK, look...when was the last time baseball could ever be accused of being "clean" as a sport? This sport has seen players intentionally throw the World Series, players betting on baseball, players corking their bats, players using foreign substances on the ball--and that's just some of the stuff we KNOW about.

I didn't see Congress take up the issue when the rumors of steroid use were flying about for professional bodybuilding.

I didn't see Congress take up the issue when there was evidence against Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Entertainment for rampant and illegal steroid use.

I didn't see Congress take up the issue when the National Football League was setting forth their drug policy including prohibitions against steroids.

I didn't see Congress take up the issue when Lyle Alzado blamed cancer on the anabolic steroids and growth hormones he took as a player for the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Raiders.

The committee has argued today that Major League Baseball doesn't seem to be able to police itself. That may be so, but why is it the purview of the House of Representatives? MLB is a business, on more, no less. Sure it's a sport that makes millions of dollars every year, but does that fact make it any more special?

What if plumbers everywhere were all of a sudden suspected of using steroids--would Congress take up special hearings to get to the bottom of why? Would this same committee begin hearings over policing the steroid use of plumbers? No, of course they wouldn't.

Do they mean to tell us that this really is the most important thing they can be doing?

In the 1980's when the National Football League enacted their drug policy, it was in response to what seemed like a growing trend in professional football: players using drugs of all kinds. The NFL wasn't just concerned about steroids, but their drug policy also included illegal narcotics. The NFL has what many consider to be the most stringent drug policy of all the professional sports, and they did it without the intervention of the Legislative Branch.

You know, if baseball has a problem with illegal steroids being used among the ranks of players--which I firmly believe it does--we have an arm of the government that deals with that. It's called the Drug Enforcement Administration. We don't need Congress to police baseball, we need baseball and baseball players to take some accountability for their own actions...or suffer the consequences legally.

It's also important to point out that not all players in professional baseball use steroids, too. There are plenty of players who have gotten to the big leagues through hard work, self-discipline and extensive training.

If they are unable to, then one of our various law enforcement agencies can find a remedy. Perhaps the seizure of player assets or fines on team owners or something...something that tells baseball that illegal substances won't be tolerated. Illegal means illegal...not permitted by law...punishable by fines or jail. The sad irony in all this is that someone dealing drugs in the parking lot outside the stadium would be busted and put in jail. Someone dealing steroids in the clubhouse, however, gets to make millions of dollars every year and hit a little white ball with a wooden stick.

Baseball is a great, great game with a storied history and a nearly magical quality that can, at times, bring out the child in all of us. While baseball's innocence was lost many years ago, its integrity and honor can be restored. Baseball needs to have a drug policy with some teeth to it. Anything less is a poor excuse and an example of cowardice.

It's up to them to take the necessary steps...not Congress. The House Committee on Government Reform should be ashamed of themselves. There is more pressing and serious business before this nation. They are wasting their time and our money.

William Smith
ConservativeBlogger.com

Posted by WilliamSmith on March 17, 2005 02:25 PM to Conservative Blogger