Without question, today was a sad day in Major League Baseball. Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers, probably the second best slugger in the game today (next to Albert Pujols), tested positive for hCG (Human Chrionic Gonadotropin), a banned substance according to Major League Baseball's drug policy. This continues to happen again and again to a point where 4 of the top 10 (and if you take it further, 8 of the top 25) homerun leaders of all time have either raised serious doubt or have tested positive for PEDs. From Rafael Palmiero's finger pointing to Congressmen, Sammy Sosa forgetting how to speak English, Roger Clemens' "I only took Lidocaine in the butt", and A-Roids "my cousin made me do it" have caused many to believe that the MLB has lost its credibility and describe the league as a "joke".
If there is anything positive to take away from this situation however, is the realization that the only league left that is not a "joke" is the MLB (excluding the NHL of course because who cares about that league anyway).
Every year in the NFL, there are a handful of cases where players (some hall of fame worthy) are caught taking PEDs. NFL players do not receive the backlash the MLB players do. Take the Albert Haynesworth and Shawne Merriman cases. Both tested positive, but today Haynesworth is known as the best Defensive Tackle in the game, so much in demand that Washington gave him over $100 million. The year Merriman got caught, he was still in the running for defensive player of the year (finishing second to Jason Taylor). Do any of us even remember that they were caught? And even if some of us do, will we think less of them as players? Do we say that they should not be in the Hall of Fame? I think not. Both of these players will most likely go to the Hall of Fame and their past doping habits becoming a distant memory.
My problem with the NFL isn't so much their steroid policy, as there are many aspects of it that I agree with (the suspension time, banning players from the Pro Bowl that year, etc). What irks me is the hypocrisy of the league. When I hear Roger Goodell saying "Michael Vick needs to prove to the league that he is sorry before reinstatement", it really pisses me off. To all you animal activists out there, I am not defending Vick's actions. I am simply saying that the last time I checked, steroids and most PEDs are illegal too, and I didn't hear Goodell saying that Merriman and Haynesworth needed to prove their sorrow for their actions. Hell, he (Goodell) even let Merriman go to the Pro Bowl the year he was caught. Furthermore, Vick made a horrible decision, but he did not cheat the game, Haynesworth and Merriman did! Oh, and no matter what Vick does from here on out, he will never get Hall of Fame consideration.
As for the NBA, lets not even get started with that one. Read T's article "Where Dirty Happens" and then come talk to me for the extra mustard about that league being rigged, and then it will be simple to come to the conclusion the NBA is the biggest joke of jokes. I hate David Stern!
The truth of the matter is, Manny (and all those other "great" players) will never be seen the same no matter how "great" they were or are. They will all more than likely lose their shot at the Hall of Fame, their careers tainted forever. Manny's .348 batting average along with his 6hr and 28 rbi in the first 27 games played, leading his team to a 21-8 record just doesn't matter anymore. Maybe he can still come back and help lead his team to the World Series, that much is to be seen. However, his shot at the MVP (and any award for that matter) along with the Hall of Fame is gone.
But this is how it should be. If you cheat, you pay the price. If you mess with the integrity of the game (listening Stern?), you pay the price. If you disrespect the greats that came before you, you pay the price. Major League Baseball finally gets it! They have implemented a strict policy, and if you don't abide by it, regardless of who you are, you will PAY THE PRICE! So for once, lets put our hands together for Bud Selig and Major League Baseball, finally someone won't let MANNY be MANNY!
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I think I mostly agree with your unique perception of the MLB. Refreshing to hear an original take on how the MLB may actually be the league with the most integrity. I offer two points:
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2) The Michael Vick point. I see your view that both acts are illegal. But the counter is that there is something innately malicious about dog fighting. Unlike steroids, which involve only harm to the individual (the steroid abuser), dog-fighting involves harm to other animals. And in most cases, the dogs were not able to adequately defend themselves. The internal violence required to conduct those acts are a different level than steroid use, in my opinion.
That said, I do agree that NFL players should be hit with stiffer penalties and that Goodell blew it when he let Merriman go to the Pro Bowl.
Quick follow-up to point 1: if Peyton Manning was taking steroids when he broke Marino's TD record or Tom Brady was on the juice when he broke Manning's, we'd see a shit-load more coverage of NFL and steroids. When it's one player here and another there, and nothing meaningful occurring because of it, it tends to be overlooked. Not saying its fair, just saying how it is.
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