In recent years since steroids have become such a hot topic in sports and especially in baseball I've heard many sports writers say or write that they wouldn't vote for the accused users on the first ballot for the Hall of Fame (HOF) but would vote for them thereafter. Or, some people have predicted that Mark McGuire, who was snubbed in his first year of eligibility in the summer of 2007, will make it.

If you've read my blog in the past you may already know that I am firm in my stance that no steroid user should ever make the HOF. I'm going to challenge the seemingly popular public opinion that getting into the HOF after waiting umpteen years is somehow less satisfying than getting in on the first ballot.

Sure, it might be somewhat anguishing waiting all that time, but if you won the lottery at age 45 does it mean any less than if you had won it with the very first ticket you purchased on your 18th birthday? Who cares? You're still a millionaire.

Using steroids is not on the same moral plane as murder, but what if it was? What if a judge reduced a life sentence down to 5 years because he thought the guy really learned his lesson? That prisoner is saying "hey, that wasn't so bad, my crimes were well worth it."

We live in a society that does not reward the bad guys. Baseball should be no exception.


Cheaters don't win, in any sport, or in life.

Using steroids is cheating, and cheaters aren't supposed to win. Major League Baseball should, by any means necessary, see to it that anybody ever suspected-that's right, I said suspected, not proven-of using performance enhancing drugs never even sees his name on the ballot.

There is too much left open to subjectivity in this debate, and this is the only way I see that works. You were indicted by a grand jury on charges of perjury, Mr. Bonds? Bye bye Cooperstown. You failed a steroid test, Mr. Palmeiro? No HOF for you. Your name appeared on the now notorious Mitchell Report, Mr. Clemens and Mr. Pettitte? Sorry, no can do.

While in previous posts I have argued that baseball should retroactively pull post-season awards (MVPs, Cy Youngs, etc) from users and erase their stats from the record books, I have now come to the conclusion that even if it did so-a nearly impossible slippery slope to maneuver around in and of itself-not every sports publication would acknowledge such a move. Would ESPN.com actually remove all references to Barry Bonds from its website? No, but the one thing that is constant is that name on a plaque in the halls of baseball glory in Cooperstown, New York.

There are several reasons why I believe that proof of steroid usage is not necessary in enacting this baseball law. The first, and the most obvious, is that baseball law is not synonymous with and is not governed by the court of law. In this regard, users are not "innocent until proven guilty" because they are not being sent to prison. Rare it is that a player actually fails a Major League steroid test for several reasons. First, the Player's Association has not approved a test involving blood, which would be necessary to detect certain drugs, including Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Other drugs, like erythropoietin (EPO) and insulin, are difficult to detect using any means. Also, many cheaters were able to successfully cover up their usage with other drugs. Norbolethone (aka "The Clear") is a drug that balances the levels of natural testosterone and epitestosterone, which means, according to Bonds' currently imprisoned former trainer Greg Anderson in the book Game of Shadows "You can take [the steroids] the day of [a drug test], pee, and it comes up clear."


Anderson explained how easy it was to beat
the steroid tests.

This is all very important because, for most of the past decade, there has either been no steroid testing in baseball, not a strict enough test, or too many subsidiary drugs to conceal drugs that were being tested for.

There is also precedence for banning cheaters in spite of there being no criminal evidence or intent. The first commissioner of baseball, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, banned all 8 members of the Chicago "Black Sox" even after they were all acquitted of charges by the judicial system. Landis was a real commissioner who ruled baseball with tough love. The current commissioner, Bud Selig, is a cowardly pud who apparently feels no action is obligatory to restore the sanctity of the game.

Many have stated that it is hypocritical for voters to keep Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa out of the HOF when they are same people who voted for these guys to win the Cy Young and MVP. This logic is not valid. Just because they were wrong then doesn't mean they have to be wrong for the rest of their lives. In the same way, it is asinine to make any argument that says "Player X (Ty Cobb, Gaylord Perry) is in the HOF, so Player Y (Bonds, Clemens) should also be." In hindsight, it was probably a mistake to put Perry, an admitted ball doctor, into the HOF, but that doesn't mean we have to make the same mistake over and over and over again forever. Times have changed. It's time to raise the bar. This is the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Pretty Darned Good or the Hall of Spectacular, but I Cheated.

In 2005, two Chicago based radio personalities read an all-inclusive list of baseball HOFers. They then spent approximately 45 minutes "kicking guys out" who didn't deserve to be there, thus reducing the list by at least 40%. Though this was done just for fun, it is something I keep in mind when deciding who should go and who should not. The HOF is too watered down anyway. Phil Rizutto? Bill Mazerowski? Puh-leeze.

(Oh yes, and before you spout off the "Rizutto was a key member of a Yankees dynasty winning many World Series'" argument, you may want to read this July 2006 post stating that Individuals Don't Win Championships, Teams Do).

If baseball has stood firm this long with the decision to ban Pete Rose, there isn't much in the way of taking it one step further with steroid cheats. What these guys have done; bulking up and hitting jaw-dropping, tale-of-the-tape home runs in awe inspiring quantity, is far worse than gambling. Betting on a game doesn't affect the outcome.

Just because everyone else was cheating doesn't mean it was ok for Player X to cheat too. To quote myself when I wrote in August of 2007 in The Difference Between Ruth, Aaron, Maris and Bonds, McGuire, Sosa, "So if 20 guys all get busted robbing a bank does the police let them go because they had strength in numbers? More importantly, and more realistically, if the CEO of a tax firm turns a blind eye to his accountants fudging numbers on purpose would the public brush the incident off its collective shoulders and chock it up to an oversight? Hell no! They'd all be punished, all arrested, all fired. Selig is just as much to blame as the McGuires and Sosas of the world."

Putting cheats in the HOF is a slap in the face to people who actually deserve to be there. This feeling is equivalent to an injured U.S. soldier going down to the corner Wal-Mart and seeing Purple Hearts on sale for $19.99 plus tax. That act of heroism during battle doesn't seem all that heroic now that everybody has the medal.

And making a guy wait X number of years before finally letting him in is not punishment enough, either. I wouldn't let a murderer out of prison early, just as I wouldn't allow my toddler to have the cookie 10 minutes after saying "no" the first time. Not only should steroid cheats never be voted into the HOF, but their names should never even appear on a ballot.

The "Roy Williams Rule."  It was put into place because the Dallas Cowboy safety was the player primarily responsible for ending several player's seasons via the horse collar tackle.  Williams has been at this since entering the league, and it's time the NFL makes an example out of him.

Most recently, Williams put the hurtin' on Eagle's QB Donovan McNabb.  Though McNabb was not seriously injured on the play, Williams drew a 15-yard penalty.  Williams' current teammate and former Eagle, Terrell Owens, was a 2004 victim of Williams and ended up missing the team's first two playoff games, almost costing them a trip to the Super Bowl.

The horse collar tackle adds significant and unnecessary risk to the game.  Through the years, it has caused many Achilles and calf injuries, and also has broken several ankles.  It's frustrating and painful for the injured player to go through rehab, his team is worse off without him, and the fans become angry. 

Though Williams is not the only culprit in this crime, the rule was put into place because of him and he remains today the primary offender, as the McNabb penalty was Williams' fourth in the last two seasons.

A one-game suspension is not nearly enough, as it has now become blatantly obvious that Williams has not learned from his previous mistakes.  He should be given a 5-game suspension, and be forced to serve it during the playoffs if the Cowboys advance.  This sort of punishment is unprecedented, but it's high time the NFL take proactive action against this ferocious penalty.  And Williams should be made the example.

Dallas coach Wade Phillips, furthermore, is off his rocker for defending his player.  Attributing his actions to having "strong hands" and not being able to adjust to the new rule, Phillips apparently gives merit to the appeal that Williams filed today.  Phillips continued "And the way it is now, they tape those jerseys in the back, so you can't grab them, you can't hold on to them."  Yeah, Wade, they do it so their career doesn't come to an abrupt end, no thanks to foul play from a certain Cowboy defender.

Here's hoping the NFL upholds the suspension and issues warning that further penalties, especially from Roy Williams, will not be taken lightly.

As any fan of any team does this time of the year when their team is all but eliminated from the playoff chase, I am posturing what the Kansas City Chiefs could do to improve their team for the 2008 season. Here are the moves I would make if I were in charge, and also my estimated probability of the actual Chief's GM, Carl Peterson, making those moves.

Top Priority: Put the Franchise Tag on Jared Allen and sign him to a 5-year contract if possible.
Reason: Allen has proven in his four seasons that he's one of the elite pass rushers in the NFL and with him in the lineup, the Chiefs are able to put pressure on the opposing quarterback while only rushing four men. Allen's 11.5 sacks leads the AFC despite his missing the first two regular season games while serving a suspension.
Estimated Probability: 93% of the Franchise Tag, 40% of getting the long-term contract.


Allen is deserving of a huge free
agent contract this year.

Next Priority: Sign unrestricted free agent OG Alan Faneca to a 5-year contract.
Reason: The Chiefs are in desperate need of offensive linemen and wide receivers, and even though their line was still above average last year after the retirement of Willie Roaf, they are terrible this year after losing Will Shields. Beefing up their interior line would go a long way towards putting them back in contention. They could move Brian Waters over to RG and keep Faneca at his customary LG. The Chiefs need to add a guard and two tackles this off season.
Estimated Probability: Signing high priced free agents to long term contracts is not Peterson's style. The last time I can remember it happening was when he signed Chester McGlockton to a 6-year, $36 million contract about 10 years ago. That being the case, 5%.

Next Priority: Release every single wide receiver on the team except for Dwayne Bowe
Reason: With the exception of Bowe, this group has to be considered one of the worst receiving corps in recent NFL history. Samie Parker hardly deserves to be on a team's practice squad, and Eddie Kennison, at age 34, could not successfully return to form after suffering a lower leg injury on the season's very first play. I have very little faith in any of the other role players such as Jeff Webb and Bobby Sippio.
Estimated Probability: Considering this is a drastic change and these sorts of things rarely happen in real life, 1%. The chances of Parker and Kennison both being gone, however, 70%.

Next Priority: Sign WR Justin Gage as a free agent.
Reason: Gage would be a decent compliment to Bowe for the time being or would be one of the better third receivers in the NFL if the Chiefs were lucky enough to draft somebody better than him in April. After 4 less than spectacular seasons with the Bears, Gage has emerged as the Titans' leading receiver this year.
Estimated Probability: Given that the Titans will likely make a valiant effort to keep Gage in Tennessee and that the other available wideouts will be too expensive and likely franchised (Randy Moss and Bernard Berrian), I'll give it only 20%.

Next Priority: Draft only offensive linemen and wide receivers with the first 3 picks in the draft, and draft 3 of each overall.
Reason: As mentioned earlier, they are desperate for these two positions. It doesn't matter if they go OT, OG, WR; or WR, WR, OG;, or OT, WR, OT, or any other combination of those. Also, if the Chiefs can't land at least one starting linemen and one starting WR in free agency before the draft, this act then moves all the way up to number 2 of on the priority list.
Estimated Probability: Given that Peterson is stubborn and that coach Herm Edwards will be stupid enough to ask for at least one defensive player (probably in round 2), I'll give this one only 8%.


Edwards simply did not follow
through on a promise he made
after accepting the Chief's job.

Next Priority: Make this the make or break season for the head coach.
Reason: Edwards inherited a team that averaged close to 30 points per game and had the best offense in the NFL over the previous 4 seasons. Yes, they were statistically better than the Colts in both points and yards. In his first press conference as the new coach he stated he liked having a powerful offense and wouldn't make any changes. First order of business? Getting rid of the coordinator (Al Saunders) and installing one of his own guys who would run his conservative style offense. The Chiefs now have the lowest scoring offense in the AFC and second worst offense overall. He barely snuck into the playoffs last year at 9-7 and he's likely going to finish 5-11 this year. His leash should be very short heading into year 3.
Estimated Probability: If the Chiefs finish over .500 next year his job is safe. If they fail to make the playoffs in 2008 or finish under .500, the chances of him getting fired are still only 15%.

Next Priority: Make inquiries to the Eagles on trading for Donovan McNabb and also an inquiry to the agent representing Derek Anderson.
Reason: Plain and simple, the long term answer at quarterback is not currently on the Chief's roster. Damon Huard is a lifelong backup, and Brodie Croyle, from what I've seen, is good enough to get them through the next two or three years until they can find somebody better, but he's not good enough, nor will he be, to take this team to the Super Bowl. I'm not saying they should definitely get one of these players, but if they don't at least inquire about the price, they are stupid.
Estimated Probability: Chances of actually getting McNabb or Anderson, 1%. Chances of inquiring about one or both, 8%.

Next Priority: Change the team goal from "Earning the trophy bearing our founder's name," to "Earning the trophy bearing Vince Lombardi's name."
Reason: Not all changes involve personnel, some are philosophical. Being that I don't have HBO, I wasn't able to watch this season of Hard Knocks, but it was brought to my attention that in a preseason manager's meeting the Chief's president Carl Peterson addressed his subordinates and said "Our goal this year is no different than any other year, to win the trophy bearing our founder's name." Of course, Peterson mean the Lamar Hunt trophy, which goes to the team that wins the American Football Conference. This is appalling. Your goal should be to win the Super Bowl, not just make it there. Winning the Lombardi Trophy automatically takes care of everything else.
Estimated Probability: 2%