I admit, not being a finalist in NSGII has sapped some of my motivation.

The whole thing is a scam, but I won't let that deter me from reaching my peeps that are reading this in droves. It wouldn't be fair to all four of you.

But it's time to get back to work, and put all of this silly nonsense behind us. There are pressing issues that need a good pressing, for wont of a better term.

How the 'Roiders Changed Us

Have you ever sat down and pondered steroids? Sure you have. If you're a fan of baseball, you should despise everything they encompass and the fraudulent cheaters that introduced them to potentially hundreds of users that have turned a game that we are passionate about into nothing more than an artificial Home Run Derby.

"Get to the point," you say. I'm getting there.

Think about how much Barry Bonds and the rest of his merry band of dopers have changed our perception of the game. It's now naive to believe that what we see from baseball players is done on Creatine and Red Bull, not Stanzolol and horse steroids. That's why as the calendar changes, Albert Pujols will be under more and more scrutiny. The more bombs he hits, the more questions pop up. To who do we owe this? The dopers, of course.

Creating Controversy Where None Exists

Pujols' near-record pace is nothing short of amazing. He's mashing the ball and is on "pace" for 82 home runs. Now fans will remember 1998, how they believed Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, and 2001 how they believed Barry Bonds. There really shouldn't be any doubts about Pujols. He doesn't show any of the physical signs of steroid use, he isn't surly and his fingerprints aren't smeared all over BALCO. Despite evidence to the contrary, people are still going to doubt him.

The naysayers will pull conspiracies out of thin air. For example, how can a 13th round draft pick out of Maple Woods Community College ascend to baseball royalty in a matter of two years? How can a 20-year-old hit that way? It isn't natural, they claim. Well, Ted Williams, Stan Musial and Joe DiMaggio were cranking it when they were in their early 20s. Isn't it possible that Pujols is a special player like those three? Is it hard to admit that great baseball players like Pujols are born that way? Have the dopers done enough to make you believe that once-in-a-lifetime players do not come around anymore?

Pujols' Plan: Stick With Bonds

El Hombre has a plan. As he embarks on possibly the greatest season of all-time, he has an idea on how to keep distraction out of the Cardinals clubhouse. You see, Pujols has already shifted the spotlight back to Bonds. He's said in recent interviews he doesn't want Bonds' life. He has said that Bonds is still the best player in the game and has publically doubted his steroid use.

This is almost a counter-attack to Bonds telling reporters to go watch Pujols. Neither of them want the media fawning all over them as they chase records this summer. It's a sly game of two friends saying:

"No, you're the best"

"No, no I insist, you're the best."

Pujols is a quiet, amiable team-first player that is quick to give due to other teammates, something that will put vultures in the media to sleep. Bonds pretends that he hates the media, but the more they hound him and his oversized cranium, the happier he is.

Their newfound admiration for each other might cast doubt in some fans, but make no mistake, Pujols knows that if he tells the media about how Bonds has caused major damage to the game, he'll make this an even bigger issue. Plus, it isn't within Pujols' humble self to attack players.

Give Him a Break

So this summer, let's give AP the benefit of the doubt and just enjoy the fact that we are seeing a modern day Joltin' Joe, or Stan "The Man" or Teddy Ballgame. Pujols is not going to let the steroids issue bother him, and neither should you.