It bothers me that the Baseball Hall of Fame will display the record breaking home run ball of Barry Bonds. Not because Bonds doesn't deserve the recognition, but because the ball has been defaced in an attempt to belittle a great achievement. It also sets a terrible precedent which I discuss below in a message I sent to the Hall.

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"Hello. I'm writing to you today to express my concern over the news that your Hall will be displaying the asterisk laden baseball of Barry Bonds. If the Hall of Fame goes through with this, it will set a horrible precedent. For one thing, if this is allowed to happen, dozens if not hundreds more asterisks will be required throughout the Hall. You will be required to place an asterisk next to all of the items related to ####lord Perry, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, and countless others. And if you allow donors to deface items prior to their donation, it could end up turning the Hall of Fame into some kind of circus sideshow in the future.

It has yet to be proven that Barry Bonds cheated in order to obtain the home run record. In fact, alleged drug use took place before they were actually against the rules. For this reason, the asterisk is an insult to the record. And if the ball ends up being displayed in your Hall with the asterisk, I will be forced to boycott. I love baseball, but I need to avoid the Hall of Fame from now on if it contributes to sullying the name of the greatest baseball player I have ever seen. Thank you for your time."

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If you would like to contact the Hall, either in support of their decision or to oppose it as I have, here is a link:


web.baseballhalloffame.org/museum/contact.jsp

With all this talk about drug use in sports, the effect that it has on our children, and questions about a level playing field, I found myself wondering how similar the situation is with drug use in the entertainment industry. And it led me to ask myself this question:

Why isn't their drug testing in Hollywood?

All these actors and musicians are role models aren't they? Kids look up to Lindsay Lohan, Justin Timberlake, and the Olsen twins just as much (if not more) than our sports stars. Why doesn't Charlie Sheen have to #### in a cup before the director yells "Action!"? Wait, bad example. He probably does have to #### in a cup for his probation officer.

But why should our kids be allowed to think, "If I do heroin, I could write some great songs!" or, "Look at the awesome life these people have! Maybe if I get coked up all the time, I'll be rich and famous too!"?

One argument against drug testing in Hollywood could be that there aren't sacred records being broken by the users. But that's not entirely true. What about the Oscars, Emmys, and Grammys? Should the band that's jacked up on heroin get an edge over the sober bands? I can't even count how many musicians have admitted to doing their best work while flying high. Would anyone even know who Jimi Hendrix was if he had never "indulged"? Where would Willie Nelson and Kurt Cobain get their inspiration from? Would Robert Downey Jr have gotten another job after Weird Science without "the juice"? There's little doubt that many of the illegal drugs out there can be considered performance-enhancing. With that in mind, should any of Heath Ledger's awards be stricken from the books now? Sure there weren't any Hollywood rules against his drug use but he was breaking the law, wasn't he? Should Nirvana be kept out of the rock and roll hall of fame due to Cobain's well documented heroin use?

Sorry for all the questions, but I've got a few more.

Is there less outrage about drug use in Hollywood because people accept that it happens, and that it's just "part of the game"? Is drug use OK for actors and musicians because the culture has been to condone and probably, in many cases, support and encourage it for so long? Similar to how the culture in baseball was to do anything you could to be out there on the field, help your team win, get the big contract, and entertain the fans?

Will people ever care about Hollywood? Is anyone going to pressure the Screen Actor's Guild to throw some testing into their contract? Are we going to see some congressional hearings with the heads of Paramount and BMG getting grilled about their industries? I doubt it. But the spotlight will be leaving baseball soon and it may head towards football. After that?

It's anyone's guess.

With it looking very likely that Roger Clemens will be indicted for perjury, I thought it might be interesting to take a look at the contrast in evidence:

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Bonds case:
-Did he ever knowingly use steroids?

• The guy who allegedly injected him will not testify/admit that he injected him, or told Bonds what he was injecting him with
  
• His former girlfriend may testify that he knew what he was taking. Former prosecutors said that Bell could face credibility issues and be portrayed as a scorned lover with financial problems. There may be evidence that she asked for money to keep from going public with information
  
• His doctor has been subpoenaed, but it is unknown what he has to say
• Most physical evidence in this case is useless, since it doesn't matter whether he used or not. Only whether he knew what he was taking

Clemens case:
-Did he ever use steroids and/or HGH?

• The guy who allegedly injected him admits that he injected him with both steroids and HGH
  
• Pettitte and Knoblauch admit that McNamee is telling the truth about everything concerning their use of HGH/steroids
  
• The feds have physical evidence that allegedly include syringes with the drugs and Clemens' DNA
  
• Andy Pettitte (one of Roger's closest friends) claims that Clemens admitted to him that he took HGH
• Clemens claims that Pettitte "misremembers" the HGH conversation and that they were really talking about his wife taking it. This conversation took place in 1999 or 2000 according to Pettitte. Debbie Clemens took the HGH in 2003. (Caught in a lie)
• Clemens claimed that he was unaware that he would appear in the Mitchell Report until it was released. Later, he admitted that he knew several days before it was released. McNamee had contacted his people to warn Roger. Roger's people recorded the conversation and played it for Clemens a few days before the report's release. (Caught in a lie)
• Clemens claimed to never be at the Canseco party. He was certain of it and testified as such. He may have tampered with a witness to support his claim. But now it is reported that there is photographic evidence (along with McNamee's testimony) that Clemens was indeed there. (Caught in a lie)
  

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That's all I have come up with for evidence on either guy. Please feel free to comment and/or contribute evidence that I have forgotten or missed completely. As it stands now, I don't see how any sane individual could think that Roger will not serve time. Bonds, although we are all pretty sure he knew what he as doing, looks to be getting acquitted of his charges at this point.

It has begun.

The sports world is beginning to understand why San Francisco Giant fans have stood behind their man for so long. They are realizing why Barry Bonds is revered and loved, despite extreme scrutiny of his milestones. You may ask, why are sports fans empathizing now? I'll tell you. It's because they are seeing their own teams/players/idols in the same boat as Bonds, and they don't think it's a big deal.

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• Case in point, Rick Ankiel. Rick came up to the big leagues, reinvented as a power hitter. How'd he do? Awesome. It seemed like he was hitting a home run every other at-bat. It was a great story. Then it came out that he used HGH. Ouch. This story didn't have a happy ending. However, in St Louis, he is still cheered and revered. Cardinal fans now can empathize with San Francisco Giants fans.

• Case in point, the New England Patriots. Super Bowl champs thrice. Dominant team nearly every year. Golden boy quarterback. Best coach in the NFL. Classy organization. And now...cheaters. These weren't just allegations of cheating, as we've seen with Roger Clemens. This was a situation where the organization has admitted to wrongdoing and accepted their punishment for the offense. And yet, Belichick is praised and loved after the fact. After seeing proof that their team cheated in order to gain a competitive advantage, excuses abound in the northeast:

            "Everbody does it, why is it a big deal?"

            "Come on, how much does it really help them anyway?"

            "They are a great team without it!"

            Sound familiar? It's the Bonds defense. Pats fans, you now empathize.

• Case in point, Lance Armstrong. Evidence concerning his drug use is readily available to anyone willing to google it. Not just speculation here and there, but lots of evidence. But the American public chooses to put their fingers in their ears, close their eyes, and chant "La-la-la-la-la". This guy was/is an All-American hero. If a video was released on youtube showing Armstrong shooting up 10 years ago, people would not care. They would see past it and love the guy regardless, as they do now. America, you can now empathize with San Francisco Giants fans.

• Case in point, Shawne Merriman. Star linebacker for the San Diego Chargers. Famous for his "lights-out" celebration and busted for using the juice. Lost 4 games last year to suspension. Came back after the suspension and was still a fan favorite. He even got elected to the pro-bowl after being caught cheating. Charger fans, you empathize, don't you?
  

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These were just a few examples of how America is learning to condone, ignore, or disregard cheating. There are many more, and will be many more in the future. The point I'm trying to make is that people will preach about ethics and morality until it is their player...or their team...or their idol that is guilty of cheating or accused of cheating. And at that time, everything will change and they will begin to rationalize why there is nothing wrong with it, or why it is not a big deal.

I need to vent. Please bear with me.

I've been passed up for several promotions at work over the last few years. The guy in the cubicle next to me got a huge one just 3 months ago. My performance has been great for a long time, but a few other employees have stood out a bit more than I have whenever a promotion becomes available. I recently found out why. Many of these guys I work with have been using different presciption drugs that help them perform better. Their productivity has been phenomenal and I just can't keep up. At first, I thought they were cheating to get ahead. I even asked HR about it. They told me that they have no official policy on these drugs and that they do not conduct any drug tests. Apparently, the company is thriving due to all the increased productivity and the powers that be are choosing to turn a blind eye while profits soar.

These drugs have become so popular, even the employees in entry level positions are using them. Apparently, kids fresh out of college are on the stuff in an attempt to compete for jobs. Our people want to keep their jobs very badly and will do whatever they can to hold off these youngsters that are trying to get their taste of the "big leagues". I can't be mad at them. They have families they need to provide for, and they aren't breaking any rules in our workplace.

I love my job. I want to be the best employee this industry has ever seen. Which is why I too have decided to start using these drugs. A friend of mine is a personal trainer and has access to some of the drugs that I've heard terrific things about. One of them is a balm that is supposed to help my knees heal from surgeries. If my knees are feeling better then I won't have to miss as much work as I have been.

I still feel a little bad about this, but it seems that it's the norm for our industry. Since it has been an accepted practice for several years now, I don't see how I'm doing anything wrong. I really hope people don't end up hating me over this decision.

Thanks for listening,

B. Bonds - '99

People complain that they want to be able to believe what they see is natural ability. They want a level playing field. They want records to be "real" and not manufactured by utilizing performance-enhancing drugs. If you think this way, it will be very difficult to enjoy any sporting event for the rest of your life. Why? Because the truth is, every game you watch probably has some degree of "taint" to it.

Athletes in every sport that you watch will be doing whatever it takes to be the best that they can be. Some will stay within the rules, but many will bend or break the rules in an effort to be great and make millions. Some of these people will get caught and be dealt with accordingly. But basically, the result of any sporting event that you watch will have some "taint" to it. Whether you are a fan of football, cycling, baseball, horse-racing, hockey, etc...participants are doing what they can to win.

People focus on the home-runs in baseball as a target for performance enhancing drug abuse, but the fact is, sporting events are affected far more often in far more subtle ways. A baseball player may gain the speed to beat out an infield single and later score a game-winning run. An offensive lineman may be able to block for a split second longer, enabling a touchdown run. Were these plays made possible by natural ability or by the next undetectable steroid? Or maybe by HGH, which still isn't tested for in baseball or football. With people so up in arms about past records being broken, how can they tolerate the MLB games that are going on tonight? We can't know for sure what is going on. Not now, not then.

NASCAR race teams cheat every single weekend, but it's OK because it's "part of the sport". All cars are the same, so the teams that are able to cheat the best improve their chances to win. NASCAR reminds me of the NFL. Cheating is just part of the sport. Hardly anyone cares if NFL players get caught doping, mostly because we all assume they are on something to begin with. What's a positive steroid test result in the NFL to us? Page 2. Speculation of steroid use in MLB? Page 1. Steroids are part of the NFL culture just as car-tweaking is to NASCAR. Bruce Bowen is a master craftsman of defensive basketball. Some believe he cheats. I liken him to an NFL linemen that holds as often as he can get away with it. Sometimes they get caught and are given a foul or a flag is thrown. Are all these things actually "cheating" or are they just generally accepted parts of the sports?

90's baseball had a similar culture where many were doping and noone (teams, players, management, MLB itself) cared. It was part of the game until records started to be broken and people like Canseco (bitter over his black-balling) began talking. But should the steroid era be treated the same as cheating in other sports has been? Allow it for as long as it was generally accepted?

Some people believe that the steroid era in MLB is over just because testing is in place. In a way it is, but there will always be another era waiting around the bend. The next designer drug will be here soon, if it isn't already. And eventually, maybe in 40 years or something, players may have bionic implants to help them perform better. How ironic would it be if, in the future, people argued that Barry's record is legit because he used actual muscle mass to hit his home-runs? "These darn cheaters and their nanite technology! Back when I was young, people actually earned their records!"

So how are you supposed to believe anything you are watching? You can't, really. Unless, of course, you watch a Pro-bowling event.  But my point is that we need to take sports at face value. Don't focus on whether what you are watching is real or not real. You will never get enjoyment that way. Let athletes entertain us. Don't over-analyze. Cheer on the players that you like. Boo the players that you don't like.

But above all, enjoy the game.

Here's my list:

1. Michael Vick is speaking out against the anti-dog fighting crowd. Someday they'll come around and fight dogs like everyone else.

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2. Pac-Man Jones is speaking out against laws in general. Who's got time to earn millions of dollars when there is anarchy waiting to be created?

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3. Kobe Bryant is rebelling against adulthood. Who needs it? Just act like a child every day and you'll never feel old.

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4. Jason Giambi is speaking up about doing certain things that you shouldn't do. Things that are bad and can't be named. You know..."that stuff".

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5. Michelle Wie is rebelling against sexism in golf. Women deserve to play on the same tour as men. Isn't it obvious with her domination of the women's tour that she deserves...errrrr...wait a sec...

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6. Sports media has taken a stand against any sport that is not football. Basketball and hockey? Borrrrriinnnnnnnnggggg. Baseball? Tainted with steroids! We can’t trust these stats! Football? Look at all these awesome sacks by Shawne Merriman! He’s got my pro-bowl vote!

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7. Anderson Varejao has dispelled the myth that athletes cannot be good actors too.

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8. J.R. Smith has rebelled against seat-belts and stop signs. Too soon?

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9. Vince Young has proven to the sports world that you don’t have to be “Smarter Than a 5th Grader” to make it as an NFL quarterback. When did football fans believe that NFL players were intelligent to begin with? When Houston passed on Young on draft day, he could be heard mumbling under his breath, “Wonderlic my balls”.

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10. Barbaro, the horse that won hearts all over the country, has ended the tradition of putting a horse down when it severely breaks it’s leg. Instead, the common practice will now be to keep the horse alive as long as possible, no matter how much pain it is in, and harvest as much sperm as you can before it dies. Here’s the equation:

     Fast Horse’s Sperm  >  Horse Ethics

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11. Speaking of Barbaro, Chad Johnson has proven that humans can beat horses in a foot-race. (That is, of course, if the human in question gets a wicked long head start). So while Ali was fighting the government during Vietnam, who was out there racing the quadrupeds? Who, I ask you!

Sports media needs to drop this story ASAP. Is this really newsworthy? Rodriguez volunteered that he and Jeter are no longer the close friends that they once were, but remain friends that don't hang out much anymore. Stop the presses! We have a friendship that is not as close as it once was.

I need more than two hands to count how many friends of mine have become less a part of my life over the years for various reasons; none of which involve conflict. People come and go in all of our lives. Best friends can change like the seasons. And now the media is scutinizing the friendship of two high profile baseball players? It's been scrutinized in the past, and said to be far worse than it is. Then A-Rod comes out and says they aren't best friends, but still get along great. And that's news? Call me when they actually DON'T get along and I'll love to read about it.

Didn't we have the NBA All-Star weekend? The Daytona 500? Coaching moves in the NFL? Not even a slow news day and writers have to create something out of nothing. Kudos.

After everything I've heard and read since the game 2 controversy started, I'm fairly certain that Kenny Rogers was cheating and has been cheating for quite some time. Yes, there isn't any "proof", just a lot of circumstantial evidence at this point.

But my question is this. Will we see anywhere near the outrage over this that we've seen in the past with Barry Bonds and the steroid controversy? The things that Bonds allegedly did were not against the rules at the time. What Kenny Rogers has allegedly done, is and has been against the rules for a long time. People who have called for the home runs of Bonds to not count, or to not recognize his home run total...Should they also call for game 2 of the world series to not count?

Some people claim that this is all part of the game, especially in cold weather. If that was the case then we would see all pitchers doing it, especially in cold weather. And if it was part of the game, I'm sure there would have been rules adjustments by now to allow for it. Jay Howell's 2 game suspension for pine tar on the glove in the '88 playoffs should silence all the "accepted practice" people out there.

With that said, I don't see anything coming from this. The controversy will die out quickly before the end of the series, although I believe baseball fans should be outraged. Let's see how it plays out.

Disclaimer: I am a Yankee fan. I don't care who wins the World Series at this point.

Fellow Yankee fans, I do not understand you at all. Why do you boo this guy so much? It's obvious that he is an incredibly sensitive guy who wants nothing more than to help his team win. It even looks like he may break into tears sometimes during home games. The bottom line is that the booing is making him play worse. We are in a pennant race and none of you are helping our chances by getting on one of the guys we need most. Whether he has a bad game or a good game, you need to support him and stand behind him. Besides, his numbers aren't that far off from his carreer averages, and last I heard, he was among the league leaders in game-winning RBI's.

We keep hearing about how Barry's records are tainted because of alleged drug use. I don't recall many folks crying about LT's stats. How many games do you think he was coked out of his mind for? He's pretty much admitted to playing under the influence and it helps explain that raw animal ferocity he played with. Noone has contemplated putting an asterix next to his sack totals. And he's still thought of as one of the best LBs to ever suit up. Maybe it's becuase cocaine isn't normally thought of as negatively as roids, buts it's still a way to get an edge.

 

An AP article reported today that, "The San Francisco Giants will celebrate appropriately if Barry Bonds passes Babe Ruth on the career home run list. Team owner Peter Magowan and executive vice president Larry Baer vowed Tuesday to honor the organization's star player ..."

As well they should, but...

The media will attack the celebration of another Bonds record. He may have taken performance enhancing drugs (that were not against the rules).

The media joyously celebrated Kobe Bryant's 81 point game. He may be a rapi5t.

The speculation that Barry Bonds may be suspended by Bud Selig is absurd. MLB could have concrete evidence that Bonds used roids during his record setting season and there would still be no suspension. All of these reports, (which probably have a lot of truth to them), do nothing but shed light on the fact that Bonds is a liar. What they do not do, is give Selig recourse for an suspension. How do you suspend a guy for "allegedly" taking steroids BEFORE they were outlawed in baseball? What if I was cited with a violation for smoking in a bar last year... 6 months before it was deemed illegal? Bond's lawyers would eat this up if a suspension comes. It will be the easiest case of their lives.

And yes, Bonds is a liar. What do you want him to do? Admit that he used performance enhancing drugs? Do we we really want kids to hear him say that? This guy is one of the greatest athletes of all time. We don't need kids thinking that drugs are the way to get to his level. Everyone needs to drop this whole steroids thing. They are now banned in baseball...testing is ongoing and seems to be thorough...leave the past in the past and move on to the next issue. If Bonds tests positive for something in the future, feel free to attack.

What almost every journalist out there is ignoring is the fact that all these performance enhancing drugs were not against baseballs rules at the time they were allegedly taken. All this talk we hear on the web , the radio, and on television about the record books being tainted is moot. Bonds could stand up today and say, "Yeah, I was taking steroids for years", and it wouldn't make a lick of difference. Blame MLB if you want for not banning steroids sooner, but please quit talking about the users who were only trying to be the best at their jobs and entertain us fans, while adhering to the rules of the game.