Finally, Steriod Testing in Baseball!

[TRITON4ME]

It's about time. Now they can finally restore the game to being truly 'fair' and those who cheat will be punished publically. Well I guess Barry Bonds has a little covering up to do. And for those of you who think Bonds isn't on steriods should be tested themselves for illegal substances.

I'm just glad that the players union and the owners reached an agreement that will restore the legit aspet of baseball. Thank God.

 

[Legacy]

It's about time. Now they can finally restore the game to being truly 'fair' and those who cheat will be punished publically. Well I guess Barry Bonds has a little covering up to do. And for those of you who think Bonds isn't on steriods should be tested themselves for illegal substances.

I'm just glad that the players union and the owners reached an agreement that will restore the legit aspet of baseball. Thank God.

Well, until pro players start playing out of passion rather than payments none of these things are going to matter. I say that if someone wants to sterilize themselves, risk an early death, and start looking like a freak of nature all for the money it will get them, let him. They will only have themselves to hate when they are all alone.

And I don't thinks Bonds did it, and I'm clean.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Yeah...part of me would like to see Barry go out and hit 63 bombs next season, with the regulations in place, and see what everybody says then. We'll see, I s'pose.

 

[TRITON4ME]

Well, until pro players start playing out of passion rather than payments none of these things are going to matter. I say that if someone wants to sterilize themselves, risk an early death, and start looking like a freak of nature all for the money it will get them, let him. They will only have themselves to hate when they are all alone.

And I don't thinks Bonds did it, and I'm clean.

Ok I agree that it is all up to the athlete of they want to make that commitment to the game of baseball.

However, you think Bonds didn't take steriods? Well first of all you are dead wrong, he has admitted to unknowingly :veryconfu taking steriods. Also, how does a guy go from 39 home runs the year before all the way up to 73 the next year? Come on the dude never hit more than 43 home runs in a season before he broke the record. And he was 38 yrs. old when he broke the record. Come on, don't tell me you're that nieve.

Anyway, just some food for thought

 

[Legacy]

Ok I agree that it is all up to the athlete of they want to make that commitment to the game of baseball.

However, you think Bonds didn't take steriods? Well first of all you are dead wrong, he has admitted to unknowingly :veryconfu taking steriods. Also, how does a guy go from 39 home runs the year before all the way up to 73 the next year? Come on the dude never hit more than 43 home runs in a season before he broke the record. And he was 38 yrs. old when he broke the record. Come on, don't tell me you're that nieve.

Anyway, just some food for thought

I think it is fully possible that he didn't know he was taking them. Trainers can do some crazy things, and that includes lying to their clients. Barry Bonds has no other blemish on his record and you make it sound like he should be banned from baseball. I'll be honest though, I think if he is denied the record because of steriods, then I think Mark McQuire should be tested. I firmly believe he is guilty of the charge.

 

[TRITON4ME]

I think it is fully possible that he didn't know he was taking them. Trainers can do some crazy things, and that includes lying to their clients. Barry Bonds has no other blemish on his record and you make it sound like he should be banned from baseball. I'll be honest though, I think if he is denied the record because of steriods, then I think Mark McQuire should be tested. I firmly believe he is guilty of the charge.

Ok first of all testing Mark McGuire would essantially do nothing because steriods only stay in your system for 6 months. And he's been out of baseball now for 2 years so he would not test positive.

And as for the whole Bonds situation: he may have not known at first what his trainer was giving him but eventually you would have to notice a difference in your performance. Personally, I think Bonds should be banned from baseball.

Here's why:
-When Pete Rose was banned from baseball it was because he performed illegal gambling on baseball and when asked he denied it. Many people don't realize that if Rose would have told the truth the first time he was questioned he would have faced a very benign punishment. Rather, when the truth was finally found out he was banned from baseball.

-Now on to Barry Bonds. A lot of people don't realize that steroids have always been illegal to use in baseball but the testing system just was never strict enough (as it is now) and no one was really ever caught. And Barry Bonds, if tested positive (which he would), would be lying about his actions and should essentially face the same punishment.

Pete Rose was banned for hurting the integrity of baseball. So you are saying that Bonds hasn't hurt the integrity by taking illegal substances? COME ON.

 

[Legacy]

Ok first of all testing Mark McGuire would essantially do nothing because steriods only stay in your system for 6 months. And he's been out of baseball now for 2 years so he would not test positive.

And as for the whole Bonds situation: he may have not known at first what his trainer was giving him but eventually you would have to notice a difference in your performance. Personally, I think Bonds should be banned from baseball.

Here's why:
-When Pete Rose was banned from baseball it was because he performed illegal gambling on baseball and when asked he denied it. Many people don't realize that if Rose would have told the truth the first time he was questioned he would have faced a very benign punishment. Rather, when the truth was finally found out he was banned from baseball.

-Now on to Barry Bonds. A lot of people don't realize that steroids have always been illegal to use in baseball but the testing system just was never strict enough (as it is now) and no one was really ever caught. And Barry Bonds, if tested positive (which he would), would be lying about his actions and should essentially face the same punishment.

Pete Rose was banned for hurting the integrity of baseball. So you are saying that Bonds hasn't hurt the integrity by taking illegal substances? COME ON.

Everyone who has ever been suspected should be banned then. Personally, I don't think Pete Ross should be banned either. What he did was HIS perogative. Considering I don't think there is a great deal of integrity in any class of sports above college (and even then, some don't have integrity), I don't think it should matter. I don't watch football for the integrity of the NFL, I watch because I like the sport and it's competitivness. If the athletes us drugs, that's on them. If they want to lose their OWN integrity, then THAT'S on them. Sports have no conscience, or moral precepts. Sports HAVE no integrity. I wish people would just get over this "The athletes are evil" kick and enjoy the frickin' sports. If you don't like how it's going, stop watching. Or go out and play your own. Then we could fix two problems in society.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Rose was banned because he lied about something he consciously did. If Barry was juiced, most people agree he probably didn't know. No cause for a ban there, IMO.

 

[Foolish Mortal]

I can't wait to see how drastically BB's body change's now, and a few others. Not to mention his HR #'s. I also would like to know how he jacked up his numbers without taking something. I just don't see it or buy it. And would ANYBODY put something in their body without questioning what it was ?? If so that make's him just plain stupid. Isn't their some kind of law or malpractice thing that would require a trainer to tell his client what he was giving him ? Maybe malpractice isn't the word i'm looking for, but something to that affect where a client could turn around and sue someone for poor/faulty care.

 

[TRITON4ME]

Everyone who has ever been suspected should be banned then. Personally, I don't think Pete Ross should be banned either. What he did was HIS perogative. Considering I don't think there is a great deal of integrity in any class of sports above college (and even then, some don't have integrity), I don't think it should matter. I don't watch football for the integrity of the NFL, I watch because I like the sport and it's competitivness. If the athletes us drugs, that's on them. If they want to lose their OWN integrity, then THAT'S on them. Sports have no conscience, or moral precepts. Sports HAVE no integrity. I wish people would just get over this "The athletes are evil" kick and enjoy the frickin' sports. If you don't like how it's going, stop watching. Or go out and play your own. Then we could fix two problems in society.

Ok, first of all, if these guys take steriods it's not only unfair to those are legit and don't do it but it also hurts the fans. Let me explain: We (as fans) pay large amounts of money for tickets to these sporting events to see athletes display their talent. We as fans deserve to see a "real product" in which no athlete has an unfair advantage over another. I realize that Bonds quest for the record a few years ago did draw a lot of fans and publicity but - did he earn it? IN MY OPINION HE DID NOT. Knowingly or unknowingly taking steriods is the same to me---- he still had an unfair advantage that had a direct result on his performance

/
you said: Sports have no integrity? What do you mean by that? Please explain further because you just threw that out there with nothing to back it up.

We (as fans) deserve to know who the "real athletes" are and who cheated to try and gain an unfair edge.

The Olympic comittee's drug testing program is the ideal program in sports. They take the bull by the horns and test for everything and any type of test that returns positive results in the disqualification of the athlete. THAT SYSTEM TRULY DOES MAKE SURE ALL ATHLETES ARE LEGIT.

 

[Legacy]

Ok, first of all, if these guys take steriods it's not only unfair to those are legit and don't do it but it also hurts the fans. Let me explain: We (as fans) pay large amounts of money for tickets to these sporting events to see athletes display their talent. We as fans deserve to see a "real product" in which no athlete has an unfair advantage over another. I realize that Bonds quest for the record a few years ago did draw a lot of fans and publicity but - did he earn it? IN MY OPINION HE DID NOT. Knowingly or unknowingly taking steriods is the same to me---- he still had an unfair advantage that had a direct result on his performance

Then that is your opinion. You are entitled to it, even though I disagree.

/
you said: Sports have no integrity? What do you mean by that? Please explain further because you just threw that out there with nothing to back it up.

The only people who are losing integrity are those guilty of the crime. Sports themselves, have no feeling, and therefore have no integrity. "Integrity in sports" was coined to try and maintain a feeling that everything is kosher. But it isn't. Sports is about competition, not money. The whole "integrity" label is a misnomer to get people to spend more money.

We (as fans) deserve to know who the "real athletes" are and who cheated to try and gain an unfair edge.

True, but if you don't know who the "real athletes" are will you stop watching? Were you watching before the new testing policy, when you didn't know?

The Olympic comittee's drug testing program is the ideal program in sports. They take the bull by the horns and test for everything and any type of test that returns positive results in the disqualification of the athlete. THAT SYSTEM TRULY DOES MAKE SURE ALL ATHLETES ARE LEGIT.

Yeah, but those athletes are doing it for the sake of their sport, not the money. Integrity in amature competition is vital in order to keep the athletes playing, but not in pro sports. Most pro players will do ANYTHING to keep the cash rolling in. Not nessecarily for the win, but for the money.

But then again, I think athletes are over-paid so what do I know?

 

[TAC]

Rose was banned because he lied about something he consciously did. If Barry was juiced, most people agree he probably didn't know. No cause for a ban there, IMO.

IMHO, Barry Bonds appears to be the type of person that would want to know EXACTLY what he is putting into his body, or what a trainer is putting ON his body. For him to say "I didn't know" is a cop out, or as Legacy says, he didn't care and he is doing it for the money (and the fame).

Here's why:
-When Pete Rose was banned from baseball it was because he performed illegal gambling on baseball and when asked he denied it. Many people don't realize that if Rose would have told the truth the first time he was questioned he would have faced a very benign punishment. Rather, when the truth was finally found out he was banned from baseball.

I am not a sports expert, but I thought that Rose "asked" for the ban, figuring that it wouldn't be a big deal. He would be out for a few years, it would blow over, and quietly he would be reinstated. I don't think he counted on Giamatti dying.

I do agree the kept denying that he placed bets, even to the point where the commissioner would open his drawer and show Rose the betting slips with Rose's signature on them.

*****

I don't think the ruling goes far enough. A player has to have FOUR offenses to be banned for a year? What a croc! In the NFL, a FIRST time offense is 4 games. The new ruling does not ban Amphetamines. Human growth hormone is a new banned substance, but it cannot be tested until there is a way to test for it in urine (currently, the only way to detect the use of human growth hormone is a blood test, which will not be conducted).

 

[Lil'mermaid]

I think that this testing rule is a great thing. It will make the game alot more fair on all levels. There are so many great players that are considered mediocre when compared to guys like Bonds and Giambi. Its great to see guys like Ichiro who aren't all juiced and can still hit enough to break a long standing record. Bonds does have Hall caliber numbers, and he really shouldn't be denied the honor, but they should put and asterisk next to the last few years numbers.

I'm guessing that many (if not all) of Giambi's struggles this season can be blamed on prolonged use of whatever it is that he was using. But he really should be lucky that he is still alive. Using that stuff can mess with a person's system badly. We studied the effects of this stuff in school a few years ago. Other than major health problems that can affect a person for the rest of their life, it can cause major mental problems, sending a person in to a major depression.

It will be nice to see a season thats legit for once.

 

[Erika]

But then again, I think athletes are over-paid so what do I know?

Kind of a tangent, but I think it's a sad state of affairs when our teachers are working 2-3 jobs to pay their bills and our veterans are unable to afford good medical care while people are making 7 figures for playing a game.

Sports are fun but I've become so disillusioned with the whole system that I no longer care who is using steroids and who is not. But the testing is probably a good idea.

 

[TRITON4ME]

Then that is your opinion. You are entitled to it, even though I disagree.
The only people who are losing integrity are those guilty of the crime. Sports themselves, have no feeling, and therefore have no integrity. "Integrity in sports" was coined to try and maintain a feeling that everything is kosher. But it isn't. Sports is about competition, not money. The whole "integrity" label is a misnomer to get people to spend more money.

True, but if you don't know who the "real athletes" are will you stop watching? Were you watching before the new testing policy, when you didn't know?

Yeah, but those athletes are doing it for the sake of their sport, not the money. Integrity in amature competition is vital in order to keep the athletes playing, but not in pro sports. Most pro players will do ANYTHING to keep the cash rolling in. Not nessecarily for the win, but for the money.

But then again, I think athletes are over-paid so what do I know?

First of all, do you even know what integrity is? Definition: the quality of being honest and trustworthy. I agree that those using 'roids are hurting the integrity. But there is definately integrity present in most sports. Integrity is not just a marketing ploy used in sports, rather, it is a way of satisfying the consumer (the fans) by showing everything they see is legit. By baseball instilling this new testing system it will definately increase the integrity of the players.

Ok, I think all the "real athletes" are either in the Olympics or are playing college sports. Those are two organizations in which everything you see is legit.

I don't disagree with the greed of today's athletes. Here's my reason: we as consumers pay lots of money to watch these athletes play and buy the products they endorse, so in a way we are adding the fuel to the fire. What I mean by that is that we are solely resonsible for these athletes becoming multi-millionaires. I guess that's why we are capitalistic society. God bless capitalism. However, on a side note this is to all you NHL fans: the owners are the ones who ruined the game (remember that) the players had essentially nothing to do with the lockout and they were just acting according to their latest bargining agreement of 1994.

 

[Legacy]

I would rather pay a grade school teacher $500,000 a year than see an athlete get paid $80 million.

TRITON4ME-
Do I know what integrity is? You have no frickin' clue and to be honest I am offended that you suggest such a thing. I have not challenged your intelligence but you have determined that, because I disagree with you, I do not know a basic principle of life. If the athletes want to hurt their own integrity, that is on them. It's their choice. If the fans pay the money for them to be paid millions a year, then the fans have NO RIGHT to complain about the state of pro sports. If you don't like it don't watch, period.

(Oh, and since you have decided to attack me, I have decided to ignore you. Congratulations, you're the first.)

 

[barnum42]

First of all, do you even know what integrity is?

Bad move! Legacy has a good reputation amongst those who know him on these boards and I don't think anyone appreciate that attack.


As for steroids - not all are bad. Since my doctor put me on a very mild steroid inhaler I have had almost no trouble with my Asthma

 

[tigsmom]

First of all, do you even know what integrity is? Definition: the quality of being honest and trustworthy.

Attacking Legacy, bad move. Not only does he have a stellar reputation but is a dedicated member of our armed services. Uhmm yeah, he knows all about integrity!

 

[EpcoTim]

First off, Pete Rose (and it is Rose, not Ross) was banned for betting against his own team. And yes, contrary to what you may say or think, he deserved to be banned for that.

Second, McGuire did test positive for a form of steroids a few years ago. Andodrin, or something like that. And they were going to scratch him from the record books for it. It was part of the reason he retired Im sure.

And not knowing your on roids is a joke. Look at Bonds and Sosa. When these two started their careers, they were skinny, lightweight base-stealing hitters. And in one off season became massive-armed monsters. It doesnt happen over night. Barry is on Roids, he knows it. But good for him, its a sport. And what sport is complete without a little cheating? None. I say let them do what their doing. Its their bodies, not the leagues. And fans are paying to see rocket home runs. Not base hits.

 

[wannab@dis]

First of all, do you even know what integrity is? Definition: the quality of being honest and trustworthy.

hmm... interesting. I don't believe that was called for especially since your appearance on the boards is interesting timing. How's buckeye?

On to the 'roid issue. There should be strict testing and punishment for any drug use or crimes for all sport players. These people are getting paid huge amounts of advertising money and no matter how unfortunate, they are seen as heroes to the younger generation. Just look at the recent mooning incident, when asked about the fine, Moss spewed out some cursing and said he didn't care about the fine and would shake other parts of his anatomy next time.

Isn't that such a great role model? Same holds true for so many of today's NFL, NBA and MLB players. I think it's high time many of them were put in their place.