Baseball Steroid Use..Do You Really Care?

[Bonnie]

Congress is holding hearings on the use of steroids in Baseball.

My feeling is Congress has more important things to deal with than this.
If athletes wish to voluntarily take steroids knowing the risks then let them.
Does this now open the arena for other hearings on plastic surgery which is also risky???

 

[SmarterThanYou]

personally, do I care? no, but only to the extent that its them, not me.

do i care about it in professional sports? certainly. It then forces others to have to do them just to compete. If younger people feel compelled to damage themselves just for a shot at being a professional athlete then there's something wrong there.

 

[5stringJeff]

Congress is holding hearings on the use of steroids in Baseball.

My feeling is Congress has more important things to deal with than this.
If athletes wish to voluntarily take steroids knowing the risks then let them.
Does this now open the arena for other hearings on plastic surgery which is also risky???

I think the whole point is that drug use in professional sports is dangerous, and it was my understanding that the steriods they shot are illegal. If that's the case, Congress is certainly justified in holding hearings.

 

[Itsthetruth]

U.S. Government Goes After Major League Baseball
By Drog (Canada)
The World Forum
March 16, 2005

When Major League Baseball Players Association, and Major League Club officials questioned the Committee's jurisdiction and the basis of the investigation, the Committee responded, saying that under the rules of the House, "the Committee on Government Reform may at any time conduct investigations of any matter . . . ."The House has given the Government Reform Committee this broad oversight jurisdiction so that the Committee can make "findings and recommendations . . . available to any other standing committee having jurisdiction over the matter involved." Without question, the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs under the Federal Controlled Substances Act is a "matter" within the oversight jurisdiction of Congress and the Government Reform Committee."

Congressman Davis confirmed the possibility that the investigation may not end with baseball. Davis was asked by an interviewer, "What authority does your committee have? Could you look into drugs in Hollywood, drugs in the music business? How widespread do you feel can go?" He replied, "Rule 10 clause 4C2 gives us the ability to hold a hearing on any matter at any time."

Well that's a little scary. Remember the Hollywood Ten? Don't get me wrong, I certainly do not advocate steroid use by athletes. But shouldn't Major League Baseball be solving that problem on their own? Shouldn't the Committee on Government Reform be investigating the U.S. government, not a privately-run sports league?

Jon Stewart, of The Daily Show, offered this reaction to Davis' statement: "Any matter at any time?!! Enron, Halliburton, no WMD's, Abu Ghraib and you went with... baseball. Way to go."

http://www.theworldforum.org/story/2005/3/16/74310/2798

 

[Bonnie]

I think the whole point is that drug use in professional sports is dangerous, and it was my understanding that the steriods they shot are illegal. If that's the case, Congress is certainly justified in holding hearings.

I agree but why congress? Why not leave it up to the baseball commission?

 

[freeandfun1]

1) I don't care

2) It is not the Congress' job to investigate. There is already a grand jury investigation. The congress has better things to do.

 

[5stringJeff]

I agree but why congress? Why not leave it up to the baseball commission?

Drugs are illegal; Congress makes the laws. Plus, the Baseball Commission is not the gov't.

 

[5stringJeff]

Jon Stewart, of The Daily Show, offered this reaction to Davis' statement: "Any matter at any time?!! Enron, Halliburton, no WMD's, Abu Ghraib and you went with... baseball. Way to go."

Jon Stewart... comedian. Wow. He's certainly a huge influence on me when I develop coherent policy stances. Who are you gonna quote next, Kermit the Frog?

 

[Adam's Apple]

I think it's a problem that should be addressed and cleaned up, but Congress is not the right organization to be handling it. Like Bonnie said, it should have been the responsibility of the Baseball Commission to handle it, along with individual state law enforcement agencies, if necessary. Just my own opinion.

 

[Itsthetruth]

Jon Stewart... comedian. Wow. He's certainly a huge influence on me when I develop coherent policy stances. Who are you gonna quote next, Kermit the Frog?

No. I'm going to quote your "leader" George Dubya Bush.

*edited*
stay on topic or create another thread!
SE

 

[musicman]

Baseball has repeatedly demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to police itself.

 

[Avatar4321]

No i dont really care. I am getting sick of Jose Conseco though.

 

[Itsthetruth]

Baseball has repeatedly demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to police itself.

Padres boss says commissioner has been on top of steroid issue
By Tom Krasovic
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
March 14, 2005

PEORIA, Ariz. – Describing some U.S. congressional representatives as "yahoos," Padres Chairman John Moores yesterday lashed out at critics who say baseball Commissioner Bud Selig could've done more to prevent the game's steroid problems.

"I don't see how Bud could've done a better job," Moores said. "How could he? Bud has been on top of the steroids issue. He was on top of it before the yahoos in Congress had any thought on steroids, and I think that's how it's going to shake out."

Last week, Selig said that positive tests for steroid use were 1 to 2 percent, down from 5 to 7 percent in 2003, when random testing began.

"To say that baseball has ignored the problem is just wrong and there are no facts to support it," Selig said on Saturday. "Let me just underscore that. I can't change the past. All I can do now is correct the present and try to do something for the future."

[Last year over 1,000 drug tests were performed on baseball players. 12 came back positive. And with tougher rules this year and negative publicity, I would be surprised if even 1 random drug test came back positive. So what "baseball steroid epidemic" are we talking about? The problem has been pretty much solved and we don't need the strong arm of government involved in this almost non-existent issue.]

 

[onedomino]

Baseball has been played in America since the time of the Civil War. No game depends more on its history and stats than does baseball. The 'roid users have ruined that aspect of the game. As MM mentioned, Baseball has not shown the ability to police itself. Thus lawmakers must do it for them. The current crop of baseball drug users have no right to ruin a great American game. I think that the records of 'roid users should be deleted from the history of baseball stats.

 

[musicman]

Itt:

Barry Bonds is not even being called in for questioning. That pretty well sums it up.

 

[musicman]

Baseball has been played in America since the time of the Civil War. No game depends more on its history and stats than does baseball. The 'roid users have ruined that aspect of the game. As MM mentioned, Baseball has not shown the ability to police itself. Thus lawmakers must do it for them. The current crop of baseball drug users have no right to ruin a great American game. I think that the records of 'roid users should be deleted from the history of baseball stats.

As do I. This ain't Roger Maris and the asterisk. It's wealthy, influential professional athletes telling the youth of America that cheating, drug use, and slow suicide in the name of "winning" are OK.

 

[Bonnie]

Itt:

Barry Bonds is not even being called in for questioning. That pretty well sums it up.

How is Congress deciding who testifies and who doesn't?

 

[musicman]

How is Congress deciding who testifies and who doesn't?

Good question, Bonnie. And, how do you leave Bonds out of it? He looks like the bloody Michelin man!

 

[Itsthetruth]

As do I. This ain't Roger Maris and the asterisk. It's wealthy, influential professional athletes telling the youth of America that cheating, drug use, and slow suicide in the name of "winning" are OK.

Really? You must be reading statements of major league baseball players that are not available to anyone else in the nation! The ball players and their organization have made perfectly clear their position on the use of steroids. And most important they have done something about it.

It sure sounds to me that your only gripe with ball players is the fact that they make more money than you! Well, perhaps they can play baseball a whole lot better than you! Do you have the same salary complaint about corporate executives?

 

[Bonnie]

Playing Devils Advocate here

What about the modeling industry that sells perfectionism to the point that women are getting unsafe breast implants, cosmetic surgery, and starving themselves anorexic and bullemic?

Should congress hold hearings on that as well?