Steroids And Baseball

The Corruption of America's Pastime

When I think of baseball as America's past time one other word comes to mind, controversy. The steroid scandal in baseball has been repeatedly regurgitated and sculpted by the mainstream media. Whether it is the players fault for breaking the rules, or the leagues fault for not having strict testing, there is one thing I can guarantee. It's never someone's own fault. Finger pointing and excuses have become arguably more popular than watching a home run. When I play name association, the easy ones come to mind. Bonds, Canseco, Giambi, McGwire and whoever else the media has painted as the bad guy's of baseball. Then I catch myself and ask, is it just them? I think not. On another note, during the course of the last few years baseball has taken the main stage for Congress. Some believe that we should save congress for more serious and needed issues. I agree with that notion, and believe that if the testing was at all as strict as that of the U.S. Olympics, it wouldn't even have been a problem. Before I dwell too much into my opinion, let's talk about where steroids began to be noticed in baseball.

Players have been noticeably stronger later in their careers, and that can sometime be a normal occurrence. But if you look at pictures of Barry Bonds as a rookie, compared to his current state, one has to question what type of bench press he has been using. I am not going to question that the man has a grueling workout program and an impeccable diet, but to see the muscle growth he has experienced leaves one perplexed. It is a reoccuring theme in major league baseball. One year a player barely hits 10 homeruns, then the very next season hits 40 home runs. There have been accusations of players that were exceedingly outstanding in the 80's like Bo Jackson and others, but no one knows for sure. One would argue that the reason media has portrayed this event a great deal is to bring down the "rich and successful."

My personal opinion is that is complete rubbish. Anyone with any sort of conscious has to be able to question the legality of some of these so called "supplements" athletes take. Steroids have been used since the early 1950's when the Soviets were exceptionally faster at the Olympics than they had ever been before. Personally, I believe we need to start reconstructing the league to where it was 30-40 years ago. Back when someone hit a grand slam, you wouldn't have to ask yourself, I wondered if he was juiced? It truly has become a sad state of affairs. With all this talk about steroids and how to clean up the players, is there anyway the media could use a bath? The job of the media is to report the facts, and to ask investigative questions and to get answers. Have they done the public a justice for their coverage of steroids in baseball, I think otherwise.

Some have said that companies like those of ESPN, have downplayed the scandal in order to save massive amounts of money in ad revenues, due to the fact they televise a great deal of the major league games. In response to those allegations ESPN had a short statement and it ended saying "When the national pastime is infected, so are we all." Reading the entirety of that sentence made me sick to my stomach. What kind of role model is that for children aspiring to become just like their favorite professional player? This is a very serious situation in today's world and to take a standpoint like that is very childish and unacceptable. You can't just come up with side-splitting segments on how Canseco is a monster, but yet not even begin to look at your own selves. But with companies of this magnitude giving stories about the steroid controversy, it is only right that the media spot light would attract the best of the best.

That is also known as congress. The name of the hearing was called "Restoring Faith in America's Pastime." There were baseball stars their by the likes of Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmiero and many others. With pre-written statements and smart choices of words, the players danced around the subject like a ballerina in the nutcracker. Besides the infamous Canseco, McGwire didn't answer yes or no, and Palmiero looked firmly at congress with a pointed finger and denied the accusations to the fullest extent. Only to be later found positive for steroids on a random drug test.

One remark that the media fed on like vultures was by McGwire when he said "I am not here to talk about the past." Throughout the week the media referred to McGwire as "evasive, whiny, petty and a coward." One thing the media left out, and I believe is a key mistake, is why not one manager or owner was called upon to represent their side of the story. Canseco has repeatedly been reprimanded as a snitch and tattle-tale, which to some extent I agree he is. But he is also dead on about his accusations of the MLB condoning the use of steroids in order to see more players hit the cover off the ball and attract more and more fans to the stadiums throughout the country. The problem of steroids in baseball does not just lay on one certain group. It is a horde of contributing factors that made it what it is today.

It is very safe to say that steroids in general are incredibly dangerous and should not be taken lightly by the public, whether the media portrays it that way or not. Anabolic steroids may help one become stronger, faster and bigger. They have been proven to help athletes in virtually any area of their game, but at a serious cost. But with all these positives comes a boat load of negatives. Anabolic steroids are extremely dangerous and can alter ones mood and physical health dramatically.

Steroids can cause a variety of side affects. These risks can contain premature balding or hair loss, dizziness, mood swings, including anger, aggression, and depression, seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations), extreme feelings of mistrust or fear(paranoia), problems sleeping, nausea and vomiting, high blood pressure, liver damage, increased rates of heart disease, urinary problems, aching joints and many other disturbing side affects. Yet these megastars are still willing to put their entire careers in jeapordy in order to get an "edge" on the competition. Something about that mindset disturbs me and how much todays athletes are putting on the line. Personally, after reading about the downfall of steroids, I don't see how one would weigh out the risks and still be able to take it on a regular basis. With steroids being such a risk, is it possible the media was looking for positive stories to distract the general public?

For example, in 1998 the great home run battle began between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Both of these