Jeff Riger: Let Them Cheat! I Don't Care [BLOG]
By: Jeff Riger
@riger1984
I have no clue what's happening with baseballs latest attempt to suspend players linked to Tony Bosch's now-defunct Miami-area clinic. Will guys get suspended? If so, when? Will players win their appeals and play anyway?
There are so many questions and right now I don't think anybody has a real answer, at least I don't have any.
But, it's not really the suspensions that this blog is about, instead I wanted to address players using PED's overall. I don't care! In fact, some might say that baseball has gotten more exciting since the drug use has been going on and I'm not going to disagree.
This blog is not condoning steroid use, it's just my belief that everybody is using, so why fight it anymore. I see Chris Davis have 37 homers at the break and I immediately think he's juicing and so does everybody else. The most recent, greatest players in the game are linked to some form of performance enhancing substances. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa all have the numbers to be in the Hall of Fame but instead will be left out because hypocritical writers feel it's their place to punish them.
And, now we get to see suspensions handed down to players that have never failed a drug test.
It's all a joke!
Who cares if these players are using their bodies as a science experiment that usually results in a couple more zeros in their next contract?
They say athletes using steroids gives players that extra edge, but if everyone is using, it's once again a level playing field. For every juiced pitcher, there is probably a juiced hitter that he's throwing to and vice versa. Bonds and Clemens seem like they used and they are some of the best that have ever played. And, then you have guys like former Tigers' Nook Logan and Neifi Perez who were connected to PED's and they were just trying to remain in the league. So if the best and the worst are using, isn't everybody in the middle doing the same?
How could they not be?
I know society believes that athletes have a responsibility to be clean so they send the right message to children. However "role model" is not in the job description, but winning is. It's not the player's job to parent your children, it's yours. You go ahead and tell your child not root on his favorite players because he's probably cheating. You won't, in fact you'll probably be cheering right along with your kid instead and that's ok. Even though a players records might be tainted because of PED's, the experience and memories you spend with your children will not be.
Don't get me wrong, I would love to watch a game where everybody is clean and that illegal edge has been erased, but for now I'm enjoying watching long homers, sky high averages, 100MPH fastballs and a level of competition that is really entertaining.
Baseball players get paid millions to win and entertain. If they feel the need to take steroids to do so, I don't care. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the show.
And, you will too, even though you'll never admit it.
