How will the Mitchell report affect the NFL?

[Mainefan]

Even if players are adults and they should be able to make their own decisions about their strength vs. their health or their lifespans, taking steroids is unfair in at least three ways...

First, it affects the game (and the standings).

Second, it affects non-users trying to get onto the team, or onto the first team.

Third, it affects the history and the individual and team records of the sport, which is unfair to past and future players, and to the fans.

Indeed, what would it do to discussions of "greatest team" or "greatest running back" or whatever?

I do hope that those players are artificially enhancing themselves take the Mitchell report as a shot across the bow and stop immediately.

 

[alamo]

Not only that, but juicing up makes you less human. Accomplishing something while having an unfair advantage is really not accomplishing anything...

That is (or should be) important to superstars setting records, but not most players. Remember that sports is the player's job and livelihood. Simply staying in the league for a few extra years, at today's athletic salaries, is a huge accomplishment.

It's not uncommon at all for people to do things in the job which they know they shouldn't, but it's the best alternative they have at the time due to the pressures they face.

 

[nukin]

That is (or should be) important to superstars setting records, but not most players. Remember that sports is the player's job and livelihood. Simply staying in the league for a few extra years, at today's athletic salaries, is a huge accomplishment.

It's not uncommon at all for people to do things in the job which they know they shouldn't, but it's the best alternative they have at the time de to the pressures they face.

Oh, okay. So cheating to get ahead is okay then? So a police officer... it's his job... so if he arrests a few extra people or pulls random people over just to meet quotas, thats okay...:bricks:

 

[alamo]

Oh, okay. So cheating to get ahead is okay then? So a police officer... it's his job... so if he arrests a few extra people or pulls random people over just to meet quotas, thats okay...:bricks:

"What is OK" is not what we were discussing.

You said cheating to gain an advantage made people less human. That's a noble thought but not very practical as a deterrent. My point is that it is human nature for people to sometimes cheat at their job or for money. Is it OK? Of course not. Do many people do it? Of course.

 

[nukin]

"What is OK" is not what we were discussing.

You said cheating to gain an advantage made people less human. That's a noble thought but not very practical as a deterrent. My point is that it is human nature for people to sometimes cheat at their job or for money. Is it OK? Of course not. Do many people do it? Of course.

Oh I misread your post then ... I can agree with that.

 

[Rawky77]

Minus his post Boston steroid and HgH fueled seasons, Roger isn't a HOF pitcher. His real career was in the crapper at 32. The last decade of Roger was a fraud perpetrated against baseball. Duquette was right after all - Roger Clemens was in the twilight of his career - absent performance enhancing drugs.

Perhaps you are right but if i remember correctly he already had 3 or 4 Cy Young awards and i believe 22 strike outs in one game before he left....maybe he was in the twilight of his career but he would have made hall of fame just on his performance in Boston even with his career tailed off after that.

Regardless of Roger and the Hall of Fame my post was more concerned with the phony that Mitchell and his hired gun integrity show is really all about rather then if Roger would or would not have made the Hall on his merits rather then by using roids.

At this point we will not be able to determine for a fact if Roger would or would not have made the Hall without counting the last 8 yrs of his career.

 

[Armen Da Pats Fan]

You may be one of those people who sees sports as mere entertainment, then. Don't care how they arrive at the entertainment as long as it's there. Some of us would rather watch a well played game played by athletes who came by their performances honestly through talent and hard work alone, even at the expense of additional video game, highlight reel performances enhanced by artificial means.

MLB was unable for a long time to get specific rules on specific substances and appropriate punishment into their CBA until 2005 because of the Player's Association. However, they have long been illegal when purchased illicitly and without valid prescription, and baseball did have a broader policy against the use of illegal drugs dating back to Fay Vincent.

I admit I do see it as entertainment, but also recognize the need to maintain competetive balance.

All I am saying is for whatever reason - and I don't even claim to have any concrete rationale for feeling this way - I am just not as impacted by reports that pro athletes use steroids.

When everyone was talking about Bonds and the asterisk on 756 this summer around the proverbial "water cooler", I really wasn't interested in discussing it. Barry Bonds, to me, is one of the greatest players I have ever seen play. Period. A true five-tool player - Hits for average, power, has speed, a strong arm & gold glove fielding. He is in the mold of Mays, Celemente, etc.

He's the only guy I ever saw get intentionally walked WITH THE BASES LOADED! A great player, in my opinion.

Actually, if I do have a concern about the steroid stuff, it is that youth-level and high school athletes will want to mimic their heroes.

So, ultimately, I am not really arguing for or against steroids, I'm just saying it doesn't bother me as much as it does others.

 

[mgteich]

IMHO, it is the example for our youth that should concern us.