Steroids: Who Cares?

I am sick of hearing about steroids. Moreover, as a Cardinal fan, I am sick of hearing about Mark McGwire and steroids. I am sick of hearing about subpoenas and syringes, overly crowded bathroom stalls, and genetically enhanced sideshows. Look at McGwire. He was huge as a Cardinal. Back then, we were all wide-eyed and innocent, and we didn't realize that hulk-like build wasn't natural. Looking back, of course he was shooting up. And everyone loved him for the results. I don't mean to sound like Jose Canseco and state that steroids actually help the game. I believe you shouldn't have any interest in steroids unless you're in some kind of intensely competitive position. This alone rules out any teenager ever using steroids. I can't imagine any kid would ever use steroids for anything other than to be ripped, which is just sad and pathetic anyway.

Basically, I would never condone steroid use from anyone, but if major league baseball players are using it, it's their own futures they're risking, and it's not cheating as much as everyone seems to think, because not all "cheaters" have the same results. Why are we enraged about players like McGwire and Bonds possibly using steroids, but we don't care that Armando Rios (must have) used them, too. Why do these players have to achieve success before the usage is a problem? The truth is steroids might make you stronger, but as a baseball player, you still have to go out and get the results yourself, and not just anyone could do that. If I took steroids today I wouldn't suddenly be a major league baseball player; it does not enhance talent all that terribly much. That's why I'm saying Mark McGwire is still one of the most prolific home run hitters in the history of baseball, no matters what he injected or who injected it where.

Rios looks like a juicer to me. A lot
of good it did for him.

I was disappointed to see McGwire refuse to defend his reputation clearly in the Congress hearings; I admit it. Clearly he doesn't have a problem lying to the public, but doing it under oath is a whole different matter. He just looked terribly sad during the whole ordeal, and I guess he has reason to be. I can't imagine he could be kept out of the Hall of Fame unless something more conclusive surfaces, but his reputation has taken a hit among even the greatest of his supporters. I've believed he was on steroids for quite a while now, and I still respect him as a baseball player. He was never that great of a hitter, but he could hit home runs. You can't take that away from him no matter what he was on.

I don't think everyone should pick on Mark. I say leave him alone. Let him live his quiet life and father as many children with his new wife as he wants. His single season record for homers fell under equally suspicious circumstances (albeit to a much better player), and he didn't even crack 600 home runs, so let's leave it alone. I don't understand why baseball is going after him so hard when he retired years ago. There are much shadier characters than Mark still in the game; go attack them. Besides, if McGwire's reputation is completely torn to shreds, all you've got left for the 2007 Hall of Fame inductions are two players who quite frankly just aren't worth tuning in for. Also, if you think steroids are bad, I'm sure I can dig up much worse things on these two. For the sake of baseball and 2007, stop slandering Mark McGwire. And for the sake of my sanity, stop lumping steroids, politics, and baseball into the same conversation.