Why does football get a pass on roids? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

mpfunk · 01-05-2007, 06:43 PM

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=125

I know a lot of non-baseball fans want to savage the sport for its treatment of the steriod problem. A lot of people claim they are not a fan of the sport, because of the steriod problem. These same people are also huge NFL fans. Well lets look at the treatment of Shawne Merriman. The guy was caught using steriods, and he is still celebrated as the best defensive player in the NFL. Why aren't those outraged over MLB treatment of steriods, and using it as the reason why they are not MLB fans now jumping off the NFL ship.

Baseball was just slower to fix the problem than football. Both had what can be described as steriod eras. Yet only baseball gets savaged in the media for it. In fact the media is praising a steriod user in the NFL, while at the same time tearing apart Mark McGwire in his hall of fame candidacy. All this while there is one huge difference, Merriman was proven to be a steriod user while there is no definitive proof that McGwire used steriods. I think he used them, but I hesitate to use the word of Jose Conseco as gospel.

McGwire should be in the hall of fame and he should be in the hall of fame this year. I am not a McGwire fan, but we have no evidence that he used steriods or even what impact those steriods had on his numbers. The pitchers were roided up as well, so for all we know hitters using roids just evened the playing field.

DrumNFeather · 01-05-2007, 07:14 PM

Because football hasn't gone out of its way to discuss the "integrity" of the game only to turn a blind eye to many of its problems over the years.

For the most part, Football has taken immediate action any time a problem comes up...Baseball farts around until forced by public perception driven by sports writers who fail to recognize that baseball had little to no integrity to begin with...just look at the "great" players of the early days.

If baseball were smart and really wanted to make a point about steroids, they would promote the hell out of Cal Ripken Jr. this year as he enters the hall of fame as a sure fire first ballot guy. If you keep promoting the wrong people and pretend like your fanbase is stupid, then you continue to have problems...the thing is, many of the fans don't care...it's the sportswriters driving this bus.

Detroitdad · 01-05-2007, 07:16 PM

It seems obvious to me, that football is waist deep in performance enhancing drugs. Look at the ever increasing size of players in the last twenty years and the combination of speed that has come with it. Then think about the Wizzinator (made famous by Onterrio Smith) and Ricky WIlliams allegations. There is to much circumstancial evidence piling up not to indicate that there is a problem.

mpfunk · 01-05-2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrumNFeather

Because football hasn't gone out of its way to discuss the "integrity" of the game only to turn a blind eye to many of its problems over the years.

For the most part, Football has taken immediate action any time a problem comes up...Baseball farts around until forced by public perception driven by sports writers who fail to recognize that baseball had little to no integrity to begin with...just look at the "great" players of the early days.

If baseball were smart and really wanted to make a point about steroids, they would promote the hell out of Cal Ripken Jr. this year as he enters the hall of fame as a sure fire first ballot guy. If you keep promoting the wrong people and pretend like your fanbase is stupid, then you continue to have problems...the thing is, many of the fans don't care...it's the sportswriters driving this bus.

Ripken will get promoted a ton with his hall candidacy. He will also be a unanimous selection. Anyone who does not have him on their ballot should have the voting privileges revoked. Not that I hold any love for the BBWAA of American and want them having the vote in the first place.

il Padrino Ute · 01-06-2007, 02:30 AM

Baseball did ignore the problem, but I wouldn't say it ignored it any longer than the NFL. Steroid use in the NFL goes back to the Alzado days and beyond.

I'm not sure how long MLB has been aware of steroid use, but it ignored it because steroid use was a big reason why baseball became popular again when the HR record was getting close to being broken. I'm not saying that McGwire used it because as mp correctly points out, there's never been proof that he used performance enhancing drugs; however, there has been proof that steroids have been involved in the game in the last few years.

No league takes pride in it's records like MLB and to sacrifice the integrity of the game when it comes to these records in exchange for rising popularity, baseball is and should be taken to task for it.

The NFL should be slammed for it as well, but because it makes too much money for all involved, the media, specifically the tv media, will not make a big deal out of it.

01-05-2007, 06:43 PM	#1
mpfunk Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 2,619	Why does football get a pass on roids? http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=125 I know a lot of non-baseball fans want to savage the sport for its treatment of the steriod problem. A lot of people claim they are not a fan of the sport, because of the steriod problem. These same people are also huge NFL fans. Well lets look at the treatment of Shawne Merriman. The guy was caught using steriods, and he is still celebrated as the best defensive player in the NFL. Why aren't those outraged over MLB treatment of steriods, and using it as the reason why they are not MLB fans now jumping off the NFL ship. Baseball was just slower to fix the problem than football. Both had what can be described as steriod eras. Yet only baseball gets savaged in the media for it. In fact the media is praising a steriod user in the NFL, while at the same time tearing apart Mark McGwire in his hall of fame candidacy. All this while there is one huge difference, Merriman was proven to be a steriod user while there is no definitive proof that McGwire used steriods. I think he used them, but I hesitate to use the word of Jose Conseco as gospel. McGwire should be in the hall of fame and he should be in the hall of fame this year. I am not a McGwire fan, but we have no evidence that he used steriods or even what impact those steriods had on his numbers. The pitchers were roided up as well, so for all we know hitters using roids just evened the playing field.

01-05-2007, 07:14 PM	#2
DrumNFeather Active LDS Ute Fan Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Nantucket : ) Posts: 2,566	Because football hasn't gone out of its way to discuss the "integrity" of the game only to turn a blind eye to many of its problems over the years. For the most part, Football has taken immediate action any time a problem comes up...Baseball farts around until forced by public perception driven by sports writers who fail to recognize that baseball had little to no integrity to begin with...just look at the "great" players of the early days. If baseball were smart and really wanted to make a point about steroids, they would promote the hell out of Cal Ripken Jr. this year as he enters the hall of fame as a sure fire first ballot guy. If you keep promoting the wrong people and pretend like your fanbase is stupid, then you continue to have problems...the thing is, many of the fans don't care...it's the sportswriters driving this bus. __________________ "It's not like we played the school of the blind out there." - Brian Johnson.

01-06-2007, 02:30 AM	#5
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	Baseball did ignore the problem, but I wouldn't say it ignored it any longer than the NFL. Steroid use in the NFL goes back to the Alzado days and beyond. I'm not sure how long MLB has been aware of steroid use, but it ignored it because steroid use was a big reason why baseball became popular again when the HR record was getting close to being broken. I'm not saying that McGwire used it because as mp correctly points out, there's never been proof that he used performance enhancing drugs; however, there has been proof that steroids have been involved in the game in the last few years. No league takes pride in it's records like MLB and to sacrifice the integrity of the game when it comes to these records in exchange for rising popularity, baseball is and should be taken to task for it. The NFL should be slammed for it as well, but because it makes too much money for all involved, the media, specifically the tv media, will not make a big deal out of it. __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

01-05-2007, 07:16 PM	#3
Detroitdad Resident Jackass Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Roswell, New Mexico Posts: 1,846	It seems obvious to me, that football is waist deep in performance enhancing drugs. Look at the ever increasing size of players in the last twenty years and the combination of speed that has come with it. Then think about the Wizzinator (made famous by Onterrio Smith) and Ricky WIlliams allegations. There is to much circumstancial evidence piling up not to indicate that there is a problem.