Columnist Andy Borowitz wrote that Cleveland Indians fans have an answer for their anemic performing team. They want the players to do a Manny Ramirez and clog their veins with roids. Maybe that might be good for a couple of extra shots toward the parking lot every game. This was, of course, pure spoofery. No fans have said any such thing--yet.
But the killing thing about this is if fans actually made such an outrageous demand it wouldn't surprise. If cheating can win a few more games why the heck not. After all, some of the games heaviest hitters on some of the game's winningest teams have loaded up on the stuff in the past, present, and probably in the future too. And may still get away with it again.
This was glaringly and embarrassingly clear in 2007 when the long awaited and much ballyhooed Mitchell Report hit the news. The report drove home a few disturbing truths about the game and much of sport. The first was that dozens of players with the wink and nod connivance of the MLB and union top cats, trainers, medical personnel, drug companies, and even federal watchdog agencies winked and nodded as some of baseballs biggest names doped themselves into prodigious feats on the diamond
Another more disturbing truth is that the dump for the deliberate blind eye to drug abuse crashed down on the head of one man, Barry Bonds. Bonds was not indicted by a federal grand jury for steroid use, the charge was lying to a grand jury, the real reason he may eventually wind up in the docket is that he was the most visible, high profile, and thus convenient scapegoat to take the blame for baseball's revel in its steroid filled home run bleacher shots that sent attendance records soaring and jingled cash registers. Roger Clemons is also on the roid hot seat but so far he's been able to duck, dodge, deflect and keep the legal heat off him.
Baseball didn't say zilch about banning the use of steroids before 2002. It had absolutely zero testing procedures that mandated penalties for those caught cheating until 2004. It did not scrub the use of the performance drug HGH until 2005. Even then, punishments were spotty, and capricious. That is until the feds began to take a harder look at the use of the junk in the sport, and Bonds began to inch closer to MLB icons Babe Ruth's former home run record and later Hank Aaron's home run record.
One other bitter truth is that no matter how many roid abusers were and are named and no matter how many pious squawks are heard about sullying the game and no matter how many recommendations to purge the offenders from the game are made, other than Bonds no other MLB baseball player has yet or even likely will wind up in a court docket for illicit use of steroids. Despite the hoopla, teeth gnashing, phony self-righteous indignation, and clamor to do something about the shame and disgrace of drug use in the majors, there's absolutely no guarantee that the MLB officials or owners will follow to the strict letter the reform proposals made. Handslap suspensions, reprimands, fines, and a spate of bad publicity will be remain the order of the day in the game for the Mannys and Alexs.
Here's the prediction. Manny grabbed the headlines for a day. It set the chops of talking head sports commentators, sports writers, and baseball buffs in motion. It sparked another round of angry calls from some public officials to crack down on drug use in the majors. It drew solemn pledges from MLB officials to do whatever it takes to end the cheating. And just as quickly the Manny flap will blow over.
Meanwhile Bonds who's out of baseball and has absolutely no market value to the sport will still stand as the favorite punching bag for the owners, the fans, and sportswriters. He'll be the fount of evil for everything wrong with the game. A Bonds conviction will be even better. This will give MLB officials the perfect chance to distance themselves from the cheaters, or more accurately, the perceived grand symbol of drug cheating, Bonds.
Manny won't have to worry about any of that. He'll be back in the Dodger's line-up in July and Mannywood will be built higher than ever. And Indian fans will scream even louder, Bring on the roids!
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His weekly radio show, "The Hutchinson Report" can be heard on weekly in Los Angeles on KTYM Radio 1460 AM and nationally on blogtalkradio.com
I believe that's incorrect. Miguel Tejada was convicted of lying to a Congressional committee about his steroid use. And I think the DOJ is investigating whether or not to charge Clements with perjury.
So lying to a grand jury in a major federal steroids manufacturing and distribution scandal is okay with you? Or do you just think that having black skin should be a get out of jail free card because of crimes committed in the past against African-Americans such as slavery and segregation and yes, the baseball color line?
As for Clemens, he is currently under investigation for perjury for lying to Congress. But your article implies that he is going to be given a pass. That's intellectually dishonest. Clemens has also been publicly humiliated and has become a pariah among baseball fans just like Bonds.
Come on Earl. Have a sense of proportion. Equality under the law means everyone is subject to it. Bonds lied to a grand jury and Clemens lied to Congress. Put both of them in jail.
Manny wasn't suspended for using a performance-enhancing drug - he tested positive for a banned substance that was essentially a female hormone. He didn't contest the suspension but there are concievably legitimate reasons he was taking the drug. If MLB has any test data on file that Manny used steroids, let's see it.
But I guess it is easier for the owners to punish players so that they can look "tuff on drugs". The Dodgers - who can now bank $8 million of Manny's salary - have said only they will welcome him back after the 50 games are up.
And you wonder why guys like Manny hire guys like Scott Boras to represent them when dealing with MLB owners.
period.
Who said life was fair?