For so long fans willfully shielded our eyes from what it takes to perform at such a high level. We expect the best out of these players and boo them mercilessly when they do not perform to our lofty expectations. We are just as much to blame and fans can swallow their righteous indignation. If everyone else is taking performance enhancing drugs, you HAVE to in order to remain in the league unless you are a natural superstar. Nearly everyone would do the same if it meant a paycheck for the only thing you know how to do in life.
Who cares if players use PEDs? If they are able to play head and shoulders above everyone else, they are still better than everyone else regardless of PEDs used. They are the ones facing health repercussions in the future, and they are adults who can make that decision.
Do you want your number 3 hitter batting .240? Would you watch your team if everyone had warning track power? I doubt it. And don't think PEDs came around a few years ago. Your favorite player from years past was probably doing something he shouldn't have as well.
Fans created this environment. Now deal with it.
2 comments:
Well said. It's absolutely true. I remember not long after I moved to Chicago, a mid-season, meaningless Cubs v. Giants series was the hottest ticket in town. At this point everyone knew Barry Bonds was juicing, it was all over the media. Yet everyone wanted to go to see him crush the ball into the streets behind Wrigley. I suppose the question is do you want to see homeruns, or do you want to see small ball and strategy.
One other thing. First off, can we agree that people love watching the NBA, no one cares about he WNBA? I equate this to what people really want out of baseball compared to what they say and think they want. From the NBA people have come to expect huge dunks, hard fouls, and the flashiness that our NBA superstars give us. From MLB, people have come to expect dudes that absolutely crush the ball, who are characters (Manny), and pitchers that can spot a 100mph fastball up and in. Without any kind of performance enhancing drugs, baseball would be reduced to the WNBA equivalent. I assume that the MLB knows this as well and that is why you don't see modern day rule breakers in baseball being banished from the game the way they did Pete Rose.
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