Why is Congress spending time looking into steroid use in Baseball?

[UberBeaver]

How is this a matter of national importance? I can think of 10 things without even trying that are more relevant for an elected body of representatives to be spending their time on. I don't see how this requires any of their attention. Did I miss something?

[MsPurrl]

To take our minds off of things that really matter!!

[UberBeaver]

Like Britney Spears?

[unico]

Originally posted by UberBeaver
How is this a matter of national importance? I can think of 10 things without even trying that are more relevant for an elected body of representatives to be spending their time on. I don't see how this requires any of their attention. Did I miss something?

Did you submit your petition to send steroids abroad? Is that what this crap is about, Beav? Give me a break. Asking candidates if they would invite Bonds to the White House is a valid and revealing question. The answer to which has a significant impact on our foreign policy and economy. You just don't get politics, do you? DO YOU? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

[UberBeaver]

Hey, if some broad wants to take steroids, I'm gonna stop her. I dont care what country she's from. I just want to know why my tax dollars gotta pay for this shit.

[Infinity]

^Don't worry, it isn't your tax dollars. It is borrowed money, so really it is your grandchildren who are going to pay for the current investigation of steroids in baseball, with interest.

[Angela Harlem]

Originally posted by UberBeaver
Hey, if some broad wants to take steroids, I'm gonna stop her. I dont care what country she's from. I just want to know why my tax dollars gotta pay for this shit.

You're best off quitting paid work so you cease funding these things, Ube.

[randhail]

It's about protecting the kids and getting autographs from the players. It's the National Pastime. Duh.

[bgmckinney]

Originally posted by UberBeaver
How is this a matter of national importance? I can think of 10 things without even trying that are more relevant for an elected body of representatives to be spending their time on. I don't see how this requires any of their attention. Did I miss something?

Well, I see your point, but if they don't look into it, who will? Bud Selig?

[MrsSpringsteen]

Mancrushes?

[phillyfan26]

Originally posted by bgmckinney


Well, I see your point, but if they don't look into it, who will? Bud Selig?

With all the things they could be doing and haven't done, does it matter if anyone does this for baseball at the moment?

Baseball's been forced into action anyway due to the Mitchell Report ... enough's enough.

[Infinity]

Originally posted by bgmckinney


Well, I see your point, but if they don't look into it, who will? Bud Selig?

Well why should the American taxpayers pay for it? It is MLB's responsibility.

[UberBeaver]

Originally posted by bgmckinney


Well, I see your point, but if they don't look into it, who will? Bud Selig?

Would it matter if NO ONE looked into it? Personally, I don't think so. Let those guys get as huge as they want - shit, recruit some of the juice monsters from the WWE for all I care. It's a game and a business - let MLB and the fans deal with it. Congress has better things to do. Ridiculous.

Angela - you're dead on. I'm quitting tomorrow because I'm tired of funding this nonsense. Thanks for being a voice of reason.

But does anyone have the real answer? I really do want to know.

[phillyfan26]

Originally posted by UberBeaver
Would it matter if NO ONE looked into it? Personally, I don't think so. Let those guys get as huge as they want - shit, recruit some of the juice monsters from the WWE for all I care. It's a game and a business - let MLB and the fans deal with it. Congress has better things to do. Ridiculous.

Angela - you're dead on. I'm quitting tomorrow because I'm tired of funding this nonsense. Thanks for being a voice of reason.

But does anyone have the real answer? I really do want to know.

By doing this, they are able to point out the faults of the MLB on a regular basis, and everytime this comes up in the news, Congress looks good in comparison. It's hard not to. But by having your name there regularly, an image of competance goes with it. That's what they're going for, in my opinion.

[UberBeaver]

Now even if all these guys are juiced up - technically they're not breaking any laws, right? So WTF, Congress? WTF? I'm disgusted.

[phillyfan26]

Well, the subtances are illegal, so ... yeah, I think they are breaking laws.

[UberBeaver]

Oh, they are? I thought they were medically approved drugs. Growth supplements, hormones, shit like that.

[phillyfan26]

Only in prescriptions. In most cases they're not or they're falsified.

[UberBeaver]

The answers to these questions (and others) are worthy of congressional inquiry for at least three reasons:

First, the problem of steroid use is not remotely limited to professional athletes. High-schoolers in alarming numbers, at least 500,000 by recent report, have tried steroids; and steroid use is cropping up as early as Eighth Grade. Granted, exposing steroids in baseball will hardly solve this problem. But it may have some positive impact.

Second, I think Congress has a stake in the integrity of baseball. If Sosa and McGwire were juicing, and if baseball has knowingly been turning a blind eye to rampant steroid use by its biggest stars, then collectively, they have been foisting an enormous consumer fraud on the public.

Third, there is a moral value in exposing cheating among professional athletes. Although this alone would not justify a congressional hearing, it could certainly be a salutary byproduct.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/17/la...ids/index.html



I find none of those arguments compelling.

[coemgen]

Congress should be spending time on this because we're talking illegal drugs destroying our national pastime and baseball isn't doing what it should be doing to fix it.