Well it has happened again for the third time this season, a well known MLB player has been proven to have tested positive for a banned substance. We don’t know what that substance is with Sammy Sosa’s test, but does it really matter at this point. Sammy will be eating these words from a couple weeks ago,”I will calmly wait for my induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Don’t I have the numbers to be inducted?”
You better “calmly wait” for a long time and perhaps never expect to get in. I am tired of talking about this topic. I really am. I’m only doing this out of respect for the game that I love so much and the fact that most don’t seem to get why we need to talk about this. For the record they should just reveal the rest of those names on that testing survey in 2003. If those names will eventually be leaked, then just let it out. Having it done this way helps no one. Two questions will now come up every time a player is caught. Will he be voted in the Hall of Fame? Will Baseball ever recover?
In reference to the first question we only have Mark McGwire as the example of if players from this era will be Hall of Famers. No more than 25 percent of the vote has gone to McGwire in his two years of eligibility. What makes this worse is that he was probably a Hall of Famer without the stuff, if he did use any. But it brings out a fact that most voters will not vote for anyone in this era. Whether if they in fact cheated or were suspected of cheating. There is no chance Sammy will be voted in on the first, second or even third year on the ballot. The maximum amount a player can be on the ballot is 25 years. Perhaps time will heal everything eventually, but I seriously doubt that.
Baseball will recover, only when those in power disappear. It has become clear to me that Commissioner Bud Selig will be looked back as the commissioner who looked the other way and became reactive only when the Federal Government threatened to get involved. He is confident in the testing program and its effectiveness, but can’t help to point out the double standard in Baseball. He can’t seem to understand why Baseball is scrutinized more for positive tests when the NFL gets a free pass. Well, I’m here to help you out commissioner. The NFL has always had an image of men beating the hell out of each other for a football and the sport relies on a much bigger roster where every player has to be at his best and whether you like it or not, people would be shocked if these guys aren’t on something. That has always been the image of the NFL. The overwhelming fact is that Baseball was labeled “America’s Past Time” at one point in its history. There as been an emphasis on the numbers. 3,000, 755, 61, we all know those numbers and who is behind them. You changed your image to the long ball and could care less about it’s past. For over a decade we did buy into that image, but it was flawed. Most people don’t like being lied to and they were lied to all these years. When Bud and Union boss Donald Fehr leave, it will be a step in the right direction. Really only the players will be able to heal the game. Be upfront when caught, and demand that the record be set straight so that this will never happen again.
Donte Stallworth gets 30 days and an indefinite Suspension
When the sentence was announced that Donte Stallworth was only going to get 30 days in jail. I was stunned at first. Then I heard the rest. Two years house arrest, suspended license for life 1,000 hours community service and eight years probation. After hearing that plus that the family of the man killed in this got a undisclosed settlement from Stallworth, I went from stunned to outraged. Once again someone works the system and gets away with killing someone. Whether it was with his car while drunk or with a knife, he still got away with it. Yes, he didn’t flee the scene and actually called 911. That’s very noble and rare in cases like this. I don’t know if the family is satisfied with this verdict, but it was indicated that they were not hell bent on pursuing a lot of criminal or civil action on Stallworth. I can respect that, but what has happened to our system when a man dies and that person involved only gets 30 days in a plea deal. Am I the only one with this opinion? Nick Adenhart and two others were killed earlier this year by a drunk driver with a suspended license. A fourth person survived, but has suffered tremendously. He is expected to make a full recovery, but at what cost? That drunk driver should not have able to drive and he will get the maximum punishment because the system screwed up and now has to make up for it. Commissioner Roger Goodell knows the severity of this and has acted appropriately in this case. Stallworth gone indefinitely. Was there any other way? It could be for the year or more, but it will be sending a big message to the rest of the league. No one is above the law and if you happen to get a lenient sentence, you will not see it from Roger Goodell.
Brandon Marshall wants to Stampede out of Denver
Now I didn’t like the fact that Jay Cutler got his wish after whining and complaining about his situation. All over his new coach (who should not have tried it) Josh McDaniels trying to grab his guy in Matt Cassell from New England. Josh should have been upfront with Jay and Jay should have dropped it and kept quiet. Now it has spread to his favorite target in wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Marshall says he requested a trade from owner Pat Bowlen and that Pat would try to honor that request. He hasn’t shown up to any mandatory mini camp programs and it appears he is serious about this trade demand. Denver better not make the same mistake twice. Keep quiet about it and don’t give in. Who says you have to? Brandon has one year left on his contract and is looking to get paid. Great, so is everyone else Brandon. You have probably already done too much damage, but you need to stay down and just play. They will pay only when you show up and play for them. The Broncos are like all the other 31 NFL teams. They pay players who show up and play. It’s a funny system, but that’s how it works. This doesn’t help your image either. You have a big wrap sheet and most teams won’t take you because of that. Your trying to put the hammer down on the Broncos when you don’t have a hammer to do it with. The ball is in the Broncos court Brandon. Play ball, stay out of trouble off the field and you will get paid.
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