POD 10/12: Steroids in Baseball: Who should set and police the policy?

Jersey Girl · October 12th, 2005, 05:37 AM

Steroids in Baseball: Who should set and police the policy?

The Commissioner
The Players Union
The Government
A combination of the above
Other (please specify in post)

Info on the policy...
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseb...d-policy_x.htm

Some recent news regarding steroids...
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2182110

Jersey Girl · October 12th, 2005, 05:42 AM

Personally, I'm a little sick of hearing about steroids and baseball, so my apologies for bringing it up here.

Anyway, I think if something is against the law, then it's against the law. How is it that the players union gets to vote on a policy on steroids? It's illegal, correct? I don't remember my union allowing a vote on whether or not its members are allowed to do illegal drugs and what the penalties for violating that policy should be.

The laws should be the same for everyone, regardless of fame or wealth. Of course, that won't happen because, as my mother taught me, life is not fair.

In any case, my opinion on this is that there is a policy already in place and it's called THE LAW. Adhere to it.

AZZenny · October 12th, 2005, 07:27 AM

Much as I despise Bug Sellout, IMO it is the Commissioner's responsibility to set policy like this. Obviously, the Players Union will have some input the way things work, and it'd be great if they could coordinate a bit.

I do not believe the Feds have ANY role at all in specifying extra rules or penalties for people not employed by the gov't. The same penalties - state and federal - for illegal use/possession/distribution should apply to all citizens, whether it's a pro athlete, a Safeway bag boy, or a CPA. Just enforce the rules you have.

So unless they pass laws that require random steroid testing several times a year for CPAs, lawyers, store clerks, and gym teachers, and immediate two-year loss of credentials and restriction from occupation if testing is positive, the feds should butt out.

I also do not want the international doping agencies involved - they are a bunch of paranoid, Euro-centric jerkoffs. JIMHO.

KingofCards · October 12th, 2005, 07:35 AM

One choice above should the commisioner and the players union together.

The Feds have better things to be worrying about and it makes me sick that they think this is worthy of their time.

CardFan67 · October 12th, 2005, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingofCards

One choice above should the commisioner and the players union together.

The Feds have better things to be worrying about and it makes me sick that they think this is worthy of their time.

The players' union should have nothing to do with it... The commisioner should be allowed to set guidelines, devise a working system and if it does not prove to work it should be handled by an outside agancy, preferably not the government...

If the players' union has anything to do with it, it would be like having the drunks at a bar issuing the sobriety tests...

DjaugheOld · October 12th, 2005, 07:47 AM

I'm fer the commish.

KingofCards · October 12th, 2005, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardFan67

The players' union should have nothing to do with it... The commisioner should be allowed to set guidelines, devise a working system and if it does not prove to work it should be handled by an outside agancy, preferably not the government...

If the players' union has anything to do with it, it would be like having the drunks at a bar issuing the sobriety tests...

I disagree about the players' union. The majority of major leaguers are not on steriods. I believe they have been hurt by this and want to rid the game of it themselves.

Palmeiro is a pariah within baseball now that he tested positive.

Anyway. This is not a political issue to me. I know the congress has decided to make it one, which I believe is b.s.

I can agree with what you said though. If it needs to be an outside agency that regulates, I believe it definetly should not involve the Government. Baseball has plenty of money to hire someone themselves to do it.

We don't need a new regulatory of office, U.S. Department of Preserving Baseball's Records.

CardLogic · October 12th, 2005, 08:30 AM

Commisioner and players union.

The only reason for Congress involvement in this is for the ego-maniacs (that would mean everyone) on Capitol Hill to get face time on an issue that they believe that the majority of Americans are in agreement about.

Rivercard · October 12th, 2005, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CardLogic

The only reason for Congress involvement in this is for the ego-maniacs (that would mean everyone) on Capitol Hill to get face time on an issue that they believe that the majority of Americans are in agreement about.

That may be partly true, but if baseball had been doing anything proactive at all about the issue perhaps congress wouldn't have gotten involved.

40yearfan · October 12th, 2005, 09:17 AM

I voted other. They should get the NFL to set the policy. They are the only ones serious about this issue.

Rivercard · October 12th, 2005, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40yearfan

I voted other. They should get the NFL to set the policy. They are the only ones serious about this issue.

Baseball made a boatload of money from the hitting frenzy that the acceptance of steroids created. In a way, baseball revived itself through steroids because the game was in the dumps right before McGuire and Sosa had their battles.

Business usually trumps ethics.

LoyaltyisaCurse · October 12th, 2005, 10:33 AM

The commissioner should set the enforcement policy and the Gov't should butt out unless they are enforcing and existing federal law.

Derm · October 12th, 2005, 12:48 PM

The Feds stick their noses into the matter of MLB and NFL due to legislation allowing them to exist without violation of the antitrust laws.

The Commissioner needs to set the enforcement but with the consent of the governed via agreement with the PA (not the Palestinian Authority).

I think that McCain meddles into professional sports (this issue as well as professional boxing) because he has personal issues - maybe he was the last guy chosen in a pickup ball game.

40yearfan · October 12th, 2005, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derm

I think that McCain meddles into professional sports (this issue as well as professional boxing) because he has personal issues - maybe he was the last guy chosen in a pickup ball game.

Agreed.

RedStorm · October 12th, 2005, 08:13 PM

Isn't the Gov involved because they exempted baseball from anti-trust laws so they could run as a monopoly? That is why I thought Congress got involved with the issue.