Lance Armstrong is the latest dope. Throw in Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon and we’re having a dope party. Does anyone else think that this ruins these sports? Jeff was saying how Lance Armstrong has passed hundreds of drug tests and believes he could be clean. I don’t understand how anyone with true, pure innocence would ever back down, so in my view, he’s guilty. The baseball players are just as bad. They need the juice to be major league players. It skews the game for anyone not using the juice. It’s really not that hard of a choice, use the juice (chance getting caught) and be a major leaguer, or be a Joe Schmoe off of the roster. It’s really that simple.
The problem is the game is completely compromised and in my mind sucks. If you are going to let them juice, let them juice. Let’s see beefed up pitchers and jacked bros cranking dingers. Why the hell not, that’s basically what baseball has become. At least we’d have an even playing field. If you don’t understand that sports are about fulfilling your natural potential and how you compete at that state is what it’s all about, you just don’t get it. Watching 50% of the talented baseball players compete against 50% of the cheaters is horrific and I would never support that ridiculous circumstance. Cycling is even worse because it’s a one person sport. There aren’t nine guys who some of which may be cheating, it’s just you. Cheating makes casual fans hate the sport and enthusiasts make excuses.
If they really want to clean it up, they should make it a zero tolerance policy. If you get caught once, you are DONE.
I agree – not really sure why they don’t do that. I guess maybe for people who honestly don’t realize something they are taking contains a banned substance, if that ever happens.
Neither will ever formally condone “cheating” as part of the daily playing field. Sponsors would never support either sport or align their product with another public product which willingly allows “cheating” – and all the revenue would evaporate – regardless of the equality in play.
The NFL is next – and most susceptible. But their are much less distinctive statistical characteristics to expose use. Will be interesting to see how they move to protect their brand over the next 10 years, as it would seem public knowledge of doping use within the league will become more prevalent.
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