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Baseball and Steroids/HGH

Discussion in 'Sports Talk' started by MadCat07, Dec 14, 2007.

  1. MadCat07

    MadCat07 New Member

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    Just wondering what everyone thought of the Mitchell Report. Was anybody surprised to hear any names in particular (Clemens ???).
     
  2. Silence Dogood99

    Silence Dogood99 New Member

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    Not surprised, but disappointed. But I just wonder: what was the point of the report? To demonstrate baseball had a steroids problem? I thought everyone knew that.

    They spent $60MM and I'm not sure there is anything that is actually actionable.
     
  3. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    Lawyers billable hours!
     
  4. MadCat07

    MadCat07 New Member

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    I guess some have speculated that it was merely Selig attempting to appease Congress (and get them off his back -- apparently this didn't work though because I believe I saw something today about Tom Davis and someone else calling for more discussion). Were you surprised about Clemens ? I was in the sense that it was surprising to hear such a big name, but I wasn't in that I had heard rumblings about him before and had always thought it was curious that he was able to sustain his velocity and pitch so effectively at such an advance age (in baseball terms).
     
  5. Silence Dogood99

    Silence Dogood99 New Member

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    Good point, Madcat. I hope Congress stays out of it--geez, don't they have other things to screw up!

    I was disappointed because I have respected Clemen's work ethic, and I'm an idealist who hoped he was clean.

    But I think it is patently unfair to bring the names out like this based on testimony by a trainer or someone else, without giving players an opportunity to cross examine them...what if this is a disgruntled, jealous guy making things up? Plus we don't get any real context? Did a player use HGH during one specific stretch to get over an injury, or was he an ongoing user?

    Barry Bonds has to feel great!
     
  6. MadCat07

    MadCat07 New Member

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    Yes, I think Barry Bonds might have been the happiest man on earth yesterday. And I agree that this process was probably unfair, but my understanding is that the players were informed in advance and were offered the chance to rebut any accusations (that doesn't make it fair, but it at least offered some opportunity to discredit the accuser). Regardless, it is a shame how prevalent this stuff apparently is in athletics.
     
  7. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Congress is already in it due to the special anti-trust situation baseball has in place.

    The author has stated that the claims are not based purely on single testimony but also substantiated with other information and sources. The main lead was this one trainer (from NY Mets I think they said??) but they cooberated the information and beyond the initial testimony, it was done with federal investigators present as well. I don't think a person who just has a grudge is willing to risk federal charges and civil suits with little to gain.
     
  8. Silence Dogood99

    Silence Dogood99 New Member

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    Good points, Steve. My question remains: why spend $60MM and release these names? I just haven't seen what is actionable unless it is purely a CYA because of the anti-trust status, etc.
     
  9. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    The report has suggested actions as well for baseball.

    This is more the investigation - what happens from here is up to Baseball to sort out.

    The biggest change is simply acknowledging and motivation to address the problem. I notice the players union hasn't been quoted ONCE in any of the news coverage I read (but I just got back in country today) - and its the players union that was so against testing/etc back in the 90s.
     
  10. Silence Dogood99

    Silence Dogood99 New Member

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    I guess they got what they deserved then. Since they failed to police themselves...
     

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