Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield

[shiznit1083]

Story

This is absolutely sickening. A lot of these guys that don't use this stuff work their asses off for years. These cheap cocks cheated and I have absolutely no respect for them at all anymore.

[See Red]

This is absolutely, completely out of hand. If they want to take steroids and human growth hormone, they're hurting nobody but themselves.

How are the steroids ruining the integrity of the game? Hitting Homerun's aren't all about strength. It's about batspeed and mechanics JUST as much. Without those things, strength means absolutely nothing. Other than his 73 HR year, the most HR's Barry Bonds has hit in any season was 49 in '93 -- when he was small. With the exception of those two seasons, Bonds has never hit over 46 in a given year. And nothing should be said about that one year in which Bonds hit 73 because Roger Maris had ONE huge year as well, with many years of mediocrity.

I've heard experts say that steroids really don't do much more than add 10 or 15 feet to the ball (I've heard many interviews of experts on the subject on Sporting News Radio, most notably the Kevin Wheeler show a few months back and hopefully one again soon). How does that make ANY difference when Barry Bonds is hitting balls into McCovey Cove?

Not to mention, who's to say these athletes KNEW they were taking steroids? As stupid as it is, alot of athletes don't know the exacts of what they're taking. Steroids are merely just a shortcut, it's not lifting them to otherwise impossible levels. To say Barry Bonds wouldn't be this big without steroids is retarded. There's a certain cutoff as to where strength is too much and this cutoff, believe it or not, is achievable without steroids.

And how about the fact that the BIGGEST baseball players are average size in the NFL. Yet the NFL is 'so clean' of this crap cuz' they do the most testing. That's bullcrap.

While this is certainly big news in the whole steroids situation, why are we accusing people when they're not yet found guilty? The day Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, and any others piss into a cup and are found guilty -- then you can barrade them with these ridiculous lines of questioning.

While alot like to point out that the HR numbers were down last year (as seen on ESPN), when the MLB really first started to test -- Those were only the top HR numbers in the league that were down. In actuallity, HR numbers as a total were UP throughout the league. The Homerun's can be credited, partially, to bad pitching, the fact that ballparks are getting smaller and easier to hit HR's in, and the strike zone keeps getting smaller. Don't asterik his numbers -- when all is said and done, Bonds should go down as THE greatest Homerun hitter of all time.

[zer0dotcom]

I'm in the group that considers HR hittting more of a mechanics issue than a strength issue, but this revelation is still going to hurt themn int he eyes of the fans. Even if they piss in the cup and are in the clear, its going to be like Sosa nad the corked bat; did they do it on their own? or where they loaded.

(althought i think alot of us have almost forgotten Sammy's bat by now, but you still wonder about everything else even if it was a one time incident)

Being big in baseball in my mind is more detrimental to good play than being good. You need to be able to move more than be strong.

[NJTank]

Oh yeah this is shocking news

It was obivous these guys were getting roids after they testiefied in teh grand jury, and of course Giambi with his fast food diet cuasing him to lose an incredible amount of weight.

This is all MLB's fault they chose to burry their heads in the sand like an ostrich, which btw Bud Selig bears a string resemblance to.

Baseball can't do anything now unless they fail a test this year, and now taht they know they are being tested they know when to cycle on and off and when to mask their use.

If anyone gets caught it dont matter either since the first time its just a warninglol the people who run baseball are a joke.

All this does is taint all over Barry's records and confirms what most already knew.

The only way this will have any meaning is if the feds decide to charge any of the athleetes who recieved tehsteroids, then this coudl get intersting but as long as baseball lacks leadership and closes its eyes and whishes it goes away by itself thsi problem will exist.

[the_cynic]

In the future I don't think this issue will come up as much as everyone say's it will when the conversation of their careers come up. Bonds has broken some great records and he deserved everyone!

[habsfannova]

Am I in the minority when I say that a government should NOT be concerned with Steroids in sports? I mean, come on! There are much more important things to worry about then if Barry shoots up.

[NJTank]

Yes they are illegal to posses and sell.

[habsfannova]

Didn't say they weren't. It's sports, for gods sake. Focus on something else....

[zer0dotcom]

And steriods are drugs, right? ILLEGAL drugs? then it is the government's buisness. If pro athelets are given a pass card on ussing steriods, then why not everyone else? why shouldn't high school athelets be able to use them?

[See Red]

NJTank, how exactly does this tarnish Bonds' records? His balls weren't exactly grazing the fence -- his shots were clearing the fence by a longshot and any boost any supplements would've given him did not put them over the fence, but merely make them long HR's. I'm sick and tired of the lines of questions about this that Bonds' and others face.

Secondly, it's not so much that the people that run baseball are idiots as much as the people that run baseball don't have the power to run baseball. The players union is too strong. If I were the owners, I would say the players either leave the union or they don't play -- the one's that need the checks will leave the union and the others would possibly follow. I dunno if it'd work, but there's not really an alternative to the MLB. Let it result in a work stoppage -- if the owners aren't paying to put a product on the field or having to pay payroll, are they really losing?

Personally, I think the Government has FAR more important issues to deal with and I would like them dealt with before they get to the issues of steriods and sports.

And zer0... the rules are the same for pro and college athletes. If it can be proven that you use them, you WILL get punished. Unfortunately, High School (the level at which steroid usage starts) doesn't test -- so there's little chance of proving someone uses them.

[Puckguy14]

Kinda funny that Bonds started in 2001. It will be interesting to see how many Bonds, Giambi, and Sheffield do this year. If there is a dramatic drop off, it will be ovious these guys are on the juice. It's sad to see. But they knew the consequences that could ensue.

[zer0dotcom]

Didn't say they weren't. It's sports, for gods sake. Focus on something else.... 

Personally, I think the Government has FAR more important issues to deal with and I would like them dealt with before they get to the issues of steriods and sports.

...so, our governments should ignore the fact that people are trafficing and using illegal drugs?

[jkrdevil]

IntheEnd, I see your point but Have to correct you on your Maris point. Maris had one the MVP in 1960 (the year before he hit 61), I would consider that a good year.

As far as this goes it does put in question these guys home runs and thier ecords. With Bonds in 2001 instead of hitting 71 or 72 (I forget what he had, the record has become a joke now) he hit 50 something. I'm sure he had more than 12 home runs just clear the fence.

These guys should be punished severly, they did something that hurts the image of the game and is ILLEAGAL.

[habsfannova]

I don't think they should be illegal. My point is, it shouldn't be an outright priority.

[NJTank]

It tarnishes it by the fact taht everytime you mention Bonds now you have to mention he had help, which is the same as it was with MCGwire with andro. Offically it wont have any effect but there will always be this mark on his records.

[See Red]

Kinda funny that Bonds started in 2001. It will be interesting to see how many Bonds, Giambi, and Sheffield do this year. If there is a dramatic drop off, it will be ovious these guys are on the juice. It's sad to see. But they knew the consequences that could ensue.

Bonds 2nd best HR year (49) was when he was tiny compared to now. I doubt this hurts his numbers. Hitting is about bat speed and mechanics.

Alex Rodriguez isn't, by any stretch of the imagination, big and he led the league in HR's.

Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Willie Mayes, Hank Aaron were all small guys by todays standards.

Muscle has very little to do with Home Run's. It's mostly finesse.

IntheEnd, I see your point but Have to correct you on your Maris point. Maris had one the MVP in 1960 (the year before he hit 61), I would consider that a good year.

But the year before is 61 HR season, Maris only had 39 HR's. Which was his career high with the exception of the 61 HR season. That's what I meant by him having one good year. I as talking in terms of HR's. Talk about a freak season.

As far as this goes it does put in question these guys home runs and thier ecords. With Bonds in 2001 instead of hitting 71 or 72 (I forget what he had, the record has become a joke now) he hit 50 something. I'm sure he had more than 12 home runs just clear the fence.

I cannot stress enough that steroid experts say how little steroids affect hitting. If the EXPERTS are saying it, why doesn't the media figure this out and maybe correct the misunderstanding -- oh yeah, cuz' it's far easier to report negatively.

You don't think in all the years Bonds played in the league, he would've become as strong as he is? He has the work ethic, and it's entirely possible over a decade or so. Once again, Steroids act as a shortcut... not a way to reach uncahievable heights.

...so, our governments should ignore the fact that people are trafficing and using illegal drugs?

Are there really not bigger problems in the world than people taking things of which the results are self inflictive and don't seem to harm anyone else? If that was their #1 concern, then make cigarettes illegal.

[zer0dotcom]

QUOTE 

...so, our governments should ignore the fact that people are trafficing and using illegal drugs? 

Are there really not bigger problems in the world than people taking things of which the results are self inflictive and don't seem to harm anyone else? If that was their #1 concern, then make cigarettes illegal.

ok, why not make it ok to use crack, cocaine and E, it only hurts the people who use it right?

[zer0dotcom]

Are there really not bigger problems in the world than people taking things of which the results are self inflictive and don't seem to harm anyone else? If that was their #1 concern, then make cigarettes illegal.

Just to add, implying that cigarettes only harm the people who smoke them isn't correct. Smoke affects other people than just those with the lit cigarette

[habsfannova]

Alcohol does a lot of damage too. And, I'm a smoker, so I shouldn't comment on the smoking thing. It's all opinion....

[See Red]

ok, why not make it ok to use crack, cocaine and E, it only hurts the people who use it right?

No, because people do things they wouldn't otherwise do on those drugs that could prove lethal to others. I've never heard of people 'taking steroids' and killing someone as a side effect -- or commiting a crime because they were 'hopped up on steroids'. I HAVE heard of crimes that were commited on drugs, whether coincidental or not.

Just to add, implying that cigarettes only harm the people who smoke them isn't correct. Smoke affects other people than just those with the lit cigarette

Barely -- Unless you somehow hail a crapload of second hand smoke. I don't believe a little bit of second hand smoke inhalation from a cigarette will go to far into shaving years off of ones life, but either way that really just helps my point. Why are THESE not illegal, yet steroids are.

and habsfannova, America already tried that make alcohol illegal, thing... so...