I stumbled across this main-page article from Slate magazine and National Public Radio. It questions why performance-enhancing drugs are scorned in professional athletics but eye-altering surgery that takes vision to 20/15 is celebrated.
Read it.
I switched my home page to Slate a few days ago, and I am already finding far more interesting items than when I had MSN as my home page.
-- Wenatchee, Wash.
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2 comments:
lasik is not cheating it is simply allowing yourself to have better vision. i don't see how that could ever be considered cheating. performance enhancing supplements/drugs are cheating, but may be worth the risk for someone who can raise their salary by millions by using them. baseball got caught with their collective dungarees down around their ankles and the hypodermic needle stuck in their ass. the abusers deserve what they get. the strength of the mlb players union needs to be put in check. lets clean up our National game.
peace in the middle east
I don't equate LASIK surgery with steroid use. The negative implications of steroid (ab)use go well beyond simple performance enhancement. The long-range health problems, integrity of the game (as hypocritical as baseball may be), and the youth in sports seeing steroids as a way to make it are all influenced by the steroid controversy.
The real problem is that the Players Union continuing causes the owners to back down on every issue. The Players Union won on the steroid policy (it's referred to as the "idiot test"), the salary cap (an ineffective "luxury" tax), and the recent Gary Sheffield non-suspension for striking a fan(stars of the game always get their way). Even Sammy Sosa's corked bat has disappeared with nary a rustle of discontent since the incident. Until the owners take a solid, united stand, the Players Union will continue to get its way and erode the honor and integrity of the game.
Personally, I'd love to see the home run lose its significance in the game, which I believe would help with some of these issues. Let's create more stadiums like the minor leagues where there is a true challenge to hit a home run; no more of these hitters' parks. Also, let's raise the mound back up three inches (it was lowered in the late 60s to help hitters) since we already have a shrinking strike zone and plate crowders with armor on. Next, let's put back the monster center field walls that increase the number of doubles and triples (the most exciting hit in my opinion). Let's also eliminate the designated hitter (even though I loved Edgar Martinez) and make the pitchers hit as the game was originally envisioned.
Every rule and ESPN (among other sports stations) highlight seem to give credence to the hitters being enticed to cheat. The more glory we give the big hit, the more players will want to get it. Hitters get paid much more than pitchers, and the offensive game of today pushes players to cut corners. Besides, we need to get back to true baseball. Instead of games ending 8-6 and 9-5, let's get back to the days of 4-3 and 5-2.
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