Cheating in Sports Debate
August 7th, 2007 at 06:31am Brian
With Barry Bonds only one homerun away from one of the greatest baseball records, there has been a lot of debate of the use of steroids. First let me say that I think Bonds breaking the record is terrible and I just wish they could find him guilty of using steriods in some way shape or form. But as I thought of how wrong this is and steriod use in general, in made me start to think. Don’t atheletes cheat on a regular basis in some way or another???
How often do you see a basketball player take a small bump and flop to the floor like he just took a punch from Mike Tyson? How often do you see a wide receiver catch a ball on a bounce and try to play it off like it didn’t happen, or watch a running back crawl for an extra yard after being tackled? Watch a major league baseball catcher on every pitch that is not in the strike zone as they try to move their glove after the catch. I won’t even start on the world of cycling….
I think you get the point and can name many other minor acts of cheating that go on in sports all the time. So my question is when do we as fans denounce an athlete or call him a cheat? When do we as “fans” say hey that athlete is cheating and we want it stopped? Does the cheat or way of cheating have to effect the outcome of a game, break a record, or cause something else major to happen for us to cry foul? Does is depend on who the player is?
Take for example the pitcher who gave up homerun #755 to Bonds he DID test positive for steriods and was suspended for a time. Did we spend month after month crying foul about this guy? Heck I didn’t even know or remember who this guy was and if he did or didn’t test positive.
There is a quote I have heard made by a couple of people in the NASCAR world, including former drivers “Everyone cheats its just a matter of who gets caught”
Your thoughts???????????
Entry Filed under: General
6 Comments Add your own
1. Mid-Week Mindlessness&hellip | August 8th, 2007 at 7:20 am
[…] Bonds and Cheating Last night Barry Bonds hit the shot that surpassed Hank Aaron on the all-time homerun list. I have mentioned that I don’t like Bonds, and there is a lot of evidence pointing to him taking steroids, but he has yet to fail a test and he should be seen as “innocent until proven guilty.” But I still wonder. My brother Brian brings up this SUBJECT on my family’s web site. […]
2. Scott | August 8th, 2007 at 7:54 am
I think that quote from people in NASCAR is true in all sports. But it’s a matter of the degrees in which they do. My favorite sport being hockey, there are rules in place. Players use illegal sticks or embellish a fall to make it look like they were a victim of a penalty will be penalized. Even the times that players get away with it, I accept it as part of the game. It’s a shame, but rules like that more then likely won’t effect the outcome of too many games, if at all.
The steroids issue, though much more severe then a left wing using an illegal curve on his stick, is still murky. I had heard that Mark McGwire had actually used a substance that is considered a steroid, and used it before it was made illegal by baseball. And there are others that I am sure players used before they were banned. So where do you draw the line?
With Bonds, it’s really tough to say. It seems rather obvious that he used some. Now, I am not saying that he couldn’t have worked for eons in the gym to get the body he has now, but it seems impossible. He went from skinny kid to massive hulk. And part of his problem with the public’s perception of him is that he a really class A jerk most of the time. Also in the back of my mind is that he hasn’t failed a test yet. I often wonder if that a result of more cheating.
One thing that also clouds the homerun issue is the skill involved in hitting a homerun. It’s not just power. Look at Ken Griffey, Jr for instance. They guy has always been pretty slim. Sure, he’s got that late 30’s “spare-tire-around-the-middle” now, but he’s always been a tall, lanky guy. He is approaching 600 homeruns. You can see when he hits one out, it’s all about bat speed and perfect contact with the ball. His hand-eye coordination is phenominal. McGwire seemed to be that way, too. He had great bat speed. And most of his homeruns the year he hit 70 and broke Maris’ record where tape measure shots. Even without some extra muscle he might have still broke Maris’ record that year. So as much as steroids plays a part, the skill needed to hit a homerun still needs to be there.
I do think the cheating does have to happen with big events such as Bonds breaking the homerun record or some cheating that effects the outcome of a Super Bowl (for example) before fans start screaming loudly. Like you said, I don’t remember the name of the pitcher that Bonds hit the tying homerun off of, or ever remember it being reported when he did test positive for steroids. But if Bonds is ever found guilty, it will leave a huge black mark on the game of baseball and sports in general. And as a result of that if, if the league wouldn’t start testing all players, every day, fans would not come back.
3. Brian | August 8th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Nice reply Scott. I do want to expand on the comment about fans coming back. I think this also ties into it. I ask you this question, why is Barry Bonds loved and cheered in San Fran? My guess is because he helps the team win.
Why was Chris Chelios one of the most hated people by Wings fan until he became a Wing? My guess is because he helps us win games.
So with cheating and all other issues surronding players is it a matter of playing the sport the “Right way” or is it a matter of being entertaining and helping your club win games?????
4. Rich | August 8th, 2007 at 10:44 am
This make Pete Rose look like a hero. This is the worst thing that has happened in sports in many years. By his not dening any of the reports and not responding he has proven how guilty he is!
5. Scott | August 9th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Another good question, Brian. I will answer that by tomorrow.
6. Scott | August 11th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
I think that the home town fans will look past more then other fans. However, I still can’t think of why the Giants fans support him the way they do. I know if he had played for the Tigers that long I still wouldn’t like the guy and would question his ethics.
The Chelios side is true. Chelios could be a “dirty” player, but he is still within what is usually exceptable.
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed