Bonds thinks Congress should drop steroids subject

[Guest]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AgB00vU.EV5ogLQ5SxvuV40RvLYF?slug=ap-giants-bonds&prov=ap&type=lgns


Bonds thinks Congress should drop steroids subject



By HOWARD FENDRICH, AP Sports Writer
September 20, 2005

AP - Sep 13, 12:07 am EDT




WASHINGTON (AP) -- In the nation's capital on his first road trip of 2005, Barry Bonds questioned why Congress, the media and fans continue to talk about steroids.

``I think we have other issues in this country to worry about that are a lot more serious. I think you guys should direct your efforts into taking care of that,'' the San Francisco Giants slugger said Tuesday before facing the Washington Nationals. ``Talk about the athletes that are helping Katrina. Ask yourselves how much money y'all personally donated and have helped.''

Asked whether Congress was wasting time by looking into steroid use in sports, Bonds responded: ``Pretty much, I think so. Yeah.''

Several congressional committees have held hearings on drug testing in pro sports, and legislation has been proposed to standardize leagues' drug policies.

``You know what? There are still other issues that are more important,'' Bonds said. ``Right now, people are losing lives, don't have homes, I think that's a little more serious. A lot more serious.''

Told of Bonds' comments, Dave Marin, a spokesman for House Government Reform Committee chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., said: ``Members of Congress, particularly Tom Davis, can walk and chew gum at the same time.''

Congressional investigators from that committee are looking into whether Baltimore Orioles slugger Rafael Palmeiro lied under oath about steroid use and are interviewing other players who know Palmeiro.

Bonds has not been contacted.

``Raffy Palmeiro and I are good friends and we will stay continually good friends. Period. And I will always have respect for him as a person and a player, regardless,'' Bonds said.

Bonds, booed throughout Tuesday's game, hit his 706th homer in the fourth inning.

As the ball arched toward the stands, fans who moments earlier were booing rose to cheer. Bonds was booed when his name was announced during pregame introductions, booed when he stepped into the on-deck circle, and booed when he went out to play left field.

``I've been tarnished for being in baseball for years and years. There's nothing you guys can write or people can say that's going to fix that. It doesn't matter any more. I go out there and enjoy the game,'' he said.

It was Bonds' third homer of 2005, and it came in his 18th at-bat. Out all season after three knee operations, he returned to the Giants on Sept. 12.

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In a related story, Bin Laden said that Bush should just drop the whole terrorist subject.

[Malluas]

so do most all the other superstars and underlings.

no one wants to be caught.. tho what bonds does can't be detected so technically he isn't cheating.

point being no one cares and no one will care

[Guest]

He cares.




http://www.glossynews.com/artman/publish/howard-dean-also-juiced-1182.shtml

[Xaiveir]

Thing is though, he is right. Congress and the government have soooooo many more things that require their attention, that far outweighs steroid use in baseball. Let baseball handle the baseball issue, and have the government pay attention on how to get homeless people off the street, feed the hungry, rebuilding New Orleans.........

Things that actually fucking matter to everday life.

[Ouchyfish]

This does matter though. Baseball is not taking care of it. Instead they are letting it become 1980's WWF type shit. All we need now is for Bobby the Brain Heenan to come running out screaming at a player, followed by music, then Hulk Hogan comes out with "I am a Real American" blasting, eventually leading to a huge fuckin battle royale that doesn't end before the damn credits roll up.

Let's be real here. It isn't like Congress is useful at any serious issues any damn way.

[Xaiveir]

MLB is not taking care of the steroid use? Really? Do you watch the news? Multiple suspensions (1 guy has been suspended 3 times now for the same usage 3 years ago), a first ballot hall of famer suspended. Independant RANDOM drug testing multiple times throughout the year. Heavy suspension being handed down....10 games for the first offense, 1 year for the second, and a life time ban for a third, also discussing harsher penalties that may be installed next year.

The lowest homerun total of any season since 1997 is a good indicator that the testing has accomplished something, along with the multiple suspensions being handed down. Congress your right isnt usefull, but for them to take on steroids in baseball should be WAY WAY WAY down the priority list of what they should be sticking their noses into.

[Ouchyfish]

Yes and what did it take for baseball to get it's head out of its fucking ass?

[Xaiveir]

Baseball was unable to do anything about the rampant steroid use in the early 90's because of the collective bargaining agreement. Signed by owners and MLBPA, they could not start testing under that deal. When that ran out, the commisioner made it very clear that steroid testing will become mandatory for any new deal, MLBPA agreed. That is when congress started to investigate......not before. Before the new agreement there wasnt a thing congress or the commisioner could do about it.

Steroid testing was actually brought up during the strike in 1994. Because neither the commisioner, the owners or the MLBPA wanted to miss another world series. It was too long of a process to get the fine points down before they would have to cancel the season, so they left it out of that agreement. It was then put on the back burner till the deal ran out, and then they would discuss it.

So no it wasnt congress that had any effect in baseball putting forth a steroid testing program.

[Ouchyfish]

I do not trust baseball to regulate itself. I see baseball as having a gigantic orgasm over the interest raised in the juiced home run game it has become. (Mcgwire, Sosa, Bonds, etc etc etc)

They have no honest reason to stop it. it is generating money! Bud Selig, BTW can suck my cock. Making an owner a commissioner is a colossal fuckup from the word go. I have yet to see shit come out of his reign as commish other than MLB becoming WWF.

Congress needs to stay on these fuckers asses. They cannot be trusted to self-regulate.

[Xaiveir]

But why do you trust it any less than say a union regulating itself in the truck driving industry over steroids, or say Safeway. You nor anybody cared about steroids in baseball until congress starting sticking their noses in on it, after the fact that MLB had already started instituting policies against steroids.

Popularity has increased this year, revenue has increased this year, and homeruns have decreased. So something must be working, and its not congress that is doing it either. Steroids no longer fuel baseball, and steroids will be stopped.

And Bud Selig is actually widely considered the best commisioner in a LONG time. He has done more for the game than almost any predecessor, and he has had to deal with ALOT more problems. Making him the commissioner was almost a unanimous vote when they were looking for a commissioner. He gave up any vested interest in the brewers, and sold them to his son.

Again Congress needs to do more work on things that actually effect the american citizens life. Baseball does nothing but give us entertainment. If you want congress to step into regulating some entertainment, go to fucking hollywood. Investigate the rampant cocaine and exctasy use in models and actors. We cant trust hollywood to regulate itself can we? And that should be top priority over poverty, homelessness, war, budget crisis, Hurricane damage, terrorism, illegal drugs being smuggled into the country...............please it doenst come close to these things man.

Congress is not needed in baseball, it is needed elsewhere.

[Arlos]

I disagree about the Bug Selig statements, he has spent entirely too much time kowtowing to everything the owners want regardless of whether or not it is fair to the game as a whole. I also think he did not do anywhere NEAR enough early enough on the steroid issue in baseball. They've known that it's been a problem for years, and he didn't push it, where the NFL did it early and far stronger. The NFL suspends someone for 1/4 of the season for a 1st offense. Baseball would have to suspend 40 games for that. 10 games is a pittance, especially for a Pitcher who would only have appeared in 2 of them anyway.

If Selig had gotten up in the early 90s and made a big PUBLIC stink about steroids, he could have easily gotten public opinion behind him. With enough public force behind it, he could've gotten the union to cave about it then, instead of now. Really, they only caved now cause of the public pressure.

Also, WTF didn't they do something about the amphetamine use in baseball? That's even more prevalent than steroids. They're illegal in the other sports, THOSE commissioners were able to do something about them, why has baseball lagged?

I'm not saying Congress should get involved in it, but baseball took a decade or longer to even START moving on the issue, and only did it when there was HUGE public outcry. Penalties need to be stiffer, and they need to test for EVERYTHING that would improve performance, INCLUDING amphetamines.

-Arlos

[Xaiveir]

I agree Arlos that i personally do not like Selig, however he is liked by players and owners alike. I think the entire All star game winner getting homefield advantage in the WS is horrible. However, i think i know why they didnt move forward with the steroids earlier on. In the early 90's players were already talking strike, and then it did happen. As i said before hammering out a steroid issue was going to take to long to get the agreement done in time that they did not have to cancel the '95 season.

After the strike baseball ratings were horrible. People were not showing up to games, merchandise was not selling, baseball was on the brink of going bankrupt. There were 3 major things that brought baseball back to where it is now. Higher scores, Cal Ripkens streak, and the home run chase. If they would have attacked steroids back then, we would not be having this conversation now. It would have destroyed baseball, no question about it. There would be no MLB. It had such a big black eye from the strike, steroids would have been the worst thing to do (not advocating not instituting testing then, just understanding the point of view).

As far as amphetamine use in baseball, that is another topic that they are going over now also. The next CBA (collective bargaining agreement) will have some sort of testing for that. Harsher penalties for steroids as purposed by Bud Selig recently.......1 year suspension for a positive steroid test, 2nd time life banishment. No third strike. So they are cracking down on it.

[Tacks]

Any commissioner that allows for the payroll to get as fucked up as it is now is not a good commissioner. Why is baseball popularity down so much? It's not fun watching the small market teams play the yankees (cheaters)

[Ouchyfish]

He gave up any vested interest in the brewers, and sold them to his son.

I thought it was his daughter. Regardless, that's still a little too fucking close to home for my liking.

[Lyion]

Any commissioner that allows for the payroll to get as fucked up as it is now is not a good commissioner. Why is baseball popularity down so much? It's not fun watching the small market teams play the yankees (cheaters)

Tell that to the Cleveland Indians fans.