DRUGS AND BASEBALL

Given the problems facing this country and the rest of the world, one would think that Congress would have better things to do than hold hearings to determine whether or not overpaid prima donna athletes ingested performance enhancing substances. Why should it matter to Congress? If Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds or any other baseball star took steroids, how does that negatively impact my life or yours? The only life it directly effects is the user's. As a baseball fan, I have discussed this issue with other fans, and virtually no one is outraged. The subject is usually met with a shrug and an admission that no one is really surprised that this sort of cheating goes on. If the fans couldn't care less, why should the Federal Government? Even the players themselves have not risen up in outrage over the use of Human Growth Hormone and steroids by some of their fellow players.

The Government's involvement is wholly unneccessary in attempting to police this problem. There is a very simple solution, and it doesn't require an act of Congress. Simply test every major league baseball player at regular intervals, and make public all the players that tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Then let the fans decide if they want to support these cheaters or not. If fans are sufficiently outraged, they will no longer purchase tickets to the games, buy souveniers and jerseys, and stop watching the games on TV. Baseball owners will get that message loud and clear. On the other hand, if the fans and fellow players know who the cheats are and still don't care, why should anyone else? And is it really cheating and fraud when everyone is aware of who is doing it, while allowing it to continue?

We take sports way too seriously in this country. If a bunch of millionaires want to inject themselves with potentially health threatening substances that pose no threat to anyone else as they do so, then I say let them. It's their livelihoods and lives.
Let Congress tackle truly serious issues--like holding Congressional hearings to investigate substance abuse by Congressmen.