Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Whether the use of steroids should tarnish an athlete’s legacy is a topic frequently discussed on sports talk radio.
But last night, a panel of experts discussed the ever-present issue at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics.
Former Kansas and San Diego Charger quarterback John Hadl, baseball writer Bill James and sports columnist Bill Althaus of The Examiner of Blue Springs each agreed that steroids would forever taint the image — and the records — of any player caught using them.
“The records will be tainted,” Althaus said. “You aren’t going to see asterisks next to the home run records of Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds, but in the fan’s minds, one will always be there.”
He added that McGwire would probably not be allowed into the Hall of Fame because of his recent testimony at a congressional hearing, where he refused to answer questions concerning steroids.
Althaus continued to say that players such as the New York Yankees’ slugger Jason Giambi, who confessed to his steroid usage, would receive more sympathy from fans than those who didn’t.
“I think it’s best to fess up,“ he said. “Pete Rose may well be in the Hall of Fame if he had shown any remorse for his gambling.
“I know Jason Giambi will receive much more sympathy for admitting his steroid use than those who hide behind the Fifth Amendment,” Althaus said.
James said Major League Baseball was the slowest major sports group to address the steroid problem. He thought MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was only now creating a stricter punishment for steroid users because of increased scrutiny from fans, players and politicians.
“Every sport has it’s own government,” James said. “The NFL moved before baseball because it had the problem first.”
He added that NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was a much better leader than the MLB’s Selig.
Hadl, who said he’s seen the problems of steroid use since the 1960s, thought the reason major sports were slower to enforce steroid punishment than less-publicized sports was because of the almighty dollar. Some owners don’t want their players to get caught, he said.
“There’s money to be made, and owners don’t like seeing their quarterbacks suspended the day before a big game,” he said. “More athletes are caught in track and field, because there aren’t big dollars to be made.”
Edited by Ross Fitch
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