Well I lied. I just HAD to post again.
First of all, I'd like to say thanks Rob, that truly is quite the 180 from your first post. You've left me wondering, though, whether it was my argument or if it was my "style" that you liked. Whichever it is, I certainly appreciate the compliment. Contrary to what you think, however, this stuff does NOT just flow from my brain to the page. I wish. If I had to write novels for a living I would surely starve, for it would take near a millenium to complete.
Hackerjacker,
You might want to check the thesaurus before assigning labels to your peers. I have to say, you are the first to ever confuse me with a fascist! Wow! Now, if you had said anarchist, you would've had some ammunition.
Wil,
I like Reggie. As much as I disagree with a lot of what he says, it is refreshing to hear someone say what he truly thinks, without first running it through the politically correct-o-meter.
Stew,
You mentioned earlier that I fancied myself a great thinker. Not true. Aristotle, Plato, Einstein - these guys are great thinkers. I, on the other hand, DO consider myself a very open-minded thinker. I feel this is probably just as important. The willingness to think outside the box, to accept no "truths", to offer ideas that may seem offbeat - these are the things that I like to believe characterize my thinking.
Anyway, I felt it necessary to post one more time after re-reading all the responses to my posts. It struck me that the tone of each response was similar, and I was reminded of something a very wise person once told me - "No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." I realize now that I spent so much time and effort on ensuring that my logic was sound, that someone could easily have gotten the impression that I didn't care about the plight of the non-user in baseball and that I was awfully cavalier about the examples we were setting for our kids.
Well, nothing could be further from the truth. I feel awful for the John Smoltz's and others like him that just want some exoneration, and for the hundreds of minor leaguers that have been waiting years for that one big shot at the bigs. And believe me when I say that I truly feel the pain and share the fear of every parent who ever raised a kid who felt the enormous pressure to do whatever it took, not only to compete, but even just to fit in with his peers. I have two in their late teens now and another knocking on the door, so I know these feelings first hand.
All that I have been trying to say is that I truly feel that, for all these people who have undoubtedly been wronged, drug testing is fool's gold. It will solve nothing and create new problems, the likes of which we can only imagine. I would like to be able to offer assistance or advice to those that have always played by the rules. I realize my only advice so far has been what NOT to do. If I were to offer advice on what TO do, it would be to just keep doing what you are doing. I am a firm believer that we are all rewarded in the end for the way we live our lives. What that reward is - I haven't a clue - "God only knows".
First of all, I'd like to say thanks Rob, that truly is quite the 180 from your first post. You've left me wondering, though, whether it was my argument or if it was my "style" that you liked. Whichever it is, I certainly appreciate the compliment. Contrary to what you think, however, this stuff does NOT just flow from my brain to the page. I wish. If I had to write novels for a living I would surely starve, for it would take near a millenium to complete.
Hackerjacker,
You might want to check the thesaurus before assigning labels to your peers. I have to say, you are the first to ever confuse me with a fascist! Wow! Now, if you had said anarchist, you would've had some ammunition.
Wil,
I like Reggie. As much as I disagree with a lot of what he says, it is refreshing to hear someone say what he truly thinks, without first running it through the politically correct-o-meter.
Stew,
You mentioned earlier that I fancied myself a great thinker. Not true. Aristotle, Plato, Einstein - these guys are great thinkers. I, on the other hand, DO consider myself a very open-minded thinker. I feel this is probably just as important. The willingness to think outside the box, to accept no "truths", to offer ideas that may seem offbeat - these are the things that I like to believe characterize my thinking.
Anyway, I felt it necessary to post one more time after re-reading all the responses to my posts. It struck me that the tone of each response was similar, and I was reminded of something a very wise person once told me - "No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care." I realize now that I spent so much time and effort on ensuring that my logic was sound, that someone could easily have gotten the impression that I didn't care about the plight of the non-user in baseball and that I was awfully cavalier about the examples we were setting for our kids.
Well, nothing could be further from the truth. I feel awful for the John Smoltz's and others like him that just want some exoneration, and for the hundreds of minor leaguers that have been waiting years for that one big shot at the bigs. And believe me when I say that I truly feel the pain and share the fear of every parent who ever raised a kid who felt the enormous pressure to do whatever it took, not only to compete, but even just to fit in with his peers. I have two in their late teens now and another knocking on the door, so I know these feelings first hand.
All that I have been trying to say is that I truly feel that, for all these people who have undoubtedly been wronged, drug testing is fool's gold. It will solve nothing and create new problems, the likes of which we can only imagine. I would like to be able to offer assistance or advice to those that have always played by the rules. I realize my only advice so far has been what NOT to do. If I were to offer advice on what TO do, it would be to just keep doing what you are doing. I am a firm believer that we are all rewarded in the end for the way we live our lives. What that reward is - I haven't a clue - "God only knows".
NEW YORK (AP) Major league baseball has banned THG, the...
By Ronald Blum, Associated Press, 3/17/2004 13:01
NEW YORK (AP) Major league baseball has banned THG, the recently unmasked steroid at the center of the case against the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.
The health policy advisory committee of management and the players' association unanimously determined last Thursday that THG builds muscle mass and should be added to baseball's list of banned substances.
Baseball's decision was revealed to The Associated Press on Wednesday by Rob Manfred, executive vice president for labor relations in the commissioner's office, and Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer.
The Food and Drug Administration ruled Oct. 28 that THG, which stands for tetrahydrogestrinone, is an illegal drug that lacks federal permission for sale in the United States.
Because baseball and other sports did not know about THG before last October, drug testing was unable to detect it.
Barry Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was among four men indicted last month on charges of illegally supplying performance-enhancing drugs from BALCO. All four pleaded innocent.
Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield were among the athletes called to testify before a grand jury. All have denied using illegal steroids.
Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone. Some are approved by FDA for prescription-only sale to treat certain diseases.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig told a Congressional committee last week that he hopes to have a tougher testing plan than the one called for in baseball's labor contract.
The plan has drawn some criticism. Players with major league contracts are tested only twice in a one-week period each year, and penalties no suspension until the second offense are far weaker than those called for in Olympic sports.
The day before the hearing, Selig sent a letter to the union asking to discuss the drug agreement. The players' association has not yet responded.
Selig is powerless to act unilaterally because drug testing is covered by collective bargaining. While the major league baseball constitution gives Selig broad power to act in the ''best interests of baseball,'' in the labor contract he agreed the commissioner will take no action to ''negate rights of players.''
wil.
By Ronald Blum, Associated Press, 3/17/2004 13:01
NEW YORK (AP) Major league baseball has banned THG, the recently unmasked steroid at the center of the case against the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.
The health policy advisory committee of management and the players' association unanimously determined last Thursday that THG builds muscle mass and should be added to baseball's list of banned substances.
Baseball's decision was revealed to The Associated Press on Wednesday by Rob Manfred, executive vice president for labor relations in the commissioner's office, and Gene Orza, the union's chief operating officer.
The Food and Drug Administration ruled Oct. 28 that THG, which stands for tetrahydrogestrinone, is an illegal drug that lacks federal permission for sale in the United States.
Because baseball and other sports did not know about THG before last October, drug testing was unable to detect it.
Barry Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson, was among four men indicted last month on charges of illegally supplying performance-enhancing drugs from BALCO. All four pleaded innocent.
Bonds, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield were among the athletes called to testify before a grand jury. All have denied using illegal steroids.
Anabolic steroids are synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone. Some are approved by FDA for prescription-only sale to treat certain diseases.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig told a Congressional committee last week that he hopes to have a tougher testing plan than the one called for in baseball's labor contract.
The plan has drawn some criticism. Players with major league contracts are tested only twice in a one-week period each year, and penalties no suspension until the second offense are far weaker than those called for in Olympic sports.
The day before the hearing, Selig sent a letter to the union asking to discuss the drug agreement. The players' association has not yet responded.
Selig is powerless to act unilaterally because drug testing is covered by collective bargaining. While the major league baseball constitution gives Selig broad power to act in the ''best interests of baseball,'' in the labor contract he agreed the commissioner will take no action to ''negate rights of players.''
wil.
Hey MD -
Deep thoughts, bro. When the haters come out of the woodwork with the names and the bumper-sticker slogans they've heard but don't really understand, don't even sweat it.
There will always be people with little self-esteem that they need to have their noses wiped by the nanny-state.
Governments are for slaves. Free men govern themselves.
Deep thoughts, bro. When the haters come out of the woodwork with the names and the bumper-sticker slogans they've heard but don't really understand, don't even sweat it.
There will always be people with little self-esteem that they need to have their noses wiped by the nanny-state.
Governments are for slaves. Free men govern themselves.
