This week's discussion topic: Ban drug users from the Hall of Fame?

[poltr1]

Well, the smoking gun -- or should I say, smoking syringe -- is out. Baltimore Orioles 1B Rafael Palmiero has been suspended for 10 days for using steroids. (Yeah I know; it's old and stale news.)

Only 10 days? Olympic athletes lose their medals and endure a lifetime of disgrace if they test positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Ask Ben Johnson.

But here's a man who testified before Congress a few months ago, saying he didn't use steroids. If he was under oath at the time, this could be considered perjury. That is, unless it's true that he didn't use them before the time he testified.

Here's how I see it: An athlete who takes performance-enhancing materials gives himself an unfair advantage over his or her opponents. That's not sportsmanlike.

Palmiero has over 500 home runs and 3000 hits -- one of only 4 players in major league baseball history. That would make him Hall of Fame material.

However, players have been banned from the Hall for other acts detrimental to baseball. Shoeless Joe Jackson. Pete Rose.

Should players such as Palmiero be admitted to the Baseball Hall of Fame, despite their drug usage on or off the playing field?

Discuss.

Comments

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

fuckit. in 20 years, all professional sports will be played using genetically enhanced athletes. They'll use whatever chemical or genetic doctoring will give them an advantage. In 40 years, pro athletes will be vat-grown. Genetically engineering your team's athletes will be like a Formula One crew designing an engine for a race car.

[dagonell.livejournal.com]

Larry Niven's actually written a sci-fi novel on this concept, "Achille's Choice". Athletes take and promote designer enhancement drugs much the same way, race car drivers promote oil and tires.

[dagonell.livejournal.com]

My personal opinion is that they should be banned. Otherwise, you're teaching children it's okay to cheat...

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

I really can't say I applaud a whole lot of what pro sports and, for that matter, scholastic sports are teaching kids these days.

Ideally, playing a sport is supposed to teach kids several positive things, among them teamwork, losing gracefully, following rules, self-sacrifice for the greater good. However, the pervasive "win at all costs" mentality has soaked down to the Little League level. Now, kids learn to sulk and whine when they lose, to cheat, to abuse game officials. The parents don't help, either. Look at how many pushy, abusive parents there are at childrens' sports games.

[poltr1]

Yeah. that's what I remember from when I was a kid, playing sports (badly), having fun (yeah but so what), and being less cynical about pro sports. Crash Davis called it right when he called it "The Show".

Who was it that said, "Winning isn't everything -- it's the only thing"? Vince Lombardi?

And as you alluded, the violence in sports has risen dramatically over the past dozen or so years. (More on this in a future LJ post.)

If my daughter chooses to pursue sports, I pledge that I'm not going to be one of thse abusive sports dads.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

"chooses to pursue." good on you for not being a *pushy* sports parent, either.