Here's the problem ~ Congress affords Baseball anti-trust exemption.
Therefore Baseball enjoys the benefit of being an insulated entity. When Gov't (probably prodded by Jim Bunning and a few others) decides to check in on the NATIONAL Pastime from time to time, they are justified. They aren't going after Rocket because he did steroids. He like Martha Stewart lied to Congress. Congress has always gone after those who lied to them; from all walks of life.
Outside of that little detail, I don't like a meddlesome government either, so that argument speaks loud and clear to me. But excuse Congress for doing what Fay Vincent wanted to do over 20 years ago but whom the owners stopped cold in his tracks.
The instituting of Selig as C'mish was all part of a greater plan by the owners to alleviate themselves of Good C'mishes who really did have the best interests of Baseball foremost on their mind. Selig, or whomever was going to be made Commissioner then, would surely be a person who had the OWNERS best interest foremost on their mind. Selig; of the owners; by the owners; for the owners. He could have done what Vincent wanted to do which was get on the soapbox, raise the concerns of PED usage and putting the pressure squarely on the PA to respond in the court of public opinion. Maybe then Donald Fehr could have been broken. But Selig didn't try. And (Fehr is equally to blame but his mandate is to protect the membership).
For TWENTY-plus years Selig stayed mute. If Congress wants to step in from time to time because they allow Baseball (the only ones) to exists with anti-trust exemption, be happy because SELIG blew it and that's why we are where we are. When the owners said HomeRuns are good, Selig listened. Now look at our game and our records...and our attitudes.
I submit to you we are more apathetic to the game now than we were in 1995 after the strike. Baseball did not need McGwire and Sosa to save it. That is BULL$hit right there! because Baseball, since 1846 has survived every vice man has tried to sully the game with. So to all that buy that crap They saved the game...You have no idea what you're talking about. Read your history people. Steroids, though harmful to our record books and our pockets in the price we pay for tickets, appears as a mere pimple on baseball's ass compared to the things players and owners and direct competition from rivals hath wrought. Baseball is the megalith it is because of vices! Think about it.
That was a pure rant!
Mike.BTB
You think people are more apathetic about baseball now than they were after the strike? I agree we didn't need McGwire/Sosa and their home run chase to "revive" the sport, but I think the fan base now is as avid as ever. Mostly, I wish Congress would spend less time on baseball and more on saving the economy.
ReplyDeleteYea...maybe that needs clarifying. I guess age has something to do with that also. I just sense once the record books were tarnished, while people are still passionate about baseball, long time fans don't take things to heart anymore. To me that speaks of apathy. I believe people think differently now-a-days, with more immunity and callous. I believe now-a-days we have to be more selective about the aspects of this game we chose to be passionate about. We spend more time than ever filtering out the bad.
ReplyDelete...LOL furthermore I say > Americans are more empathetic to labor issues (even if we're talking about Millionaires versus Billionaires) than they are to a cheater. That should define my "apathetic line" a little more clearly.
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