Stop the Madness.

I didn't watch the testimony of Capitol Hill today. This matter belonged in the province of MLB, an organization apparently too busy coining money to solve a simple problem.

As a lawyer told me once, "This isn't about right or wrong. It is all about money."

If I were Bud Selig (God forbid), this is how I would solve the issue, with a brief and simple solution in the Best Interests of Baseball. After all, isn't that what the Commissioner is supposed to do?

"To all professional baseball players:

We have endured hardship to our integrity and our game because of the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs. We must rid our game of this scourge as soon as possible, with a program of both healing and enforcement. All affected players, major and minor league will have seven days effective from the release of this statement to submit a statement acknowledging use of performance enhancing drugs. Submission of a 'previous user' statement results in immediate and total amnesty for any and all use of performance enhancing drugs, with no suspension, fine, or other penalty.

Those found to be in violation of baseball's identified drug policy after this date, or who declined amnesty will forfeit the right to play Major League Baseball should prior or future violations be discovered. Forever. Without exception...after due process substantiating the use."

Respectfully,

Bud Selig, Commissioner of Baseball

Of course, this could never happen, because the MLBPA would argue that this is not a negotiated policy, and the Players' Union often appears to have more interest in maintaining the status quo than ridding the sport of performance-enhancing drugs. After all, that is what lawyers do, act in the best interest of their clients, multimillionaires who sometimes too eager to pick up an extra buck from an autograph-seeking kid.

Nota bene: I served in the US Navy for ten years, subject to random drug testing.

Tyrone BriggsHall of Famer

681 days ago

Score 1

I respect your opinion. Really I do. But keep in mind one point. The only reason for today's sensationalism exhibited on Capitol Hill was because Roger Clemens demanded it.

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Taytay 24All-American

681 days ago

Score 1

Bud Selig will never do this because he is just as guilty. He, along with the owners, turned a blind eye to the behavior for years. If he is going to call out the players, he needs to step down as well.

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Cougar2000All-American

681 days ago

Score 0

At times, this thing looked like a cross between the courtroom scene in "A Few Good Men" and the Last Supper, when Jesus annouced (or knew) who his betrayer was. Clemens got his day to explain his side of the story and while I'm not that big a Roger Clemens fan, I am leaning toward believeing him.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

681 days ago

Score 1

I believed in him much more before he opened his mouth. What you belive from Roger? He said a lot of stuff and some of it was bad, like throwing his wife under the bus, shameful.

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LASportsblogAAA-er

681 days ago

Score 1

The only money I see in this congressional hearing is ours. It's in the form of tax money, and our congress is happily throwing it away under the charade of "protecting the children". This is about Congress pretending like they are doing something to stop steriods in sports, which we know is poppycock.

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FrugolfVarsity Captain

680 days ago

Score 0

Ron, your thoughts are correct, but don't sell papers.This should be about letting our children know that: 1. Cheaters never win.2.Steroids will hurt them physically & are illegal.3.There are no shortcuts to greatness.Unfortunately, none of these things sell papers either.Why do you think Knoblach & Pettitte were excused from testifing? They aren't big enough.David Justice has denied using and denounced the Mitchell report.He too is not big enough.Clemens sells papers.

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