January 27, 2008

Should We Accept Steroid Use in Sports?: Bob Costas hosts a panel of experts to address the ethics of steroid use in an Oxford-style debate. Listen here.

posted by geekyguy to culture at 08:05 PM - 12 comments

Wow! Dale Murphy wants to give his opinion on something? Colour me shocked!

posted by grum@work at 10:46 PM on January 27, 2008

How We Would Fight Steroids If We Really Meant It

posted by catfish at 11:10 PM on January 27, 2008

In the article some argue we use drugs for ailments so why not for baseball. I didn't realize baseball was an ailment.

posted by sandskater at 11:25 PM on January 27, 2008

Yes sandskater, i hear it can lead to drug use.

posted by elijahin24 at 11:51 PM on January 27, 2008

what is wrong with letting the league take care of itself? I for one am disgusted that tax dollars are being wasted on congressional hearings and such. As long as the league doesn't care, the gov. shouldn't care. What surprises me is that the players association doesn't do more to police itself. Get the gov. out of it.

posted by Hannibal at 09:02 AM on January 28, 2008

I am in total agreement with Hannibal on this. I am disgusted that with all the economic, social, and worldwide issues our government has to deal with, thay are wasting my tax dollars for what? Helping major league baseball clean up? Maybe dealing with the real drug problems like keeping crystal meth or crack off the streets instead of stopping millionaire athletes from lowering their forty time by a couple of tenths, would be a better use of their time. I could care less what performance enhancers athletes are using. Maybe Barry Bonds hit some drug aided homers, but then again, he hit them against performanced enhanced pitchers. I hate it when people think they have to save the integrity of sports. Professional sports are here for one reason and that is to make money. So it seems they are doing their job of putting people in the stands and making money very well. Stop looking to sports to be some sort uncorruptable business. Stop trying to make athletes into role models. The bottom line is that this is entertainment staged by business men who want people in the seats watching celebrity athletes perform at their highlest levels. that is the product. Drugs, surgery, and training help them to deliver a more exciting product.

posted by Atheist at 11:09 AM on January 28, 2008

Hannibal, I agree get the government out of sports. Unfortunately for the owners that would also mean giving up their tax advantage and being labeled "a business".... but I think both are better places than current... As for "legalizing" steriods, I am amazed anyone feels this is ok. Colour (british spelling intended) me shocked also.

posted by Fly_Piscator at 11:57 AM on January 28, 2008

I am disgusted that with all the economic, social, and worldwide issues our government has to deal with, thay are wasting my tax dollars for what? Helping major league baseball clean up? The reason, besides political grandstanding, for the congressional hearings is because teen athletes are picking up on pro usage and getting some serious damage from it. If it were just MLB, probably not happening.

posted by billsaysthis at 03:03 PM on January 28, 2008

Fly.. the term should actually be de-criminalizing steroids. Let me try to convince you why it should be ok with everyone. Pick any behavior(as long as it doesn't infringe upon another persons rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happines) that you do that has possible long term side effects for yourself. Make it illegal. The criminalization of drugs is by far one of the most racially and/or socioeconomically motivated games practiced by politicians followed by limiting gun ownership. "According to the federal Household Survey, "most current illicit drug users are white. There were an estimated 9.9 million whites (72 percent of all users), 2.0 million blacks (15 percent), and 1.4 million Hispanics (10 percent) who were current illicit drug users in 1998." And yet, blacks constitute 36.8% of those arrested for drug violations, over 42% of those in federal prisons for drug violations. African-Americans comprise almost 58% of those in state prisons for drug felonies; Hispanics account for 20.7%." from drugwarfacts.org

posted by Hannibal at 03:13 PM on January 28, 2008

The reason, besides political grandstanding, for the congressional hearings is because teen athletes are picking up on pro usage and getting some serious damage from it. If it were just MLB, probably not happening. More teens are going to f*ck themselves (and others) up on alcohol than they will on steroids, but I don't see the beer companies getting dragged into Congress for a beat down.

posted by grum@work at 12:15 AM on January 29, 2008

"According to the federal Household Survey, "most current illicit drug users are white. There were an estimated 9.9 million whites (72 percent of all users), 2.0 million blacks (15 percent), and 1.4 million Hispanics (10 percent) who were current illicit drug users in 1998." And yet, blacks constitute 36.8% of those arrested for drug violations, over 42% of those in federal prisons for drug violations. African-Americans comprise almost 58% of those in state prisons for drug felonies; Hispanics account for 20.7%." from drugwarfacts.org This has what to do with this article?

posted by jojomfd1 at 12:19 AM on January 30, 2008

Update to that Freakonomics article catfish linked to is this Is there another way to eliminate doping

posted by Fence at 03:10 AM on January 30, 2008

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.