This week's big news centered around the "Mitchell Report" and its allegations that steriod use around Major League Baseball involved many more players than just Barry Bonds. Superstars like Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte were dragged into the juice blender. Worse still, perhaps, is the notion that adult leadership knew about the use of performance improving substances but turned a blind eye. Here's an excerpt from today's Washington Post:
Perhaps what is most chilling in the Mitchell report is the casual business-as-usual comments of general managers and scouts as they discuss what they assume is the steroid use of players such as Lo Duca and Gagne. No problem, just factor it into the price of the deal, like a bad knee or a problem hitting the change-up. The report also gives us new characters to disrespect, such as Giants General Manager Brian Sabean who, when his trainer brings him information about drug use, says, in effect, you take care of it. Or Cards Manager Tony La Russa, who once told "60 Minutes" how much he knew about steroids in his Oakland clubhouse long ago yet, when quizzed for details by Mitchell, suddenly says he "exaggerated" for TV.
So as the media (including DT, obviously) hits "puree" we're all obliged to figure out how we feel about the issue. So your Sunday Paper question is this: Is this scandal much ado about nothing or a sad commentary on the pressure to win in professional sports or something else altogether?
-- Ward
