Tiger Woods

Why does the whole Tiger Woods fiasco surprise us? Athletes are not role models and we always seem to have to reminded of that simple truth. I find that people forget time and time again that athletes tend to believe anything goes, even if they publicly attest to living moral, truthful lives. That will be the extent of my comments on Tiger Woods, because I don't particularly care about his infidelity(ies).

Steroidgate

Update: It turns out that Palmeiro might have been tested as early as April or May according to the reports on ESPN this evening. If so, I am very disturbed by how baseball could allow this to go unchecked for so long. It would appear as if they felt compelled to wait until after he got 3000 hits before admitting that some part of this quest was enhanced by outside substances. The report also said that unlike the other steroid offenders, Palmeiro was given the opportunity to argue his case before the accusation was made public. What kind of message does this send? The steroids policy is not supposed to include protecting the "elite" while letting the little ones flounder.

Wow!!

Baseball's steroid policy is serious. Rafael Palmeiro, who recently broke 3000 hits and became the fourth player with 3000 hits and 500 homers, has been suspended for steroids. Not even the high-profile players are immune. Hmm, wonder what Bonds must be thinking now? Is it possible that he might be better off never coming back than to come back and be found with steroids in his system?

One point which I keep hearing over and over again is this idea that taking steroids and being lazy would theoretically go hand in hand. According to everyone involved in the Palmeiro situation, they all say he is a hard worker. The issue isn't whether taking steroids indicates hard work or laziness. The issue is what kind of edge did it give him.

I read Canseco's book, Juiced : Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big and, assuming one can believe an autobiography as being even somewhat factual, the idea of taking steroids and being lazy wouldn't have worked. Fact is, steroids is an enhancer, meaning that you can work very hard and be great or you can take a drug and being better than great. Palmeiro lasting 20 years is partially a testament to his hard work as a ballplayer but the problem is, how much of his career is a result of it being enhanced by outside substances, whether legal or not.

Hockey returns

If a sports league rises in a forest and no one is there, does it matter?

So the NHL has finally come to a deal to bring us hockey next year. Big deal. The teams are decimated, as most don't even have half their stars under contract. Those under contract are going to have to take pay cuts. This whole thing is an utter joke. But what really bothers me is that the wonderful sports networks (ESPN and others) didn't bother to keep people's interest in the sport by televising other hockey leagues or events other than the US college hockey playoffs. You would think they would want to guarantee viewership of the sport. But alas, they are shortsighted.