Your Turn

 

1. No.  I think Congress should enact legislation regarding the use of steroids in all professional sports.

   Kids fail exams and get kicked out of school if they are caught cheating, because it gives them an unfair advantage over the other kids (not to mention they don’t learn as much if they cheat).  Same thing should apply to professional sports.  ESPECIALLY when my tax dollars are involved with publically subsidized stadiums/arenas.  If you allow steroids to enhance one athlete’s performance, all other athletes would have to take them to compete.

   That said, it will be a LONG LONG time before I willingly spend my hard earned money at any of those freakshows when I can watch them on TV.

   Posted by FJBill       12/06/2004  at  09:57 AM  



2. NO! This is not a matter that should even be on the radar for Congress. It’s a GAME, people!, a friggin’ game! If the athletes want to use the stupid drugs and the league is going to turn a blind eye, what difference does it make? What utter bullshit to think Congress should even think about this kind of petty shit!

   Posted by candyuniverse       12/06/2004  at  10:28 AM  



3. I DO sympathize with FJBill regarding steroids in professional sports. HOWEVER...MLB has one thing going for it which the other sports leagues do not have, and that is its antitrust exemption which it has enjoyed since 1922, thanks to SCOTUS. That ruling declared that MLB is NOT ‘interstate commerce.’

   With that in mind, Congress has the power to regulate MLB, and it should by passing legislation. This would set the example to the other leagues: clean up your act or we WILL legislate YOU next!

   Posted by Macker       12/06/2004  at  10:35 AM  



4. Sure it’s a game, but as long as my tax money is being taken involuntarily to pay for their playgrounds, then they better follow my (figuratively and collectively) rules.  If they want to continue turning a blind eye without legislative involvement, then they can pay for their own damn stadiums.

   Posted by FJBill       12/06/2004  at  10:39 AM  



5. I have to agree with candyuniverse here.  Players are employees and/or private contractors.  They are under contract to do a job and have agreed to the conditions set forth by the contract they signed.  It’s up to their ‘employer’ to enforce those guidelines.

   We have more than enough laws on our books regarding employers and/or employees.

   If people get fed up enough with professional sports to stop buying their tickets, things will certainly change.  If they don’t...well, honestly, who gives a crap!

   Posted by beermeanie       12/06/2004  at  10:39 AM  



6. Look, I agree that the public let their appetite for bread and circuses to allow them to turn a blind eye to the costs to the community and the tax base, but that’s not the point here. IMHO, Congress has better things to do than try to police a bunch of over-grown, over-paid whiners. Excuse me if I am wrong, but I’m fairly sure the use of steriods without a prescription is already illegal. Why pass more laws to essentially reinforce existing laws? If we have to have Congress pass any laws about sports at all, why not have them make laws that force teams to pay taxes on their receipts, gate, parking, concessions and souvenirs to the local community?

   Posted by candyuniverse       12/06/2004  at  11:55 AM  



7. The smaller the government, the better the state of that government and its people.

   If we do not want to be taxed for stadiums, we should make our voices heard through our local officials.  What you have now are people who want stadiums and want others to pay for them so that they can go enjoy their pastime.

   It is high time this get changed. 

   Congress has no business legislating this.  As Beermeanie said, when we get fed up enough we will stop going and the major league teams will police themselves.

   Better yet, why not have three levels of sports:

   --minor leagues (no steroids at all)
   --major leagues (no steroids at all)
   --super-duper leagues (all steroid use encouraged all the time.)

   Then people who want to watch pure sports can do so at the major and minor leagues.

   Those wanting to watch “The Hulk” tear into “Superman” can do so.  And after a few years we will see these assclowns all dying of very weird diseases and then they will serve as a good example for the kids---don’t do drugs!

   It would only take a generation or two for people to wise up.  Then again, they’ll probably find a way to improve steroids so that they DON’T kill you.  Bonus, I guess.

   But Congress has no business sticking their noses in this.  As soon as they do what will stop them from wanting to legislate all aspects of the game?

   Posted by Vilmar       12/06/2004  at  02:13 PM  



8. Congress or any other goverment agency NO…
   Baseball yes, by all means…

   And Pete Rose should be allowed in the Baseball Hall of Fame…

   Bond issues to fund sports arenas are put up for a vote, so you don’t want it then get out and vote against it.

   Personally I’d like to see a AAA league team in Gainesville and would vote for a reasonable bond issue to fund it before a sales tax increase to pay medical costs of welfare moochers who already get Medicaid..

   Posted by Ric       12/06/2004  at  07:23 PM  



9. Vilmar, that is an excellent idea.

   Posted by Steel Turman       12/06/2004  at  09:51 PM  

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