| In the last 5 years the growing popularity and use | | | | professional athletes never become a great like |
| of illegal substances like steroids in major league | | | | Rod Carew, Michael Jordan, or Warren Moon, but |
| baseball has created a public outcry and led to | | | | they are all imprinted in our children. Everyone |
| indictments, arrests and congressional hearings. | | | | remembers the negatives like McEnroe and his |
| Some have even put major league baseball on | | | | emotional outbursts, Rae Caruth and O.J. Simpson |
| par with professional wrestling as it is now a | | | | whom have abused the legal system and their |
| drugged or juiced game and old, lasting records | | | | fame to commit murder, steroids, gambling and |
| by the greats like Ruth and Hank Aaron can easily | | | | the expulsion of baseball legend Pete Rose. The |
| be broken by lesser athletes on steroids and have | | | | leaders of these professional sports must soon |
| become meaningless. Just look at Barry Bonds for | | | | realize that these players have tainted and in |
| an example. | | | | some respects ruined the future of sports like |
| Barry Bonds became depressed in the late 90s as | | | | major league baseball. |
| new athletes like McGwire and Jose Conseco | | | | To see immediate evidence of this all one has to |
| were becoming more popular for belting | | | | do is look at the dwindling number of visitors to |
| homeruns. Bonds was a great athlete, but he was | | | | the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown, NY. It |
| aging and just like his father was headed for | | | | used to be almost every young boys fantasy to |
| retirement. Bonds and everyone else knew that | | | | see the outfit worn by Babe Ruth, the Ball that |
| Conseco and the others were taking steroids. It | | | | was signed by Reggie Jackson and his Yankee |
| was inevitable that Bonds would start taking | | | | teammates, the stories of greatness and great |
| steroids as he was very jealous and had an | | | | hurdles and obstacles that were overcome by |
| insatiable appetite for being the leader, he could | | | | some of the legends. Rare baseball cards by |
| not stand being in second place to anyone and he | | | | players with strict standards like Honus Wagner |
| saw the great results of McGwire and Conseco. | | | | whom had his cards pulled as he did not want to |
| Barry Bonds started taking numerous types of | | | | be associated with cigarettes and tobacco. The |
| steroids through his trainer Greg Anderson. His | | | | meaning of baseballs rich history has greatly |
| physique, career and baseball would never be the | | | | suffered and will continue until something drastic is |
| same. Bonds was better after the steroids than | | | | done. |
| anytime in his career. The steroids had elevated | | | | Athletes like Barry Bonds that cheat and use illegal |
| his career and possibly made him the best player | | | | performance enhancing drugs should be banned |
| in baseball history as he has now hit 722 career | | | | and immediately removed from baseball and other |
| home runs. Only a few of the greatest players in | | | | sports. They should receive punishment worse |
| Baseball history have ever hit into this range. It is | | | | than Pete Rose and should be stripped of all |
| similar to what Tiger Woods has done in Golf and | | | | records, titles, and history in the game. Let |
| his chasing Jack Nicklaus with his 18 career major | | | | someone who worked hard, overcame adversity |
| titles. The difference is that Tiger Woods is a real | | | | and great obstacles, and never cheated and had |
| champion and does not use illegal enhancers or | | | | great ethics, standards and was a true hero be |
| drugs like steroids or cheat in any way. Kids can | | | | the one to determine their fate. Someone like |
| look up to him as a real hero. | | | | Hank Aaron. Hank Aaron set records, great |
| Tiger Woods worked and trained very hard, he is | | | | records, the hard way and they are being |
| also human as he went through a lot dealing with | | | | tarnished by the likes of Barry Bonds and others. |
| the loss of his father. Tiger woods through his | | | | Hank Aaron, like Herschel Walker, overcame a |
| great game and ethics has elevated professional | | | | very poor upbringing, racism, lack of resources |
| golf and its fan base to all time highs. Barry | | | | and through sheer determination became one of |
| Bonds, on the other hand, has devastated major | | | | the greatest athletes ever. |
| league baseball and its rich history. Records are | | | | It is time to stop the commercialism and get back |
| not meant to be broken on a daily or monthly | | | | to the basics of these sports. We have forgotten |
| basis. Records are just that records of greatness, | | | | what the game really means. There is a reason |
| by actual heroes like Joe DiMaggio, Ruth, Shoeless | | | | why in Brooklyn they still remember the Brooklyn |
| Joe Jackson, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Ty | | | | Dodgers. Lets not let the great game of baseball |
| Cobb. They never used steroids and were great | | | | be ruined by people like Barry Bonds. They must |
| players both on and off the field. | | | | be removed from the game, their history |
| What every professional athlete needs to | | | | completely wiped out and start anew. This is the |
| understand is that our kids see them as idols, | | | | only way to retain or rescue the image of |
| heroes and mentors. Its not about the money, its | | | | professional baseball. |
| about the game. Ninety nine percent of | | | | |