They've been taking steroids? Oh my!

Is it just my quirky way of viewing things or does it seem that the "shocking" big baseball announcement yesterday is much ado about something we knew was true but didn't want to admit and now that we know it's true, we really don't think we'll do anything about it? But it's just horrible, just horrible! And, after all this work, we've got the stacks of reports to prove it!

I watched several reports on Sen. George Mitchell's announcement about his intensive study of what's been going on with our baseball "heroes" who've been pumping themselves up like Pillsbury dough boys. In every segment of news followed by commentary, the conclusion seemed to be that since we can't do anything about these guys' cheating, maybe we oughta start with the kids and try to raise them right.

Wow! That's impressive. I wonder if the experts had followed that attitude with cancer how far we would have advanced in finding a cure. Just forget those suffering with the disease cuz what's done is done and it's too huge and hard to deal with. If we concentrate on keeping the kids healthy, maybe they won't get the disease.

Sounds pretty stupid, but so does the prevailing reaction to Sen. Mitchell's findings that the sport of baseball is infiltrated with one giant mass of cheaters which are too hard to handle, so let's forget them and try a different angle.

I've come up with a cut-and-dried simple solution. Since this problem is too difficult to be dealt with because of all the endless litigation that's sure to come from all the stars who say they've been slandered, libeled, etc., the baseball executives ought to just wash their hands of the whole situation and enact new standards, retroactive to the date when oldest baseball player (who has been accused but did not do drugs) started amassing his records.

There should be a set of BS baseball records and a set of ASS baseball records. BS means Before Steroids. ASS means After Steroids Started. That way, the baseball players, who earned their records fair and square could be delineated from those who allegedly enhanced themselves to perform to higher standards. For example, we can list records as Hank Aaron -- BS and Barry Bonds --ASS.

This proposal could open and close some stubborn doors. We could quickly slam the door on all the "he said, I said, I deny, I'm suing" stuff and the never-ending efforts to try to prove something that's obvious to everyone except to the denial artists. Seems like a lot of frustration goes into coming up with ways of testing these people and with the accusations that come from people in the know.

If the baseball execs would just clear the slate on all the murkiness that's been involved and which is sure to continue with the sport, another door could open. Everyone could settle down and just accept the fact that we're dealing with an era of cheaters who will do anything for the big bucks and the records.

Besides, I believe we've got some real sad times ahead in the sport if we let the perpetrators of enhancement get away with their body abuse and just concentrate on the kids. If by any stretch of the imagination the kids are convinced, through an ongoing propaganda blitz, that steroid use and body enhancement is bad, what's gonna happen to the baseball records in the future?

Will there be a Barry Bonds era where every record known to America's Sport is shattered beyond belief, and then will it be followed by another era where all we have are skinny little baseball players who can't hit their way out of a barn? I think we need to consider this because the pundits say all these broken records have been really good for baseball attendance.

If we eventually return to those skinny little kids playing baseball, using only their God-given talent, they'll probably never break any records. And attendance at games is sure to go down! And, then what will happen? That will surely be bad. Will they have to start taking steroids again to lure the fans back?

I don't know what's going to happen as a result of yesterday's "shocking" announcement, but one thing does appear clear to me: it's a pay-me-now or pay-me-later situation, and with most serious situations, rather than wishy-washy waffling, it takes some hard-nosed, courageous decisions to ensure a successful future.

One more thought: how come Marion Jones had to give up all five of her Olympic medals? I think that was on the news yesterday or the day before, but it kinda got overshadowed by the baseball debacle.