Damn! Look at those guns!
So say it ain't so... Mark. Of all players wrapped up in this thing, I believe you before I'd believe Sammy, Barry and Jason. True, McGwire was skinny when he came into the league. I was thinking of the rookie card in my "unopened" 1987 Topps Baseball Card set and his scrawny 6 foot 4 inch frame that pounded 49 homers his rookie year, shattering the rookie record by 10 or so homeruns. Man, you were it if you had that card in my neighborhood. I was 13 and mesmerized by the stats. Yet, everyone was hitting homeruns that year including 38 year old Mike Schmidt and 40 year old Darrell Evans, who once by the way wrapped a line drive off my brother's arm into my mom's head when he was with the Giants . Wade Boggs exploded for like 24 homers and never got close again. The Detroit Tigers hit 225 as a team, setting a record. Rookies like Matt Nokes, Pete Incaviglia, Ruben Sierra, all busted out with 30. No one said anything then. Oh... I remember they blamed it on the ball or the pitching. Nolan Ryan was placed on a quota that year by the Astros on how long he could pitch in a game, to protect him? He led the league with 270 strikeouts and ERA but posted an 8 and 16 record with no complete games. So much for that.
So what changed since then? Alleged steroid use. Forget the fact that these guys are all on work out regimes and on special diets and supplements that are all purely legal. And they have computer imaging of their swings and models and enhancements. And steroids let's them hit the ball farther too. Hey its all about excess isn't it? What partof dietary health is cheating? Oh right the 'roids!
Tiger Woods... He's back to making Phil Mickelson his perennial bitch. Tiger, I am sure, spent Nike's money well, as the richest golfer, if not athlete, to make himself better. I am sure he has all the technical advances and all the right things that no one else in golf can lay a finger on. Isn't that cheating? Nah...
This all brings me to Elective Surgery and Sports.
Kerry Woods (Not the dude in the picture) blows his arm out as pitchers do. Career ending. Meanwhile other guys like Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, Cy Young, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling pitch forever and even get better into their 40's. Curt's not there yet, but still. Yet, back in the 70's, the guy the photo has the 2nd most known medical thing named for a sports athlete happen. Tommy John blows his arm. He has surgery and misses a year. Basically in a nutshell, they take parts from his good non-pitching elbow and place them in his blown elbow. A year later and some rehab, these guys, like Tommy John and Kerry Wood go on playing forever. Well, at least Tommy John did. He was a decent pitcher before the surgery and then boom, strings up 3 20-win seasons after the surgery. The guy was like 50 when he retired chasing his 300th victory. Kerry Wood will go on being as good as he is all because of a medical advantage. Isn't that cheating?
On a lighter note, Giant's fans like me sit in denial about Barry Bonds. Why not? He's on our team. We'll wait until he's gone like Kings fans and their thoughts on C-Webb. But think of the what if's!! What if Barry were friendlier than his rumored difficulties socializing with his team? He could have given JT Snow steroids!! That would rule! Of course though, would he be able to hit left handed pitching any better?
So what changed since then? Alleged steroid use. Forget the fact that these guys are all on work out regimes and on special diets and supplements that are all purely legal. And they have computer imaging of their swings and models and enhancements. And steroids let's them hit the ball farther too. Hey its all about excess isn't it? What partof dietary health is cheating? Oh right the 'roids!
Tiger Woods... He's back to making Phil Mickelson his perennial bitch. Tiger, I am sure, spent Nike's money well, as the richest golfer, if not athlete, to make himself better. I am sure he has all the technical advances and all the right things that no one else in golf can lay a finger on. Isn't that cheating? Nah...
This all brings me to Elective Surgery and Sports.
Kerry Woods (Not the dude in the picture) blows his arm out as pitchers do. Career ending. Meanwhile other guys like Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, Cy Young, Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling pitch forever and even get better into their 40's. Curt's not there yet, but still. Yet, back in the 70's, the guy the photo has the 2nd most known medical thing named for a sports athlete happen. Tommy John blows his arm. He has surgery and misses a year. Basically in a nutshell, they take parts from his good non-pitching elbow and place them in his blown elbow. A year later and some rehab, these guys, like Tommy John and Kerry Wood go on playing forever. Well, at least Tommy John did. He was a decent pitcher before the surgery and then boom, strings up 3 20-win seasons after the surgery. The guy was like 50 when he retired chasing his 300th victory. Kerry Wood will go on being as good as he is all because of a medical advantage. Isn't that cheating?
On a lighter note, Giant's fans like me sit in denial about Barry Bonds. Why not? He's on our team. We'll wait until he's gone like Kings fans and their thoughts on C-Webb. But think of the what if's!! What if Barry were friendlier than his rumored difficulties socializing with his team? He could have given JT Snow steroids!! That would rule! Of course though, would he be able to hit left handed pitching any better?
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