OMG!! BASEBALL STEROID HEARINGS!!

[mburbank]

OH!! OH!! OH Christ!! BASEBALL STEROID HEARINGS!! THIS IS SO CRUSHINGLY, IMMEDIATELY IMPORTANT AND SO DIRE I CANNOT THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL THIS IS TAKEN CARE OF! THIS SHOULD BE OUR NUMBER ONE NATIONAL PRIORITY, NOTHING IS MORE CRUCIAL!! QUICK EVERYONE, BACKBURNER THE MICHAEL JACKSON TRIAL!!



see?! SEE?! WHO SAYS THERE'S NO PLACE FOR HOT, BIPARTISAN ACTION ANYMORE!? THANK THE GOOD LORD WE CAN COME TOGATHER AS A NATIONA OVER THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE OF OUR TIME,, BASEBALL STEROID USE!!

SHUT UP IRAQIS!! DIE MORE QUIETLY YOU DARFUR SONES OF BITCHES!! IGNORE THE MAN DRILLING BEHIND THE CURTAIN IN ALASKA!! WE ARE TALKING STEROIDS!!! STEEEEEEERRRRROOOOOIDS!!

[El Blanco]

Max, this isn't just about basbeall (which, happens to be a mutli billion dollar bussiness and ingrained into the American psyche), its about the use of steroids by high school and college athletes. thats how the feds got involved.

An FBI agent was investigating the drug companies in the mid 1990s for possibly supplying 16 year olds with performance enhancing drugs in Michigan when he came across the names of several pro ball players. He informed MLB, who pormptly ignored him.

When the media got hold of that story last month, MLB said they had no idea that any agent had contacted them. That was immediatly proven false, Congress decided to get involved.

[mburbank]

I disagree. Here's what I think it's about.

A while Back the fine folks at GW Bush incorporated stumbled across a legitimate legal problem that had all the earmarks of some excellent PR that everyone could agree on and they inserted a trail balloon into the State of the Union.

Then an overpaid former baseball star decided he could milk even more money out of the public and wrote a tell all, thrusting the entire subject into the center of moronic media coverage.

The PROBLEM is real. The decision for a public senate investigation during a time we are at war, over our heads in debt, etc. etc. etc. is a cold and deeply cynical deliberate circus both parties feel they can grandstand with while sucking attention away from all the multiple messes we are in. Senators admonishing Baseball starts while the cameras role.

[sspadowsky]

I'm relieved that they've solved all the other problems, so they can now devote their attention to this public menace.

You can't see it, but I'm waving my "GO SENATE!" pennant right now.

[rockets redglare]

I for one was hoping they'd tackle the issue of scented bowling balls in the PBA.

Come on, a ball that smells like chocolate!
Talk about an unfair advantage!!

[El Blanco]

So, we just handle one problem at a time? We can't work on several things at one time?

I don't get what your complaining about. Too much media coverage? Hi, I'd like to welcome you to the 21st Century.

[Zebra 3]

- Thank white Christian God this isn't affecting the Olympic movement - USA! USA! USA!

[sspadowsky]

No, we handle the problems that actually matter. Then we get to steroids in baseball.

I don't feel sorry for a bunch of stupid kids who shoot themselves up with steriods because Jose Canseco said it was cool. When "I did it 'cause he did it" is your rationale, you may not always get bad results, but if you do, you fuckin' deserve them.

[kellychaos]

Originally Posted by El Blanco

Max, this isn't just about basbeall (which, happens to be a mutli billion dollar bussiness and ingrained into the American psyche), its about the use of steroids by high school and college athletes. thats how the feds got involved.

Darwinism at it's best, I say.

And Max is right. It has nothing to do with media saturation. There is a vast difference between covering a media story and making it a national push by using the "State Of The Union" address as your platform. There definitely is an agenda here ... pushed by someone who owns a major league baseball team. !

[El Blanco]

He used to own the Texas Rangers. Used to. And Conseco accused GWB of knowing about it. So, he has every reason to bury the issue.

So, what is your point?

[kellychaos]

No point, just stirring the pot a bit. :bubblebubbletoilandstuff

P.S. Would it be more advisable to "bury the issue" or be more assertive with a little pre-emptive damage control before something worse is revealed?

P.S.S. Did you know that some of the worse evidence about the Jackson trial were leaked by the defense counsel in an effort to desensitize the public and/or jury to the worst things prior to testimony? Yet, they blamed it on the prosecution.

[El Blanco]

But the defense didn't go to the media before any allegations were filed and said "You know, this guy might be touching kids"

Thats what would be what you are implying Bush did.

[Anonymous]

really, can't you people just give bush the benefit of a doubt since he's been so straightforward with us in the past?

[mburbank]

There are lots of and lots of very real problems in the US that never rise to the state of a public senate hearing. Therer are lots and lots of senate hearings that don't call celebrity witnesses and ask them to name names.

I give the press equal blame for pushing real stories back to page three and giving this front page status. BUT since political hacks know media does this and are using them, I blame the hacks as well. And this is a joint venture between the D's and the R's.

This is deliberate grandstanding, deliberate time wasting. Steroid abuse is way less spread than huffing, and you don't see the senate haveing public hearings about that. Not that I'm saying they should. There are hundreds of problems in America right now that could really benefit from this sort of focus, but those things might have political costs and difficult choices might have to be made.

"I'm against steroid abuse. You people are role models."

Tough call.

If I were a big time baseball star, I'd say "Know what? You're rich. You'll be richer still when a lobbying firms picks you up as soon as you leave here. Politicians are supposed to be role models. You have actual power over peoples lives. What say you go pee in a cup
and when the results come back, I'll be happy to discuss my steroid problems with you."

I really think you're wrong on theis one Blancs. I think this is cynical, hypocritical bullshit.

[El Blanco]

and you don't see the senate haveing public hearings about that. Not that I'm saying they should.

They do have things like that. Its just not sexy. If you run into a congressman in Washington ,you can bet he is chairing some commission. This one just happens to heavily involve celebrities.

I'm actually waiting for the Senate hearings (this was just the House). the thought of McCain ripping McGwire a new one makes me giddy.

This is deliberate grandstanding, deliberate time wasting.

You mean its polticians being politicians.

And there are two very imprtant facts I think most people don't know or are overlooking

1) Baseball has a anti-trust exemption from the federal governemnt. That gives Congress the right to look into how they are running things.

2) MLB played dumb in the face of of an FBI investigation. that means the government has the duty to look into how they are running things.