Welcome to the newest FANdemonium Sports segment. It is called Sunday Debates. Every Sunday, I will think of a hot topic subject in the world of sports. Today’s subject argues one thing. Should MLB players who take steroids be allowed into the Hall of Fame?
So I will debate each point of view and then give you my opinion on the subject.
If you want to view my take on any topic that is suitable for a Sunday Debate, let me know about it. Email me any suggestions (along with anything else you want) at StLDieHard24@gmail.com.
I made a “Sunday Debates” section on the right side of the page under the “It’s FANdemonium, baby!” portion. There you will be able to view all of the Sunday Debates. Let’s get started with the seventh Sunday Debate.
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Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro, and Jason Giambi all have a few things in common with each other. Most notable: They are all big-name steroid users that were busted for juicing. What’s interesting though is that all of these guys may be first-ballot Hall of Famers WITHOUT steroids. Take the asterisk off their name, and they are among the best to play. The question is, are these guys in the HoF WITH ‘roids? Here are the best arguments for whatever you think on the subject.
YES- Steroid users should be allowed into the Hall of Fame. After all, which ever way you look at it, these guys changed the game. They shattered records, won multiple World Series, and are known as some of the best to ever play. Some look at Mark McGwire as a savior of the game in the late 90’s. Barry Bonds owns the all-time home run record; the most prestigious record in all of baseball. Like I said before, Roger Clemens would have been regarded as the one of the best pitchers ever. Some things steroids just cannot improve. Steroids or no, they had to have some serious skill to be this good. ‘Roids can’t improve your ability to see the ball, and hit the ball.
Also, we have to realize the fact that not all ‘roid users will be busted. I bet my house that there will be a ‘roider that sneaks into the HoF. With that said, why shouldn’t these guys get in? Unless you can get every steroid user to come forward, maybe we should consider letting these guys in.
There are some specifics we must remember too. For some of these sluggers, these PEDs were not illegal when they were playing. These players had a chance to make there selves better. If they had stuff like this at their demand, should we blame them from trying to win? Let’s not forget that HGH and other PEDs were NOT illegal, and not against MLB rules, when some of these players took them.
NO- Steroid users should not be allowed into the Hall of Fame. They cheated. There’s no sugar-coating it, no grey areas… they cheated. While other players worked and strived to be great, there were guys that were sitting in the locker room with a needle in their ass. It is not fair to the players who worked their entire lives to be good.
Does anybody remember the Pete Rose? One of the greatest hitters ever, and he doesn’t get in for gambling. I personally think Pete Rose should be in the Hall. People gamble every day. Somebody just bet on a baseball game. Can you sit here and tell me that injecting yourself with stuff to artificially make you better is not as bad as gambling? Come on.
Why would you put a cheater of the game into that company? Condoning - or especially rewarding - the use of any banned substance that may provide an advantage for one athlete over another is ethically wrong and has no place for enshrinement.
CASE BY CASE- Steroid users should be viewed at case by case when filling out the Hall of Fame ballot. You cannot, essentially, make a rule that is put into place for every player that is busted. That is like saying you have to hit at least 300 homeruns to be considered for the HoF. It just doesn’t make since.
For example, some say Bonds should get in for how many HRs he hit. He is the all-time homerun hitter and you leave him out of the Hall of Fame?
The manner of which you come clean also factors into it. Alex Rodriguez decided to let it all out after we found out just a couple months ago. Now compare that to Roger Clemons and Big Mac who keep denying it or just doesn’t say anything at all. Wouldn’t you say you have more respect for somebody who regretfully comes clean over somebody who denies it for years? I have a hard time respecting any of these guys, but I would say yes.
We are nearing the end of the tunnel in the Steroid Era. While baseball tries to clean this mess up, I think it is slowing going to end.
I love this game. It is my favorite sport. I would like to think I know quite a bit about sports, but I think my expertise lies in baseball. For me, I just cannot bring myself to say yes to somebody that put a huge dent into the game I love. Think about this… For somebody who destroyed the game we once had, how could we possibly put them alongside the games greatest. No way. End of discussion.
That’s it for this Sunday Debate. Have a good week.
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Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com
FANdemoniumSports.blogspot.com
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