It's just a Goddamn Game.

I love how old timers and hysterical baseball writers are quick to demonize players who test positive for a banned substance that is not steroids but is known to be used by juicers after finishing up a steroid cycle to boost their testosterone that their body had stopped pumping out as the steroids provided all the testosterone the body needed.

But they guy didn't test positive for steroids. Maybe he's guilty. Maybe he's not. Unless someone tests positive for steroids (as some players have), I don't think I will go off an call a guy a cheat.

It's fishy, its sketchy, it causes one to raise eyebrows surreptitiously, but its not rock hard evidence that Manny was having a party with Jose Conseco poking each other in the ass with steroid filled syringes.

But hey, the current culture in baseball has not only created a situation where players feel compelled to find ways to 1) stay atop the pile, 2) get into the game, 3) have the chance to get that 10 year $200M USD contract or 4) legitimize said contract to management and the fans, but has allowed it to pervade and continue to perpetuate in professional baseball's culture.

The Mitchell report stated that there was general knowledge of PED usage by other players, management, trainers etc. and lets be honest, the trainers should notice these things, the managers should notice (damn, he sure got bigger this year), and the other players would definitely notice these things, yet since there was no legislation in baseball (and baseball would not even attempt to come up with regulation to deal with PEDs, the Players Union blocked all attempts and it took the threat of the US Government to force baseball to adopt some sort of regulation), why should they be the rat because it could be them the next time around needing that extra bit to stay on with the club or at this level.

But of course, the hand wringing at the supposed shaming of the integrity of this beloved game is probably the most laughable of laughable things on earth. We are talking about a game that for several decades would not allow African Americans the opportunity to play at the highest level of baseball although there were players comparable or even superior to those at the mainstream professional level.

Baseball writers love to gush about the greats...Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Ty Co...well not so much Ty Cobb, Joe DiMaggio, etc etc, but if some of the greats of the Negro Leagues were able to join baseball from the get-go, maybe Babe Ruth would be considered a great player but not as good as say Josh Gibson if he were allowed to play at the MLB level. Hell, Babe Ruth wasn't as good as a player as Josh Gibson...so take that ESPN!

But sadly, since baseball was run by a bunch of racists in the early 20th century we'll never know because those players never had the opportunity to play against the supposed "elite players."

MLB has a glimmering and shining history that we should all emulate? Bullshit. Pure Bullshit. Just as this inane idea that MLB has an integrity that needs to be maintained is pure bullshit. There has always been cheating in baseball, pro baseball in this nation has a less than savory history if one really pulls the string and instead of demonizing players, MLB and all associated with its operations needs to:

1) Ensure that there are rigorous standards in place to preclude the use of PEDs in professional baseball.
2) Educate players at ALL levels about the dangers of using PEDs to curb their use. And Jesus will help you win isn't education either.
3) Look into eliminating or curbing back those issues that may have compelled players to use PEDs.
4) Work on rehabilitating and training current players who are known or past PED users to help them out to keep them from relapsing into this habit.
5) Hold managers, trainers and team management accountable for their players. Its easy to suspend a guy for 50 games and take his salary, but how about fining the team, the manager, the trainer for letting this happen. That might make teams more interested in ensuring their players are clean...not only for this game's integrity but for the health of their investment.

And old timers should simply shut up because I highly doubt that they would be so angelic in the same situation.

Now to bring down the BCS! Go President Obama go!