Brookhaven Courier

Issue date: 4/16/07 Section: Sports

For the past few years steroids have been a widely discussed topic in the realm of sports. The U.S. Congress even went so far as to call a hearing solely to discuss this supposed problem.

Why did our government take such a stand against these substances?

I guess one reason is they felt if in professional sports these substances are allowed, then teenagers in high school and college will begin using them more frequently. To me, this is a load of crap.

It's like saying when the school shootings happened at Columbine High School in Colorado, it was because the culprits listened to songs by Marilyn Manson, or they watched too many violent movies.

I mean it is hilarious to hear some of the rhetoric that comes from our politicians and parents. Do we really think music, sports and movies have so much influence in the lives of our children? Where are the parents?

I don't understand why people in our society can't take the blame for their own actions. Those kids at Columbine shot up the school because they were crazy. Yeah, maybe they were depressed, but who the hell isn't? I get depressed all the time, but I don't go around killing innocent people because of it.

It's the same with this steroid controversy. Athletes choose to use banned supplements; nobody is forcing them. They make a conscious choice to do so.

And the great part about steroids is the idiots are only hurting themselves. The effect isn't felt by society or by their children; it only affects them.

So what's the harm in letting these Neanderthals juice and shoot up until their eyes pop out? At least the sports they are playing have improved. After the last baseball strike in 1994, the major leagues were hurting for attention. According to some critics TV had no ratings, most games weren't selling out and it looked as if the whole league would dissolve.

Then they had the best thing happen to them. Mark McGwire, first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, and Sammy Sosa, right fielder for the Chicago Cubs, battled during an historic home-run season that left fans in awe.

The previous single season home-run record was set by Roger Maris, outfielder for the New York Yankees, in 1961 at 61. McGwire and Sosa both demolished this record. McGwire ended with 70 and Sosa had 66 in the 1998 season.

Barry Bonds, left fielder for the San Francisco Giants, in 2001, beat McGwire's record by three. All three men have been linked to a number of steroid controversies. Bonds gets the most heat since he's still a dominant force in the league.

Honestly, I don't see what all the fuss is about. Let them do it. I can't contemplate why our government cares about this situation. I understand they are using illegal substances and should be reprimanded for using them, but did we really need an entire congressional hearing about it?

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