by Matthew Hay Brown
A House panel is calling Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and players union chief Don Fehr to Washington next week to describe how they plan to address what former Sen. George Mitchell described today as pervasive drug use in the game.
“This is a sad day for Major League Baseball but a good day for integrity in sports,” House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman and ranking Republican Tom Davis said in a joint statement. “It’s an important step towards the goal of eliminating the use of performance enhancing substances.
“The Mitchell report is sobering. It shows the use of steroids and human growth hormone has been and is a significant problem in Major League Baseball. And it shows that everyone involved in Major League Baseball bears some responsibility for this scandal.”
The report, commissioned by Selig and authored by Mitchell, links former MVPs Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mo Vaughn, Jason Giambi and Miguel Tejada with performance-enhancing substances. During his press conference today, Mitchell cast the net more broadly.
“Everyone involved in baseball over the past two decades – commissioners, club officials, the players' association and players – shares to some extent the responsibility for the Steroids Era,” the former Senate majority leader said. “There was a collective failure to recognize the problem as it emerged and to deal with it early on.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a San Francisco Giants season-ticket holder, said the Mitchell Report “tells a troubling story of how many of our children’s heroes cheated the game of baseball and the fans of our national pastime by using steroids and other illegal substances.”
“The use of steroids sets a terrible example for young people in our country by encouraging behavior that is both physically and morally destructive,” Pelosi said.
Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, co-Founder and chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Drug Policy, also called for congressional action.
“We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines while some players destroy the integrity of this sport by engaging in the culture of cheating fostered by the use of performance-enhancing drugs – breaking both the law and the public’s trust,” the Maryland Democrat said.
“The most devastating impact of steroid abuse has been on our nation’s most valuable resource: our children,” Cummings said, and added: “I will be closely monitoring the response to the Mitchell report, and I am prepared to proceed with a legislative response or recommend future oversight hearings if necessary.”
Waxman and Davis said they were inviting Selig, Fehr and Mitchell to testify before their committee next Tuesday, Dec. 18.
“We look forward to their testimony on whether the Mitchell report’s recommendations will be adopted and whether additional measures are needed,” they said.
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Comments
You and your paper should be sued for libel since Sammy Sosa was not linked with performance enhancing substances in the report...maybe you should have read it. But if you did, Sosa escapes untouched. You should write a retraction or learn to read.
Posted by: John Cecilian | December 13, 2007 5:52 PM
They should call Prez Chimpy to testify since he he owned and operated the Texas Rangers teams that were (according to Jose Canseco) filled with some of worst abusers in all of baseball right under George Bush's nose.
"While he names names when it comes to his teammates and other players, even players he personally turned on to steroids and growth hormones, he lets the owners and the owner-commissioner off easy when he states, "I'm not going to name any actual owners; I don't want anyone picking up a phone and sending a hit man after me."
"The one former owner he does attempt to call out is George W. Bush, but he does more dancing than fighting. According to Canseco, Bush and then Texas Rangers general manager Tom Grieve saw all these "guys getting bigger before their eyes . . . [b]ut they never made an issue of it." He points out how Bush sat behind the dugout and spent a lot of time in the clubhouse, but he also notes that the future president spent most of his time there talking to Nolan Ryan and avoiding the Latin players. He calls Bush on his apparent hypocrisy in having his administration try to turn steroids into a witch hunt, even though Bush and Company helped move the (steroid) revolution forward. He further states, "There was no question that George W. Bush knew my name was connected with steroids—the story Tom Boswell had written in 1988 wasn't the last word on the subject—but he decided to make the deal to trade for me anyway."
Full story here:
http://www.efqreview.com/NewFiles/v22n2/books-sluggers.html
Posted by: John E | December 13, 2007 5:53 PM
Baseball was ruined a long time ago.
Big Money = bad role models. Sorry.
Of course they have never been good role models, but they are, now, millionaires and billionaires playing a kids game.
Ditto Booteball and Basketball.
But BBall was, as I said, ruined long ago by the following:
1. The designated hitter rule.
What in Gods name is this? A player that doesn't have to hit? Ever? Except when 'visiting' during the WS?
2. Over expansion;
The two divisions per league was a good idea, IMO, but too many teams diluted the pool.
3. Over expansion on 'roids, inter-league play, the travesty of three divisions per league, wild card teams, it's all a bunch of BS.
Fix this first then worry about what are actually not illegal drugs. Put a ✺ by their names in the record books. Keep two sets.
Posted by: C.Morris | December 13, 2007 6:13 PM
You Bush bashers are amazing - anything you can find to blame on him, you will do it without hesitation. Remember when individuals were responsible for their own actions?
Posted by: Jeremy | December 13, 2007 7:08 PM
Let us not get carried away with this story. It has some big names but only the names of those unfortunate to have their suppliers fink on them. There are more suppliers that have not finked yet, and more big names not sleeping well. I am surprised by the high level of indignation displayed by the jock sniffers. Base ball is not the only sport with steroid users. Has anyone noticed how fast the serves are by the tennis ladies. How about those biceps and shoulders. Lady basket ball players can now dunk and power forwards and centers have "bulked up". Do we really know the danger and benifits of steroids? On this long list of a few of the users there seems to be no indication of any terrible physical results. Are the dangers only the work of the "reefer madness" folks? We should know more and guess less.
Posted by: c. perry | December 13, 2007 7:13 PM
Cancer. Possible down the line.
Commonly Reported Negative Effects:
Both Sexes:
* Increased risk of mood disturbances including mania and depression
* Increased risk of psychosis
* Increased risk of aggressive acts which may injure self or others
* Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
* Increased risk of liver disease and cancer
* Increased risk of kidney disease and cancer
* Risk of HIV and Hepatitis B & C from contaminated needles
* Acne
* Bad breath
* Decreased sex drive
* Baldness
* Water retention
* Muscle cramps
* Aching joints
* Increased risk of muscle tears
* Increased risk of tendon injuries
* Increased risk of nose bleeds
* Insomnia
* Decrease in immune system effectiveness
* Infertility
Men:
* Increased risk of prostate enlargement and cancer
* Decreased testicular size
* Gynecomastia (growth of breasts)
Women:
* Increased risk of cervical and endometrial cancer
* Increased risk of osteoporosis
* Irreversible enlargement of the clitoris
* Irreversible hoarsening and deepening of the voice
* Irreversible increase in facial and body hair
* Decreased breast size
* Amenorrhea
* Uterine atrophy
Children:
* Short Stature
* Premature ephiphyseal closure
Posted by: Know the danger and benifits of steroids? | December 13, 2007 9:13 PM
Integrity, values, clean up the sport? Where are we Church? The majority of athletes always look for a competitive edge.That is what makes them athletes. Sports are a business, all about the mighty dollar. With all the Latin players and players from other countries where these drugs are legal, how are you going to clean up the game? If there was not so much media promotion , it would have never gotten to this point. Years ago steroids were regulated under the FDA, know they are some kind of plague. Why is there so much emphasis on baseball and not any other sport. I just don't get it..What does Congress want to accomplish by sticking there nose in it? They should worry about getting our soldiers home from the so called pathetic war we are involved in.
Posted by: chuck | December 13, 2007 10:44 PM
There has been cheating in the game of baseball since Abner Doubleday stole the game himself. This report, etc., is just an opportunity for congressmen to act holier than thou (thus the rare nonpartisanship).
This isn't a question of cheating. It's a question of HOW do you catch a cheater?
The players are not willing to monitor themselves and we fans could not care less. Unless a player was caught with a needle sticking in his butt, there's not much chance drug use could adequately be monitored.
Again, without the players (union's) consent, the owner's (who loved the cha-ching) were not going to be able to do anything - esp. without a reliable urine test (blood was out of the question and for good ethical reasons).
We're living in a different era, folks. In the old days it was greenies and whiskey shots. Today it 'roids. The underlying principles (or lack thereof) are the same. Cheating is cheating and the more money that's involved the more pervasive it is bound to be.
The only ones who care are the ones who can name off-the-top-of-their-poindexter-heads who LOST the '83 World Series.
Posted by: Jorge | December 13, 2007 11:13 PM
Steroids are very bad for people and are not the only problem I see here. Why do these athletes think they need them in the first place? They all need therapy to understand why they are not happy with who they are. And I know the owners and fans have a hand in that also.
Should the congress be looking into this? Not unless they have a problem with it in the congress..they should butt out and get some work done. The teams...whatever the sport is, is entertainment not something the stuffed shirts in DC should be investigating.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | December 14, 2007 7:04 AM
This problem has been around a long time. Everyone knew it but decided to put their heads in the sand. What sports,and baseball in particular needs is another
Kennesaw Mountain Landis. Someone with absolute power. Landis would have fired the bunch.Damn the unions,whats right is right. Everyone involved should have their records expunged, fined and fired.
Posted by: Paul Jaeger | December 14, 2007 8:40 AM
Everyone involved should have their records expunged, fined and fired.
Posted by: Paul Jaeger | December 14, 2007 8:40 AM
Including having the teams taken away from any owners who knew this was going on and did nothing about it.
Posted by: MS | December 14, 2007 2:02 PM