Quote:
Originally Posted by z28jd
Since PEDs were brought up, does anyone else wonder how every other major sport has almost no issues compared to MLB, yet MLB is the one that gets killed because they tried to clean up the sport? Why is it that people have no problem watching football and all these crazy things happen with huge humans doing ridiculous things and NO ONE cares. No one in their right mind can believe the NFL cracks down on players with the size they are and punishment they take.
It's mind-boggling to me that baseball does the most against PEDs, yet they also get killed the most. Every off-season, the talk is PEDs for the last ten years or so.
It's like the other three major sports all said, thanks for taking the heat MLB, we will be over here in the corner ignoring everything, occasionally finding one guy so it looks like we are doing something.
I never understood how the sport that does more than the other three major sports combined, gets the black eye.
|
I think it's multiple things.
First, as has been mentioned, numbers mean a lot more in baseball. Most everyone knows the season and career home run records. The home run chase by McGwire and Sosa was a huge deal where hoards of fans were watching and following each at bat. The only thing somewhat comparable in football are the touchdown and passing records (and rushing yards), but very few people were following Manning as he was breaking record. People congratulated him, but it wasn't front page news like the home run chase. So when fans find out that these hallowed records are being broken by "cheaters," it leads a much more raw feeling in people's mouths. "I was so excited when I was following the chase, and now I found out these guys were juiced...."
Second, and related to the previous one, I think the baseball Hall of Fame is the most respected out of all sports, especially because of its long history. Therefore, when fans think that players got in unfairly, they are more upset.
Another thing I think is due to the longevity and player contracts in baseball. You have huge guaranteed contracts in baseball. Baseball players can play until they are nearly forty, and make huge money for many of those years. If they gain those contracts by juicing, it simply seems unfair. They don't get paid for their suspension, but they still get paid plenty when the penalty is over. I think I read somewhere that said ARod is still guaranteed 63 million after his one year suspension is over. Other players like Mickey Cabrera and Johnny Peralta (sp?) were still given large free agent contracts immediately following a PED suspension. For football, the career is much shorter, and other than the signing bonus, the contract is usually not guaranteed. Football also seems like a much more "dangerous" sport, so most fans give them a pass as they feel they earned it due to the nature of their sport.