POLL: IN or OUT: YES or NO

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

They are the ones who vote, so they'll have to do.

But your starting point was that it was public opinion making the decisions. Your reasoning seems odd.

[packs]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

But your starting point was that it was public opinion making the decisions. Your reasoning seems odd.

In what way? Opinion decides who is elected, not proofs or some kind of formula. If you don't like the word public then replace it with writer or voter. The outcome is the same. An opinion is still the decision no matter how you want to phrase things. Opinion has been that these two players do not belong in the HOF. Like all things that could change. Are you saying that an opinion is not at play in HOF voting?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by packs

In what way? Opinion decides who is elected, not proofs or some kind of formula. If you don't like the word public then replace it with writer or voter. The outcome is the same. An opinion is still the decision no matter how you want to phrase things. Opinion has been that these two players do not belong in the HOF. Like all things that could change. Are you saying that an opinion is not at play in HOF voting?

Of course it's opinion. Just a question of whose opinion. You said public opinion, and I questioned whether writer opinion was really a proxy for public opinion.

[packs]

That seems like it doesn't matter much. My point was that you don't need some kind of guilty verdict or evidence or anything else to keep someone out. And I stand by the point that if Bonds and Clemens are voted in, then it leads the public to believe that the HOF is accepting of HGH and steroid use.

Also, if public opinion plays no role in HOF voting, what would motivate Joe Morgan to write his letter?