| > | | | | What every professional athlete needs to |
| Recent press indicates that athletes like Barry | | | | understand is that our kids see them as idols, |
| Bonds that use illegal substances like steroids for | | | | heroes and mentors. Its not about the money, its |
| performance enhancement are actually ruining | | | | about the game. Ninety nine percent of |
| their respective sports. This needs to be stopped | | | | professional athletes never become a great like |
| quickly as it will forever and permenently tarnish | | | | Rod Carew, Michael Jordan, or Warren Moon, but |
| the great game of baseball. In the last 5 years | | | | they are all imprinted in our children. Everyone |
| the growing popularity and use of illegal | | | | remembers the negatives like McEnroe and his |
| substances (steroids) in major league baseball has | | | | emotional outbursts, Rae Caruth and O.J. Simpson |
| created a public outcry and led to indictments, | | | | whom have abused the legal system and their |
| arrests and congressional hearings. Some have | | | | fame to commit murder, steroids, gambling and |
| even put major league baseball on par with | | | | the expulsion of baseball legend Pete Rose. |
| professional wrestling as it is now a drugged or | | | | Don’t the leaders of these professional |
| juiced’ game and old, lasting records by | | | | sports realize that they have tainted and in some |
| the greats like Ruth and Hank Aaron can easily be | | | | respects ruined the future of sports like major |
| broken by lesser athletes on steroids and have | | | | league baseball. |
| become meaningless. Just look at Barry Bonds for | | | | To see immediate evidence of this all one has to |
| an example. | | | | do is look at the dwindling number of visitors to |
| Barry Bonds became depressed in the late | | | | the baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown, NY. It |
| 90’s as new athletes like McGwire and | | | | used to be almost every young boys fantasy to |
| Jose Conseco were becoming more popular for | | | | see the outfit worn by Babe Ruth, the Ball that |
| belting homeruns. Bonds was a great athlete, but | | | | was signed by Reggie Jackson and his Yankee |
| he was aging and just like his father was headed | | | | teammates, the stories of greatness and great |
| for retirement. Bonds and everyone else knew | | | | hurdles and obstacles that were overcome by |
| that Conseco and the others were taking steroids. | | | | some of the legends. Rare baseball cards by |
| It was inevitable that Bonds would start taking | | | | players with strict standards like Honus Wagner |
| steroids as he was very jealous and had an | | | | whom had his cards pulled as he did not want to |
| insatiable appetite for being the leader — | | | | be associated with cigarettes and tobacco. The |
| he could not stand being in second place to | | | | meaning of baseball’s rich history has |
| anyone and he saw the great results of McGwire | | | | greatly suffered and will continue until something |
| and Conseco. | | | | drastic is done. |
| Barry Bonds started taking numerous types of | | | | Athletes like Barry Bonds that cheat and use illegal |
| steroids through his trainer Greg Anderson. His | | | | performance enhancing drugs should be banned |
| physique, career and baseball would never be the | | | | and immediately removed from baseball and other |
| same. Bonds was better after the steroids than | | | | sports. They should receive punishment worse |
| anytime in his career. The steroids had elevated | | | | than Pete Rose and should be stripped of all |
| his career and possibly made him the best player | | | | records, titles, and history in the game. Let |
| in baseball history as he has now hit 722 career | | | | someone who worked hard, overcame adversity |
| home runs. Only a few of the greatest players in | | | | and great obstacles, and never cheated and had |
| Baseball history have ever hit into this range. It is | | | | great ethics, standards and was a true hero be |
| similar to what Tiger Woods has done in Golf and | | | | the one to determine their fate — |
| his chasing Jack Nicklaus with his 18 career major | | | | someone like Hank Aaron. Hank Aaron set |
| titles. The difference is that Tiger Woods is a real | | | | records, great records, the hard way and they |
| champion and doesn’t use drugs like | | | | are being tarnished by the likes of Barry Bonds |
| steroids or cheat in any way. Kids can look up to | | | | and others. Hank Aaron, like Herschel Walker, |
| him as a hero. | | | | overcame a very poor upbringing, racism, lack of |
| Tiger Woods worked and trained very hard | | | | resources, etc
and through sheer |
| — he is also human as he went through a | | | | determination became one of the greatest |
| lot dealing with the loss of his father. Tiger woods | | | | athletes ever. |
| through his great game and ethics has elevated | | | | It is time to stop the commercialism and get back |
| professional golf and its fan base to all time highs. | | | | to the basics of these sports. We have forgotten |
| Barry Bonds, on the other hand, has devastated | | | | what the game really means. There is a reason |
| major league baseball and its rich history. Records | | | | why in Brooklyn they still remember the Brooklyn |
| are not meant to be broken on a daily or monthly | | | | Dodgers. Lets not let the great game of baseball |
| basis. Records are just that records of greatness, | | | | be ruined by people like Barry Bonds — |
| by actual heroes like Joe DiMaggio, Ruth, Shoeless | | | | they must be removed from the game, their |
| Joe Jackson, Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Ty | | | | history completely wiped out and start anew. This |
| Cobb. They never used steroids and were great | | | | is the only way to retain or rescue the image of |
| players both on and off the field. | | | | professional baseball. |