Biggest Bad Guy in Baseball?

[HoustonGM]

Furthermore, attendance records are being constantly re-broken...I'd say it's hurt the integrity of baseball, but not actually hurt the game itself.

[ohms_law]

Yea, there you go. That's the statement that I was trying to make.

[robinhoodnik]

To be honest, I'm not sure that the whole steroid scandal has actually hurt baseball at all. At least not in any tangible way. Sure, peoples opinions are strongly against it, but their still fans. robinhoodnik is a great example. He's obviously adamantly oposed to any sort of drug use, but he's still a fan aparently.

Yes, but I'm not as passionate a fan as I was before the drug scandals began. Before it all, I would stay up until a west coast game was over nearly every time. Now, rarely, I used to plan my day around a lot of games, now, never. I used to pore over Baseball Weekly's stats pages, Baseball Digest, SI, Street and Smiths, and the daily papers, Now I glance at them, or occasionally read 'em in the throne room. The game isn't the same for me anymore. Some people it doesn't bother, me it does.

[CatKnight]

Same here. In the late 70s into the 80s I was a rabid fan. I knew all the players on 'my' team of the time (the BoSox) and recognized the names of players from most of the others. That's why I like playing in that time period.

After 94 (though to be honest it was the strike that first set me off, the steroids just delayed my return)...no. I stopped paying attention, and even today I don't recognize the players. I simply don't care. When people started shattering the single season home run records I just shook my head, and Bonds.....

I've only gotten back into baseball in the last two years or so, and that mainly 'cuz one of my friends is an Indian fanatic and keeps pulling me over to Jacobs Field. Do I love it with the same fervor as it did 15-20 years ago? Nope. Do I trust its integrity? (Good word, that.) Definitely no.

Attendance figures may be rising, but I'll still argue that baseball's been hurt by all this. Its reputation is pretty well trashed. When kids grew up in the 60s, 70s, 80s baseball players were heroes to them. I don't think they see it that way anymore.

[FRENCHREDSOX]

Yes, but I'm not as passionate a fan as I was before the drug scandals began. Before it all, I would stay up until a west coast game was over nearly every time. Now, rarely, I used to plan my day around a lot of games, now, never. I used to pore over Baseball Weekly's stats pages, Baseball Digest, SI, Street and Smiths, and the daily papers, Now I glance at them, or occasionally read 'em in the throne room. The game isn't the same for me anymore. Some people it doesn't bother, me it does.

Totally agreed - all sports tainted by any* multiple scandals change the way I admire/follow them.I remember when I stayed up (5am or thereabouts) to watch,all 10 seconds or so,the 100m final at the Seoul Olympics "knowing" history/something special would happen - only to be deceived that Johnson had cheated...same goes for McGwire/Sosa/Bonds - maybe it is me,but when I was a kid Sportstars were my "super-heroes" (not Batman & Co) & I wanted to ressemble them,now if my kid would say he wants to be an A-Rod or a Bonds I would scold him....

Seems to me that cheating in pro sports just diminishes those pro sports "value".


* from Soccer to Baseball to F1 to Cycling...

[mnstonecold]

I'm surprised no on e has mentioned the racist John Rocker of the 1970's Pirates doing coke in the clubhouse.

My vote is for Selig. As I said before he ruined the Brewers when he was owner.

[robinhoodnik]

Gotta remember that Mr. Selig is first and foremost, a used car salesman. See the behavior pattern there now?

[robinhoodnik]

Rocker had one outburst and was done shortly after. His body of work is far smaller than other player's.

[boomboom]

This is personal, Selig for moving the Seattle Pilots ,

really, it would have to be A-Rod, because he is a lying son of a *****, when he left in to play for our rival Texas in 2001.

[FRENCHREDSOX]

Funny to note the 2 officially banned players from the HOF haven't received a single vote...interesting ....

[RickD]

I think Rose should be in the HOF!

[ragmasterj]

Bonds is a cheat and an AZZ

[Arctic Blast]

I thought about suggesting Kevin Mitchell, but I'm not sure he was a bad guy so much as an absolute lunatic...and he might track me down...

[Red Sox Fan 734]

Wow, i cant believe bonds is winning. All he did was take steroids where guys like Ty Cobb have done much worse things.

[dabruinss]

i had to edit the poll to add a couple guys that people mentioned.