Which player found guilty of taking steroids/ PEDs would shock you the most?

[free2131]

Simple question.

Although I guess nothing would really shock me, the only player I would think less of would be Cal Ripken. If it was discovered that he used, I truly would feel sad and angry. Cal has always been a man of integrity, a man of hard work, and what seemed like a real decent human being.

While Ripken would still be a great person with all the charitable work he has done, and with how respectfully he has treated the fans and media, I truly think a part of me would die inside. No other player would make me feel like this but Cal, mainly because he was my hero growing up.

What about you?

[200tang]

Yuniesky Betancourt. Without them he must be REALLY bad.

[Cal Ripken, Jr.]

Simple question.

Although I guess nothing would really shock me, the only player I would think less of would be Cal Ripken. If it was discovered that he used, I truly would feel sad and angry. Cal has always been a man of integrity, a man of hard work, and what seemed like a real decent human being.

While Ripken would still be a great person with all the charitable work he has done, and with how respectfully he has treated the fans and media, I truly think a part of me would die inside. No other player would make me feel like this but Cal, mainly because he was my hero growing up.

What about you?

Never touched the stuff (and I love you too). I know a guy who did, though.

His name starts with B and ends with nderson.

[free2131]

Thanks for clearing that up, Cal.

[dickay]

I don't like it when people make heroes of these guys. I mean...the whole five threads with Jeffy handjobbing McGwire was about all I could take Is this what it comes down to...if you like him you look past roids and if you don't you crucify someone?

I'm not speaking of you directly on that free....but I will question you on why Ripken would surprise you? He wouldn't surprise me at all. The guy performed at an amazing level late in his career at an advanced age. This while playing everyday in one of the games most physically demanding positions. This while in the midst of the steroid era (at least the latter part of his career)...with someone on his team who was widely suspected of possibly juicing.

I think Ripken was an amazing player and a great ambassador of the game. He's also done alot of good things outside of baseball. If he juiced, or did HGH...i'd be not surprised nor would I be hurt in anyway.

I honestly can't think of one MLB player whom i'd be surprised to hear did roids, HGH, or some other illegal substance which is suspected to enhance performance (not just MLB banned, which is a copout by those trying to justify why their heroes should be revered regardless). Not one. But I will partake in the vote and say I guess the most surprising would be Oz..though I wouldn't be shocked.

[free2131]

I'm not speaking of you directly on that free....but I will question you on why Ripken would surprise you?

Honestly there is no good reason, except that Cal has always been my favorite player, and while I know that he is just a man like you or me, I was so awe struck by him when I was younger that anything bad that would come out about him would chip away a little at my childhood, if that makes any sense.

[dickay]

Honestly there is no good reason, except that Cal has always been my favorite player, and while I know that he is just a man like you or me, I was so awe struck by him when I was younger that anything bad that would come out about him would chip away a little at my childhood, if that makes any sense.

it totally makes sense. back in our day.....it wasn't nearly as dangerous to immortalize these players. the media coverage wasn't nearly as pervasive, and wrongdoings were actually hidden to a point. Nowadays...the media isn't doing their job if they aren't tearing down someone. Hey...rightfully so I guess. Charles Barkley was the first I believe to coin, "I'm not a role model", and he's absolutely correct. Sports athletes shouldn't be viewed as role models and we should try to keep our children from doing so. However...wouldn't it be nice if that weren't the case?

[filihok]

Athletes are fine role models. They excel at some things and fail miserably at others. Exactly like the people looking up to them.

It'd suck to have a role model who was perfect, because as soon as you realized that you weren't perfect you'd stop emulating them.

[/tangent]

[kenny1234]

I voted Ozzie as well, but it really wouldn't shock me if he had taken a performance enhancing drug - particularly amphetamines. They fit better with his career, and he always seemed a little over excited.

[boomboom]

Ken Griffey Junior, I mean he is fat now , really thou, I would be surprised if he did take them. He never seemed to get bigger, but you never know, he was skinny as a 19 year old, but who wasn't. I think that if Junior ever juiced, it would hurt me a lot in the way I watch baseball. I probably wouldn't go to a game for a few years. Then again, my mind could change....

[JamesMogul]

for sure not Cal.. because he did take HGH (I mean we've known this forever).. not Grif because we all think he took it too

[BenFink]

Were Ozzie's backflips a little too good....!?

[actionjackson]

Show me a double-blind study with steroids or HGH (two completely different substances that often get lumped together as the same thing) demonstrating conclusive evidence of improvement in baseball skills and I'll change my stance that I think these athletes are pouring their money down the drain. Of course such a study would be unethical, but you get my drift.

Right now what we have is the wailing and gnashing of teeth by sportswriters who for the most part have no clue of what they're talking about and the fans that parrot them. The "evidence" that anyone took them is circumstantial until proven otherwise or admitted to by the player and the "evidence" that they are somehow this wonderful, magical, heal-all potion that creates superhuman feats in baseball is circumstantial as well. I am glad that testing is starting to expose both the big names and the not so big names and putting baseball back on a supposed level playing field, which it's never been on anyway, but I digress...

In short: prove it. Oh, and put me down for other: Eddie Gaedel.

[BenFink]

Oh, and put me down for other: Eddie Gaedel.

+ 1 forever


I agree with the rest of your post, the reason steroids seem so magical is because we and the sportswriters only focus on good players that have taken them. Which then makes it look like steroids make you hit 60 home runs.

We focus on Bonds and A-Rod because they're big exciting names. No one cares about all the shitty minor leaguers who took steroids. No one cares about Neifi Perez. Steroids obviously did nothing for them. If we looked at everyone instead of just the greats, I think most people would look at the drug differently.
While I do think steroids help some, I don't believe they help nearly as much as is implied.

[dickay]

Show me a double-blind study with steroids or HGH (two completely different substances that often get lumped together as the same thing) demonstrating conclusive evidence of improvement in baseball skills and I'll change my stance that I think these athletes are pouring their money down the drain. Of course such a study would be unethical, but you get my drift.

Right now what we have is the wailing and gnashing of teeth by sportswriters who for the most part have no clue of what they're talking about and the fans that parrot them. The "evidence" that anyone took them is circumstantial until proven otherwise or admitted to by the player and the "evidence" that they are somehow this wonderful, magical, heal-all potion that creates superhuman feats in baseball is circumstantial as well. I am glad that testing is starting to expose both the big names and the not so big names and putting baseball back on a supposed level playing field, which it's never been on anyway, but I digress...

In short: prove it. Oh, and put me down for other: Eddie Gaedel.

I don't personally need substantial proof to sell me that PED's were very commonly used throughout much of baseball over the past decade and a half. There is enough circumstantial evidence for that...at least for me anyway.

I also don't need proof to believe that ROIDS and HGH can give an improvement in performance. Despite a lack of medical evidence on this matter, I feel its naive to think otherwise. In a great player, even a slight improvement to confidence, bat speed, etc. can IMO yield marketable gains in performance.

But to each their own. I choose not to live in the dark and believe this stuff never happened and it doesn't help.