Baseball…

What happened to the sport that I used to love?  Over the years I have wanted to distance myself more and more from baseball.  And it is upsetting because I used follow the Florida Marlins from the day the began playing. 

I remember going to a game in their opening series against the Dodgers and when Darryl Strawberry would come to the plate everyone would be chanting Dar-ryl, Dar-rly.  And that was when my grandfather had seats between third and home on the lower deck.  I remember going to many games and now I don’t even feel like going to a game.

I think after cheering for the Marlins and watching them being tore apart after each World Series win, was hard; I mean it was like, ”let’s not even think about trying to repeat.”  I went to the Ring Ceremony for the first World Series, and no one was there (The former team as well!).  And to think the only time that Joe Robbie Stadium is full is when the Yankees, or the Red Sox are playing.  It’s funny though because I am always watching Sports Center and saying he used to be a Marlin, he used to be a Marlin.  

Then watching the All-Star Game Ended in a tie!!! Way to got Bud!

And getting caught up in the home run chase that took place; it got me back into baseball.  (I was pulling for Sammy Sosa and was clipping articles from papers, and magazines.)  And finally to be disappointed again on March 17th when the Congressional Hearings were held, to only watch guys that I looked up to just act like nothing happened, to cry and say, “I don’t want to talk about the past,” and then wave your finger at these congressmen.   

I know that the baseball has a very powerful players union, but what upsets me is that the players allow all of this to happen.  I mean why aren’t they looking at the NFL; and taking notes, both the commissioner and players.  What they are doing right now to make players accountable, is great!  The players need to understand regardless of what they think they should be able to do, is not what they are expected to do.  They are in the spot light, and that is something that they wanted and it comes with a price.  Cheating is cheating, I mean using HGH or steroids, or something that is going to give you an unfair advantage is cheating!  And the worse part is that it is filtered down to younger kids; when a coach is telling his kids to take weight gainer, and bulk up; its not right!  It is not just the coaches fault, I mean I am sure some of these kids really think that if they want to make it that they need to do something to give themselves an edge over the other kids that they compete with.

So when it comes to watching Barry Bonds break the ”All-Time-Best Record in All of Sports,” I will not be watching.  It just doesn’t seem that Baseball is going to look at its self in the mirror and see that it needs to change.  So why should I just watch to be disappointed down the road.