More drugs

So today the topic on TSN turned to the all time liars in sports, capped by Pete Rose's denial of any involvement with gambling.

Let it first be known that the author agrees with the lifetime ban imposed on Pete Rose by MLB. Many people ask what's the harm, since there's no proof of him ever betting against his own teams? Well here's the harm: he broke the most serious rule in baseball at the time.

No gambling is a serious rule because the influence of gambling can have a negative effect on the integrity of the game. But what is possible with gambling is always true with steroids and HGH. If you make yourself a better player by cheating, you should not be recognized alongside Hank Aaron. Like Ben Johnson, your records should be omitted. If Pete Rose can't get into the Hall of Fame for gambling, then many of the best players of our time should certainly not be afforded that honour. In fact we should see more players removed from the ballot than inducted.

And speaking of lifetime bans, let's talk about Buck Weaver and Barry Bonds.

Buck Weaver was banned from baseball along with 7 other players for involvement in the 1919 World Series fix. Barry Bonds has not been banned from baseball for his involvement in the BALCO scandal.

Buck Weaver hit .324 with no errors in the 1919 series, so there's no evidence that he intended throw any games. Barry Bonds hit 762 home runs in his career, with 5 of his 6 highest season totals coming after he turned 35, which happened the year when Greg Anderson of BALCO became his trainer.

Weaver's alleged actions put a smear on one team in one season. Bond's alleged actions put a smear on the most prestigious record in baseball.

In spite of the lack of evidence of any direct wrongdoing, Weaver was banned from baseball for his knowledge of the fix, and failure to report it... this rule was adopted by MLB after the 1919 Series and enforced retroactively in Weaver's case. Barry Bonds broke a rule for which there wasn't much enforcement at the time, and if it were to be enforced retroactively he would be suspended for 50 days.

Buck Weaver's team mates, the ones who took the pay off, did so because at the time baseball players barely scraped a living out of their salaries, and were treated like second class citizens (particualrly those playing for notoriously cheap White Sox owner Charles Comiskey), this was a time before free agency or million dollar sports drink endorsements. Barry Bonds took steroids most likely because he was sick of playing second fiddle to the pure power hitters (many of whom were on performance enhancers) while he, as the best all around player of his time, toiled for a slightly less extravagant salary and slightly less notable endorsement deals.

Buck Weaver won his civil suit against White Sox owner Charles Comiskey for his lost salary for the 1921 season, and there were no legal documents implicating Weaver of any wrong doing. There is enough evidence against Bonds to warrant a criminal trial for obstruction of justice and perjury charges.

At the end, Barry Bonds should not be banned from baseball. Retroactive enforcement of rules should not take place, and it's simply MLB's fault for not getting on the drug testing trolley years before steroid and HGH use became such a widespread problem. However, his records should be wiped and his name removed from any future Hall of Fame ballot. The precedent is there, since Mark McGwire has not been inducted to the Hall, and is the only eligible 500 home run hitter not in the Hall. If voters will not induct McGwire for strong heresay, then the hard evidence against Bonds should warrant his removal.

Moreover, with the lack of hard evidence against Buck Weaver, the strong evidence which exists in his favour (his statistics from the World Series), and the fact that the only rule that he can be even reasonably accused of breaking didn't even exist at the time.

In fact, fuck Barry Bonds, he's not even that important.
Reinstate Buck Weaver.