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Results so far:
| No | 21% | 60 votes | Total: 285 votes | |
| Yes | 79% | 225 votes |
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Add to FavoritesAsking if cheating matters to fans elicits the same response as asking them if they love umpires. . Cheating doesn't matter to conscienceless fans frenzied by their deity: baseball players. The word "fan" is short for the word "fanatic". The word "fanatic" is derived from Latin fanaticus; inspired by a deity; or frenzied. The question taken literally requires a negative response.
The long answer is less obvious. Since the human body cannot endure a frenzied state of being long without experiencing death; return to restful, logical, rational thought brings conscience. This thinking part of the brain is never engaged when fanatical behavior is exhibited. When a fan becomes non fanatical, however, the sense of duty, justice, and fair play become a working part of the mind. It depends on whether the individual wishes to place energy into rationalizing away conscionable logic in order to experience continued, relished, frenzied fanaticism.
The value of seeing a deity send a rawhide covered, orbicular string winding sailing into the cheap seats must be weighed against the pain of conscionable, knowledgeable fact about the blood anabolic steroid level of the slugger. Bodies filled with artificial drugs are proven to improve batting averages. Decisions to consider performance enhancing drugs "cheating" are best left to rational thinkers; not fans.
The common rationalization that players are: in possession of free will, aware of the potentially harmful and fatal side and after effects of the chemical, and take the risk of ingestion anyway, is abdication of responsibility on the part of the fan. That line of nonsensically impaired reasoning demands cash payment of all physical, social, mental, manufacturing and drug administrative cost through itemization in the ticket selling price at the point of sale.
A proposal of inception of another "expanded" league of baseball birthed, initiated, implemented, and nourished is not outlandish; and really not half bad as an idea. This new league would make legal any and all performance improving drug use. Any individual wishing better playing through chemistry would be encouraged to do so in this new league. Non- "cheaters" would be confined to the traditional league and subject to its rules, unfortunately for them.
Separation into cheater and non cheater leagues will solve heretofore immensely complicated problems of comparing hall of fame statistics. A separate Hall of Fame will be created for the cheaters league so the problem of comparing apples to oranges is rendered moot. Also, the Barry Bonds' of this world could finally come clean regarding their perceived cheating behaviors and Congress and the Courts could apply themselves to important matters. Quixotically, no professional recognition is given to life expectancy actuarial table fulfillment (i.e. long life). Perhaps the non cheater league could reward this intrinsically non tangible asset acquisition.
Learn more about this author, Michael Shepard.
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Yes
I'm a die hard baseball fan, so I can tell you firsthand that cheating matters to the fans. In another article that I read recently, it said that all fans wanted was to see their team win. That's just not true. I'd hate for my team to win unfairly. It's a disgrace. And any single player that's caught cheating in any way makes the whole team look bad.
I don't think these players realize what they're doing. By cheating, not only are they compromising their team's reputation, but they are teaching children and other who look up to them that it's OK to break the rules to get ahead in life. That is not the message I want my children to get from baseball.
Baseball is still America's pastime in my household. We go to games as a family and cheer on our teams while enjoying a hotdog and a rootbeer. We check the standings and player stats constantly and thrive on the rivalries. My kids idolize certain players and I know they would be devastated if they found out they were on steroids, or were caught corking a bat. They would lose all respect for those players, and a family pastime would be ruined.
Luckily, my children know that cheating is wrong, but what about other impressionable children? They may see it more as a "Well, if so&so can do it, then it must be ok" type of thing. They may decide to cheat in their little-league game. Then it may seem ok to cheat on their math test. While they're at it, they may decide that steroids won't hurt them...get the picture?
Professional athletes have argued that they are not role models, they are just athletes. However, they need to understand that if they make the choice to play professional sports, they will be looked up to whether they want to or not. They need to accept that and make choices that will positively affect their fans.
Learn more about this author, Sophia Aniston.
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