Rep Waxman took Steroids?

[Zuruck]

I turned on NESN this morning to watch some spring training baseball this morning, and that stupid congressional hearing on steroids was on all morning. What in god's name is the govt doing getting involved with a sport? I heard they are going to start some sort of task force to make sure teh MLB is enforcing their new rules. What happened to small govt? Are they going to control every facet of our lives now? And I'm not pointing at one single party, both of them are equal in this debacle. Well, the whole thing was a farce to begin with because they didn't even make the single most questionable person testify. Barry Bonds, the center of this crap for the last two years didn't even have to come. I don't know, I think they need to get off the white elephants for a few minutes and take a deep breathe and get back to more important things. Sure, steroids in high school are bad, but so what, kids do worse, I sure did.

On a side note, Yankees and Tigers tonight at 6

[Avder]

Now, what they really need to do is start a congressional hearing looking into outrageous player salaries in all 4 sports, and the possibility of reducing some of the players unions' power.

The NHL completely cancelled its season this year. And im sure most of us remember the 94' MLB strike. All products of millionairs whining to billionaires about how they dont get paid enough.

Bust up the Players Unions. Unions should be reserved for people who actually need them. If anything allow players to strike on safety issues only.

On a side note, zuruck: biggest choke ever.

[Lothar]

Unions should be reserved for people who actually need them. If anything allow players to strike on safety issues only.

Mostly agreed... though, you have to admit, the owners wouldn't hesitate to set a much lower salary cap (in any sport) than what they have now, just so they can pay significantly less to the players. I don't mind the fact that the players are at least resisting. Yeah, the players make a lot of money -- but so do the owners, most of the time.

All sports should have a reasonable salary cap. I happen to really like the NBA's cap / exceptions / luxury tax structure. It's a nice balance -- keeps the players making a reasonable chunk of the team's total income, but it also keeps the big-market teams from just hiring the best players.

[Dedman]

I think the Feds got involved because of the anti-trust exemption MLB enjoys. While I don't particularly care for current "big government" trend, I have to think that in this case, they weren't entirely out of line.

I think they were justified in saying: hey MLB, if you want to keep your anti-trust exemption, you better clean up your act.