BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?

Subject: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in B-Bal?
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 01:36 PM

I only have a mild interest in what happens in the sports world. A story title caught my eye: Congress to question Clemens or somesuch. Of course it's about Roger Clemens' alleged hormone use. I see that the Justice Dept. is already involved and has been and that seems right, but why, oh, why, does Congress have to get involved in questioning Clemens, et alia? It just seems there is so much more important issues they could be working on. What is the purpose...am I missing something?

Thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 01:51 PM

Kat -it has to do with special waivers granted to Major Leaguge Baseball to be exempt from the anti-monopoly laws. In theory, baseball is supposed to be held to certain standrads in order to remain eilgible for those waivers. if MLB cannot police itself and keep the game honest, Congress will either police it for them or revoke tit's special status. if it is no longer exempt from the anti-monopoly laws - it will have to radically restructure and may cease to exist as in the form we know it.

Congress has had its fingers in baseball for many decades. The Black Sox scandal brought more attention to the MLB and set up the present comissioner system. However, in light of recent revelations it has been suggested by members of congress that MLB has ceased to effectively police itself and therefore should be accountible to congress for issues such as the steroid scandal as well as some minor gambling scandals. Congress is involved because of baseball's exemptions from the federal statutes that prohibit monopolies.

I know it seems senseless but when you look at the exemptions it makes a little more sense

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 01:58 PM

Thanks, D'SW. I figured there HAD to be something.

Interesting typo, btw: revoke tit's special status **bg**

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 02:00 PM

LOL! Well, some might say MLB has sucked at the tit of government exemptions for too long....

I of course, just can't type

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 02:02 PM

I like the other explanation better...got nothing to do with typing.

My other thought was mine would like to keep their special status!:-)

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 02:10 PM

I neglected to include the obvious reason Congress is sticking its nose in baseball - It's an election year and they want to make it seem as if they are doing something about an issue that outrages people but in reality has very little impact on their lives.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 03:04 PM

It's based on "precedent."

Teddy Roosevelt may have started it when he ordered - possibly by one of those "executive orders" for which recent "deciders" have shown such fondness - a Congressional investigation of the then-new sport of "American Football."

About 1.5 dozen players had died in the "games" the previous season.

The end result was the invention and mandatory use of the "football helmet."

It's gone on from that small beginning.

John

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 03:54 PM

High school kids use all of those things around here, but I don't think it has anything to do with what the pros are up to.

                Congress seems to think if Barry Bonds is exposed for hormone use, teens will stay away from it. I mean, nobody wants to be famous and make that kind of money, right? So surely their approach will be successful.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: kendall
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 05:03 PM

How can these cheats claim to have broken old records when they had to break the law to do it?
It's like buying a trophy.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 05:09 PM

Congress is involved because it's easier to talk about baseball than to actually work on the problems of the country.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: GUEST,'Ray Bucknell
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 08:18 PM

The antitrust exemption angle is why Congress got involved with major league baseball in the first place, as was stated above.   It's also a big part of the reason for the upcoming hearings involving Clemens et al., as well as the Raphael Palmiero/Mark McGuire hearings a few years ago, but I believe there's more.   Baseball IS the American game.   The home run records broken under the cloud of steroids matter greatly to those of us who have followed baseball since we were children and appreciate the sanctity of stuff like this.   Sure, there are Congressmen who think it'll play really well back home to have their names attached to hearings about baseball.   But now it's all come to a head.   Bud Selig has hidden his head in the sand and played dumb for way too long, as has everyone else with a financial stake in the game.

    I don't know what I really expect from these hearings, but I do know this as a baseball fan: records broken illegally should not stand.   Pete Rose has been kept out of the Hall of Fame because of his wagering on baseball as a manager, even though it's perfectly clear that his playing career warrants his place in Cooperstown.   Roger Clemens threw a splintered bat at Mike Piazza during a game, and now he's trying to tell us it was the B-12.   Please.   It's time to clean up baseball, and if the "Commissioner" and the owners don't care enough about tradition, history, and the glory of this All-American game to bother, then Congress might as well have a whack.   Whether they'll accomplish anything remains to be seen.   

    Steve Goodman is no doubt turning in his grave....

                                       'Ray

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 11:19 PM

Ray - I sure you're right about the owners not caring. They wouldn't care if the players killed themselves with these substances as long as it sold tickets and television time.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 11:21 PM

The other thing is, what about the records that baseball fans hold so sacred? If we ban steroids, the upcoming players will never match the stats of the players in the game today. I wonder what kinds of realities that would generate.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 09:34 AM

The real reason is they are all little boys who love getting to meet the owners of baseball clubs, and they especially love holding hearings which allow them to get autographs "for their kids" from famous players.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Peace
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 10:06 AM

"Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?"

There are fouls to call and bases to steal.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 10:28 AM

So what we really need is an umpire.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Peace
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 10:45 AM

Like a Holy Roman Umpire . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 11:30 AM

I did a cartoon of Scharzenegger spewing outrage over the use of steroids in baseball..."it shrinks my supply"

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 11:39 AM

That's funny! I never linked Arnold to it, but what an example he makes, huh?

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 04:06 PM

Marion Jones was sentenced to 6 months in prison for lieing about steroid use.


Gov. Arnold said quote "no comment"

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 05:07 PM

You are a little out of date, Donuel. This is from 2005:

(AP) Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has acknowledged using steroids during his years as a champion body builder, said he does not regret using the performance-enhancing drugs.

In an interview to be broadcast Sunday, the Austrian-born former actor told George Stephanopoulos: "I have no regrets about it, because at that time, it was something new that came on the market, and we went to the doctor and did it under doctors' supervision."

Schwarzenegger has acknowledged taking steroids, but pointed out that they were legal at the time.

"We were experimenting with it. It was a new thing. So you can't roll the clock back and say, 'Now I would change my mind on this,'" he said.

The former seven-time Mr. Olympia said he would not encourage drug use because it sent the wrong message to children. But he said he had no problem with athletes taking nutritional supplements and other legal substances to improve their performance.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 05:12 PM

Boy, you've got to wonder what he's taking now?

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Wesley S
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 05:17 PM

"Boy, you've got to wonder what he's taking now?"

California for a ride?? I wonder what his approval ratings are?

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Peace
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 06:10 PM

Whatever it is, it ain't Omega 3-6-9.

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 06:25 PM

I doubt he is taking anything other than nutritional supplements; you fellahs just can't fathom anyone making any positive changes, can you?

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Peace
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 01:09 AM

9-6-3?

Subject: RE: BS: Please tell me why Congress is in Baseball?
From: Riginslinger
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 11:43 AM

"...you fellahs just can't fathom anyone making any positive changes, can you?"


                   Well, he replaced Gray Davis, that was a positive change, wasn't it?