Tom Swift Writer’s Notebook

What’s your take on the steroids fiasco? When the question first popped up I figured folks were asking because of my bulging pectorals. But, sadly, no. I now realize that Roger Clemens’ congressional testimony has been scrutinized as though it is the sequel to the Zapruder film — I have an nine-channel cable package and I have seen Clemens’ entourage walk in that hallway more this week than I’ve seen my wife — I realized I had to offer another answer.

I think baseball deserves to have its dirty laundry aired. I just don’t care to be downwind.

My problem isn’t so much the problem. It’s the solution. The conversation is so tired and redundant that I don’t know any constructive answer will come about.

The loudest critics, at least to my ears, are sportswriters who think their job is to sit in judgment when their actual job, writing the story, was abdicated years ago. On the opposite end of the room are those who equate steroid use to scuffed baseballs (as if the jaywalker should be punished the same as the inebriated driver). In the middle is what I’ll call the silent majority. Here we have the fans’ fans, those who love baseball first, second and always, no matter what scandal is revealed, no matter how fast ticket prices rise, or how much welfare teams receive. I don’t care about steroids. They don’t help you hit a major league fastball anyway, and, besides, the West Coast triple-header is about to start on the dish.

So I appreciate the rare instances when the conversation takes place within the shades of gray, such as the debate I caught the other night. More than one of the speakers struggled to add anything relevant, but several salient points were made, including those from the moderator — one of my favorite interviewers.

Now excuse me while I go bench-press the bar.

This post was added on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 by Tom Swift at 16:16 and is filed under Soapbox.