Lammycat

You continue to ignore what I have been saying on this all along. When did I say "naughty boy" crap like you are asserting? Yeesh, man. The sliding scale is the penalties that are doled out in relation to the offense. For the umpteenth time: I believe there are degrees of cheating and that getting caught is punishable according to the degree of the offense. I don't know how to state it any clearer than that. ed. And I would say using steroids is right below betting on the game/fixing games. So yes, it's higher up on the scale than corking a bat, imo.

I've never written off other forms of cheating. Not once. I continue to put forms of cheating into perspective and degree, whereas you lump-sum them. How did greenies make a player "better?" Not more alert, but physically better?

Why do you assume I'm "all pissed off" about one? I see a stark contrast in the two. Neither gets me "all pissed off," though. My convictions are merely as set as yours. You don't like my take on it and that won't change. It also doesn't alter my feelings on steroid use as opposed to other forms of cheating. Non-response? I've responded. It has nothing to do with who used steroids and who used greenies. At least for me. I think if there is a collective "non-response" from the masses it's because nothing suggests that taking amphetamines compares to taking steroids in terms of the affect (o

I guess I don't see pep pills (though illegal) as affecting the playing field (pun intended) to the utter degree that steroids have. They gave players more energy, supposedly. Like caffeine might. They (as far as I've read/heard) do not alter the body to the point that one could jump from 49 HRs in a season to 73 (or similar comparisons). Pep pills are/were illegal and banned and penalties should fit getting caught using them. I am not justifying cheating but continue to believe that degrees and affects (on the sport) of cheating need to be taken into account.

Like coffee/caffeine?

How does that alter their bodies to hit a ball harder, throw a ball harder, heal quicker, etc.?

That album came out in '77 or '78. Half the album is studio versions and the other live versions. I think the "Ramble On Rose" was from an early 70s show, '72 or '73.

Essentially, yes. They don't alter the body in ways that contribute to out-performing players not using them.

Kearns, Wily Mo, Dunn = Reds.....

It could be argued (uh oh...) that Dunn is better than any of the other OFs, though, which makes the other guys dispensible.

Dunn to sign with Nats: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/nationals..._adam_dunn.html ed. norbs beat me.

Please. Let the guy hate on whomever he wants without having to justify it to you.

Right, but I think Emmylou shares the vocals with another chick, though. Great opening line on "Romance in Durango, " I think.

I very much like the female backing vocals and the strings on Desire and think it's a unique album in his catalog the way New Morning is with some of the lyrics and musical arrangements. However, I've listened to it so much the past 25 years or so that I'm a little fried on it. I listened to it a few days ago on the way to work and had to ff through "Hurricane" and 1-2 others. OTOH, I also grasped a new appreciation for "Black Diamond Bay," so go figure.

Devils & Dust this a.m.

Seems like an awful lot of money. Turns out to be a little over a half-million per club. MLB revenue has also increased to over 6 billion/year from 1 billion/year when he took office. I'm not saying it's solely his doing but can understand his payscale in the long run. Still, doesn't seem merited.

Robbie Alomar has full-blown AIDs, according to the title of this article: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2009/02/...to_alomar_.html

I've read (don't have a link presently) that using greenies eventually wear a player down. It';s speed. It's used to pep a guy up. I don't see how it makes a player stronger or alters the body to be super-human in any way. I'm not condoning them, but there is a pretty big distinction betweem the two, as far as I can tell (which is limited on greenies).

Depends on if you "cheated" by kissing her or "cheated" by nailing her. There are varying degrees of cheating....

I think I referred to getting away with a spit ball during a game as "almost an art form." I think this has been twisted into "absolutely celebrating" it. I'm with Leo in that the transgressions of a corked bat, too much pine tar, spit ball are all relevant to single (in a game framework) acts that are, in my eyes, relatively minor compared to altering ones physical make up in order to out-perform others who choose not to cheat, which in the end hinge on pay day, stats, etc. I also realize that others see no difference in one form of cheating to another. Eh. This discussion has gone in cir

Actually, I'm pretty sure it was decided that the spitball would be banned at the beginning of the season in which Ray Chapman was killed. Even with the death, pitchers using it prior to the end of that season were allowed to continue using it. Odd. I'll address the other stuff later (greenies v. steroids and "celebration" of spitballs, pine tar, etc. v. steroids, MLB policy and Bud's Congressional testimony).

Yeah that sounds about right. That's been my take all along: "It just doesn't." Thanks for the input.

Pretty good read so far. Amazing that he was tying/setting records as a high schooler and broke three world records in one day (in less than an hour) while at Ohio State (should have broken 4 but "slow thumbs" by the line judges/timers has often been cited and he tied that record).

The Fay Vincent memo (distributed in 1991) addresses the banning of steroids/peds. I realize there are misconceptions surrounding that memo and the reluctance of MLB to instill the ban effectively, but it was still on the books by then....

In defense of Carl Mays and the spitball: spitballs were not banned from the sport until after the season in which Chapman was killed. The ball that was in play was almost always dirtied before it was tossed and Mays wasn't the only pitcher altering the ball. Also, Chapman wasn't wearing a helmet (typical of the era, too). Even after the ban on the spitball, Mays and others were allowed a grandfather clause to continue pitching with them after the ban. Comparing amphetamines (energy/speed pills) and drugs that physically alter your body to gain advantage is weak, imo. Calling a spitball and