Manny Did Do Roids

I apologize for my first article because I reacted to the original media story and didnt wait to get all the facts about Manny Ramirez steroid abuse. What we learned today was that Ramirez used a women's fertility drug called hCG which masks testosterone after a steroid cycle.

There you have it. Manny did steroids and destroyed his legacy as one of the best players in baseball in last twenty years. The legacy is blown up because Manny was such a well-like player by the fans more so than A-Rod and everyone in L.A. "loved him" at the same level of Kobe Bryant. He had his own section called "Mannywood" and many jerseys were bought. Who knows what fans will think of them now.

Although despite this I gained some perspective as I was talking to my friend Craig who said,"I dont know what to think about any player in that era, I think we all knew Clemens, McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds were all on something but after A-Rod and Manny, I just dont know." I couldnt agree more with that statement because it provide a new outlook on the "Steroid Era" in baseball. I have always been one of those guys who said these players are ruining baseball and they have no right to be in the Hall of Fame which is consider the highest honer out of any four major professional sports. But now after Manny's problems with steroids, I think you have to let these guys into the Hall of Fame.

Someone will ask me the question "Is it right to support cheating?" Well no, it isnt but heres the thing everyone did in the late 90s to early 2000s with the pressure from everyone to take performance-enhancers. These guys had loose drug rules and they took advantage of them just like the NFL in the 1980s. I guess I never understood why the players of the 80s in football never got criticized like Manny or A-Rod did in this day and age. The only real reason why is the ever-growing sports media. In the 80s you didnt have college sophomores like me writing articles about steroids and why these players should be ashamed of themselves.

I truly believe what you will see in the next ten years as baseball begins to become pure again, you might start seeing Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Manny Ramirez, and Alex Rodriguez's names getting closer and closer to the Hall of Fame. I will reiterate it once again, yes they cheated but everyone else did too so why should they be punished more than the others? I mean I am willing to bet some guys who get elected in the Hall of Fame in the upcoming years will have had performance-enhancers and never been called out on it.

-Charlie.