While watching the College World Series today, the announcers began discussing steroid use in the Major Leagues and the announcer said something I have heard over and over but only today did the complete foolishness of it strike me. He said (in reference to the steroid use):
"Of course all the fans are complicit in this thing too. We were cheering and buying tickets. So there is blame to go around"
Now, I learned some logic at law school, and maybe not enough, but frankly I don't see how one single fan could be blamed for being complicit in the steroid era. So if someone could explain to me the logic behind this oft repeated statement, I would appreciate it.
I have spent a couple minutes trying to determine my liability for the Steroid Era. I was born in 1983 and always rooted for the Cubs and Tigers (I'm from Michigan, I had to have an NL team). I went to games at old Tiger Stadium where the obese Cecil Fielder used to hit 470 foot home runs. I bought the occasional baseball hat and read the Chicago Tribune because my dad said it was the only real paper in America. I went to my first Cubs game when I was 16ish and Sammy was chasing Mark McGwire and when he hit #50 something, the ballpark exploded like nothing I had ever seen. My friend was slow to get out of those antiquated bathrooms and came up the steps when Sammy was rounding third - he asked me "Did I miss something?" I didn't know anything about steroids until Barry Bonds starting hitting home runs and his head visibly expanded.
So, BCB being the pre-eminent place on SBN to discuss steroids right now, I ask: What is my liabilty for the Steroid Era? Damn right I was in the stands cheering, but what's the connection? Here are the reasons I have heard for fans being complicit:
- Chicks dig the long ball..Guys do too. We all love it so much we forced players to juice. Sorry!
- We turned a "blind eye" to steroid use which was so obvious.
- We didn't demand proper drug testing.
Graham Filler
The Rivalry Esq