Dept. of Justice/ Baseball

If ONLY we could find a way to ensure those in public office wouldn't lie to us, eh?

or, for that matter, that we didn't lie to eachother.

As a sports lover all my life I am pleased to see that our gov't is finally doing something about this issue and this issue is bigger than just about a game.

The players who took steriods benefited greatly by receiving major contracts as a result of their enhanced performance and decieved our children. This attacks the integrity of these games and is tantamount to fraud. And who says that our elected officials "have placed so much priority on this subject" just becasue it gets a lot of press? They heve held hearings and are now investigating these athletes for perjury. I don't think it has stopped our national governement from performing any of its other duties and I'm not concerned that we are diverting national resources away from our fight against terrorism, crime or all the other challenges our country faces. I doubt that if our gov't ignored this issue that they would fix health care or improve our school systems as a result. And I do want to know that these institutions are legitimate and that my children do not idolize phonies.

If we allow these athletes to commit perjury then we are destroying any credibility that a grand jury has and this will affect future cases that you may deem of more significance.

While sports is entertaining, it is not merely entertainment. Sports are supposed to be about competition to help teach our children who look up to these athletes, emulate them and are influenced by them. Often times athletes are our children's 1st role models. As a child I did not have posters of Martin Luther King or Robert Kennedy on my bedroom walls I had Gordie Howe, Bob Gibson, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente. Roberto Clemente was more than just a tremendous athlete he was a great humanitarian who's life ended on December 31, 1972 in a plane crash while en route to Nicaragua with relief supplies for earthquake victims. Always the humanitarian, Clemente was on the plane to make sure the clothing, food and medical supplies weren't stolen, as had happened with previous flights. His plane went down off the coast of San Juan shortly after takeoff, and Roberto's body was never found. I still remember that day. I wish today's athletes were as socially aware and less interested in the material and lifestyle rewards at their disposal.

So yes it important that we hold our athletes accountable and that we identify which ones are true role models for our kids.

As I understand it, steroid and performance enhancers were not illegal at the time of the alleged abuse. Thus, the 'problem' is the lie...?

I do not follow sports. I feel that there are many more serious matters that Congress and the DoJ could be following (start with WMD and our current admin). To me, this is vaguely reminiscent of the Martha Stewart Affair.

Just my $0.02.

I agree 100% with Rick W. There are too many young men and women who actually believe they are going to make it to the "big time" of professional sports. They are obsessed. Like it or not, high schools and colleges put a great deal of focus on their athletes and athletic programs which just plays into the celebrity of professional sports. Having our government step in, where professional baseball has chosen NOT to police itself, sends the right message. It is the voice of reason where reason has been seriously lacking. No, I don't believe it's a waste of our tax dollars. Yes, I believe there is possibly too much media attention (as there is on every breath Brittany Spears takes and on who wore what to the Oscars). However, because there is that daily media attention hyping sports stars, the attention given to righting the wrongs is just as important and deserves at least as much weight as the celebrations. This is especially true if it turns out that what we’re celebrating (world records, feats of amazing athleticism) turns out to be false. The steroids in question were not illegal in baseball because there were just plain illegal.

My 13 year old son is an athlete and he has watched some of the news about the "steroid trials." We've had some very good discussions as a result covering topics from ethics and peer pressure to his personal health and the importance of education. I can only hope there are many more discussions like these in homes across the country as a result.

What Martha Stewart did was very wrong too!! She benefited from inside information and made millions of dollars as a result. I wish I had that kind of assistance in my stock choices. She deserved to go to prison and hopefully she is better person for it.

If we let these misdeeds go then we are all to blame for the lowering of our society's standards and we cannot complain when it eventually affects us directly. I think it's a little late to try and impeach Bush at this point anyway.

How this interferes with the problems of WMD or the current administration I'll never know. I doubt these senators missed an important subcommittee meeting on WMD as a result of their particpation. Besides Bush will be gone soon and we will have a new leader to focus on.

That doesn't mean this is not an important topic and should be ignored or swept under the carpet. Since when is lying under oath to a grand jury no less a minor issue? Regardless of what they are lying about.

And I'm glad to see that at least in one American household this has led to conversations about morals, ethics, right and wrong, after all we're here to raise our children not just enjoy them right?

Roger Clemens is no role model and I am glad that he is exposed for what he really is. When our 12 year olds idolize the Nelson Mandela's and the Mother Theresa's of this world then I will agree that these athletes are irrelevant. Until then our kids will continue to worship and be influenced by them. I know I was one of them.

It relates to WMD's because of the limitted resources available to investigate. I disagree with you, but I respect your opinion. (I believe that it's not only possible for two people with diametrically opposed opinions to be correct, but that it's necessary that they discuss their opinions...

Just my $0.02...and a bit of 'warm fuzzy' for the skeptics.) Jackie Rodzinski (THEInquiringEye)