In anticipation of something revolting from the Major Baseball League (MBL) and Allan Huber "Bud" Selig, commissioner, grand wizard steroid zealot and chief financial beneficiary of the steroid era.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Black Sox: some thoughts.
Joe Jackson was a weasel. That seems to be his defense or his defense by others...
There are clear parallels between the old gambling scandal and the current steroids scandal with one exception: the gamblers played to LOSE, the steroid users played to WIN. The two things that they have in common:
1. management looked the other way as long as it could then covered up;
2. innocent/honest players did virtually nothing to end it...
Why don't we apply the commissioner Landis standard, which seems to be that of the U.S. military academy honor code:
"A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do."
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Thursday, January 10, 2013
Honor Code: a player will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.
Fans should call for an honor code for Major Baseball League (MBL) players and that should take care of the "sportsmanship, integrity, character" qualification for the Hall of Fame. And require current living Hall of Fame former players to swear that they played by that code when they were players: Nolan Ryan, Whitey Ford, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Carl Yastrzemski. All of them.
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Friday, January 11, 2013
Honor code: "not ... tolerate those who do (lie, cheat, steal)".
For those concerned about "clean" players, consider that they benefited from the improved performance of teammates who used steroids, etc. Why shouldn't players turn in teammates who violated the honor code? That's how an honor code works.
Most organizations have a code of conduct. If a member steals, that person would be fired. If another knew about the stealing and did not report it, that person would also be fired...
And cheating is more than using steroids. Cheating includes:
- faking being hit by a pitch
- faking catching a fly ball
- faking tagging a runner
- pitcher intentionally hitting a batter with a pitch
- messing with the bat or ball.
With an honor code teammates must report all violations. Otherwise, what's all the fuss?
It's a tangled web. I've said all along that it's the lying that bothers me.
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Monday, January 14, 2013
Honor Code: start with living Hall of Fame members.
Come on fans. Let's get the Hall of Fame and/or the Baseball Writers who vote to start the honor code with all living members of the Hall of Fame. Why not? Why would Hall of Famers object? Wouldn't they want to distinguish themselves from the current crop of rejectees? ...
So maybe Nolan Ryan and Whitey Ford will be the first to take the pledge and honor the honor code. Which Hall of Famer will be the first to do it? Some Hall of Famers are vocal in their disdain for the 2013 rejectees. So step up men and show the right stuff of the greatest generation. Take the pledge or tell us why you won't.
If somehow we fans can get the Hall of Fame and/or the Baseball Writers behind this, the pledge could be a condition for remaining in the Hall of Fame. Yes, we're talking deduction, ejection, removal. If they weren't properly vetted for the requisite "sportsmanship, integrity, character", then kick them the heck out! What kind of Hall of Fame are we running here anyway?
Every media person I have heard simply moans about what a predicament it is, what a conundrum. Well, gate off your intellectual ass and DO something about it. My idea is better than your no idea. Do SOMETHING!
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And how about an honor code for the media people who like to call other people cheaters? Then vote each other Hall of Fame recognition, including in 2013 when no living players were voted in. Maybe the players should vote on the media people. That would be interesting.
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