Dan Gould

I still say it will take a cruel act of God for this Miami team to salvage the franchise pride and win next week. Speaking of which - I am flying on JetBlue to LaGuardia while that game is going on - does anyone know if their seat-back TVs have Fox/CBS/NBC channels? I'd sure like to enjoy a blowout while I listen to tunes.

No, I was genuinely surprised when you stated that you enjoy juiced baseball more than the previous kind and were completely indifferent to any long term impact the juice might have.

I find one aspect of Andy Pettitte's confession somewhat amusing: He says that he used HGH to 'recover' from surgery, not to get an unfair advantage. If that is so, why did he go to his trainer to get it? Why not consult with the surgeon who performed the surgery or his regular physician? The obvious reason is that neither one of them would have said "yes, HGH will help you recover faster, here's a prescription." The NY tabs are all over Roger the Dodger about how bad Pettitte's confirmation of McNamee's story is for Roger's denials. Pretty funny too is the fact that both Andy and Roger use the Hendrickson's as their agents - and one decides to confess, the other puts out a belligerant statement, and both are "fully supported" by their flacks. Does anyone think this hurts the relationship between the two? Pettitte had to know that any confession that confirms the trainer's statements would look bad for Roger.

I think this is Jim's call but MG makes a good suggestion. I've no doubt that we'd raise the same amount a year from now, if Jim were to take $1900 to cover 2008 and the remainder was applied to the previous CDs debts, or to the next CDs release.

Maybe I'd like to know if we reached the goal of paying for two years in advance. Jesus Christ.

In other words, create a whole different game than baseball? Or at least, an extremely different version of it? I was being facetious. But my point stands -- if we are going to get extremely exercised about the health risks faced by professional baseball players, then there are plenty of things that could be changed in the sport that will have a far more significant impact on this "problem" than cracking down on steroids. More seriously, we have video footage of the sport going back to 19xx -- we can establish that as the upper bound on acceptable physical exertion for baseball players and enforce it as necessary. That wouldn't create a "whole different game" and would reassure those in this thread who are agitated about the health risks faced by professional baseball players. Once we have taken those steps we could consider reducing less significant health risks like those caused by steroids. I'd still be glad to see any concrete medical evidence (published in top journals) that establishes the health consequences from using steroids. Guy I can't believe I'm dealing with this kind of foolishness. Number one - we're talking about the health consequences of using substances that are illegal without proper medical authorization. That is completely different from the foolishness you are spouting about ways to reduce the health risks associated with playing the game as it was intended. Number two - I don't have time to go find multiple medical journal articles about the effects of steroids. I just googled "medical impact of steroid use" and one of the first hits was this article. While the topic is women's use of steroids, what is the first sentence of the abstract? NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE DOCUMENTED THE PSYCHIATRIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS. That's good enough for me. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Now that there's been some time for checks to arrive, can we get an update on the amount that was ultimately raised?

Well that's the final nail in the Rocket's coffin. Proof that the trainer spoke the truth - what else do we need to believe the trainer is telling the truth when he says he injected Clemens? Too bad Pettitte's got some integrity and 'fessed up almost immediately. Clemens on the other hand, having the same gargantuan ego that will be Barry Lamar's downfall, didn't think about coming clean and being contrite, he had his lawyer hack put out a statement with words like "libelous" and "troubled man". Dan Duquette was right - Roger was in the twilight of his career - until he discovered the joys of modern chemistry.

Actually they didn't forgive the strike very quickly at all, it took McGuire and Sosa's steroid-aided "chase" to generate fan excitement again, four years later. There's no doubt that everyone in baseball is equally to blame for the situation. No one wanted to look too closely at the perverse results that were seen during the steroids era - like athletes in their late 30s and 40s performing better than they ever had previously, or a singles hitter like Sosa turning into Babe Ruth. Nevertheless, I think fans can absolutely reject the accomplishments that were previously celebrated - if they looked at these stars and logically suspected they were juicing but couldn't fairly draw conclusions without proof. That proof is here, and I think everyone is entitled to reject Clemens, Bonds, McGuire, the whole lot of them. They cheated and just because it made baseball "more exciting" (which I think is a total crock of shit), it doesn't change that fact.

You're glad people pumped their bodies full of steroids and whatever else, to gain artificial advantages over honest players? No, that I am completely indifferent about. I am just glad about the results. Guy So you are grateful for baseball played by juiced up athletes yet completely indifferent should they suffer adverse medical consequences in the future. My understanding is that the "adverse medical consequences" are minor. In terms of current human tragedies, this probably ranks at #1,.......,000,....000,005. From the Mitchell Report: I agree, these are decidedly minor medical consequences. Everyone would enjoy sporting events so much more if we'd just let the athletes use whatever supplement modern science can produce. What are the probabilities of any of those things happening as a direct result of using steroids? The statement you quote is meaningless without some actual numbers. Obviously there is a proven medical link between the two. And you should well know that coming up with precise numbers is problematic because it would require an unethical use of steroids. You can't seriously assert that this has anything whatsoever to do with the topic at hand. Injuries occur to anyone from the "weekend warrior" to the professional athlete. They have nothing to do with the proven deleterious medical effects of steroid use/abuse.

You're glad people pumped their bodies full of steroids and whatever else, to gain artificial advantages over honest players? No, that I am completely indifferent about. I am just glad about the results. Guy So you are grateful for baseball played by juiced up athletes yet completely indifferent should they suffer adverse medical consequences in the future. My understanding is that the "adverse medical consequences" are minor. In terms of current human tragedies, this probably ranks at #1,.......,000,....000,005. From the Mitchell Report: I agree, these are decidedly minor medical consequences. Everyone would enjoy sporting events so much more if we'd just let the athletes use whatever supplement modern science can produce.

You're glad people pumped their bodies full of steroids and whatever else, to gain artificial advantages over honest players? No, that I am completely indifferent about. I am just glad about the results. Guy So you are grateful for baseball played by juiced up athletes yet completely indifferent should they suffer adverse medical consequences in the future.

That's a ridiculous comment, though I've certainly come to expect it. Edmonds is so far past his prime he needs a pair of binoculars to get a glimpse. I have to admit Dan, sometimes it's very hard not to give to at least nudge you from time to time -- it's harmless Bro. Of course it is. As Deep would say, CLASP!

Of course Clemens can afford it. 18 million from the Yankees last year - he couldn't take that entire amount and put it toward "salvaging" his reputation and not miss it one bit, win or lose? There's an article on Foxsports that details Clemens' results pre and post steroid use, and the evidence is pretty damning. And the fact is that his former trainer wasn't threatened with jail. Randomski pleaded to two counts and will be sentenced sometime soon. The trainer got the exact same offer a certain Barry Lamar Bonds got: Tell us what you know, and don't lie, and you won't be charged with anything. What did Barry do? Lied his head off, and now he's charged with perjury among other crimes. The trainer took the opportunity he was given and gave full and complete testimony. And let's think about the Clemens material. There are other players he identified as users for whom there was documentary evidence, including canceled checks. With no money changing hands (Clemens was said to provide the syringes, he just needed help injecting himself), why does this guy rat out Clemens (and Pettite)? What are the chances that MLB develops other evidence that Clemens juiced, and then comes after the trainer for perjury? After all, its perjury when you lie and its perjury for not being forthright about everything you know. He could have satisfied MLB and the Feds with the other names he gave - but because he felt bound to tell everything in order to adhere to the agreement he signed, he told the Feds and MLB everything. He didn't have to tell them about Clemens or Pettite, and no one would have known otherwise. The very fact that he told them what he knew about Clemens is a strong indication that its true. I have to say I am getting a considerable kick out of the fact that two men were given the opportunity to testify truthfully at no legal jeapordy except for perjury charges. One man took the opportunity, said what he knew, and walks away with his honor, integrity, and freedom. The other awaits trial, his reputation in tatters, solely because of his ego[/] and the fact that he lacks all honor, integrity, and soon, his freedom.

That's a ridiculous comment, though I've certainly come to expect it. Edmonds is so far past his prime he needs a pair of binoculars to get a glimpse.

And everyone said Beane was waiting for Santana to be dealt, then Haren would go. I wonder if Minnesota is serious about keeping him, or else the report in the Minneapolis paper might be correct - its not that they want Ellsbury and Lester in the same deal, its Ellsbury and Buchholz they want together. There ain't a damn chance in hell that Theo will make that move, and if they still think they should get Lowry or Masterson on top of that haul, F them. We'll compete for Santana on nothing other than money a year from now.

There's no way I could even think about a $449 TT. I also don't require USB outputs, I've been using RCAs with an adapter into the line-in plug and everything actually sounds quite nice. What I was hoping to find out is that for close to what I paid before - maybe $50 more -that the Numark would sound quite acceptable. Maybe the Numark's flaws are more noticeable on higher end setups? As for listening to vinyls on the couch that's highly unlikely - ain't no couch up here, and really the fact is that its relatively rare for my vinyl to be super clean and wonderful to listen to. That's why I dump it into the computer, clean up the pops and burn CDs. Then I have a much nicer sounding copy and don't have to listen to the noisy vinyl again. Although it did occur to me that if I had a USB connection, I could run output to both the PC, and if I got a really long set of RCA cables, to the stereo in the listening room that is next to the office.

Ah, yes, the questions would be: what do you want from a TT? And how big is your record collection? How good is your audio system? Well, I thought that my description of my current TT and my price range would give you an idea. I have a lot of vinyl, but I own it to transfer to CD, not as a main source of listening pleasure. I'd like something that will sound decent at a more than reasonable cost. This shop uses Numark TTs at their listening stations, and on headphones they certainly sound pretty good to me.

I hadn't really thought about replacing or upgrading my decidedly mediocre turntable I got at BrandsMart four years ago but I stopped into the sole remaining used record store in Fort Lauderdale today and discovered that they were now stocking various Numark models, including one with a USB cable for direct dubbing into the PC. So - is Numark a good brand? Sticking below, say, $250, are there decent options if I decided to upgrade? thanks in advance.

Bruce said it all.

:party:

So let me ask you guys - no current Red Sox, no really "big" Red Sox players of the past except for Mo Vaugnn. Does this call into question the report because two major Yankees were identified while the good Senator - member of the Red Sox Board - didn't name any Red Sox players?

Completely agree, Eric - when I was a kid, I tried to imitate Tom Seaver's motion, down to the dirt on the right knee.

It is a powerful story; its also good to read that there is hope that his back will improve and I'm also glad to know that doctors don't regard his punishing running style as the cause of his problems now - it really sounds as though, through the same bull-headedness that made him such a remarkable athlete, a lot of his problems can be traced back to his own choices (not having the surgery, adapting the strength training regimen).

Two observations about that list: If its accurate, then the report that "prominent" Yankees would be identified is mistaken. The only current Yankee player is Pettitte, and we all know about the Clemens/Clemens' trainer connection. Secondly, Rich Garces? El Guapo??? The man who inspired the "Bobble Belly" giveaway? This is what he looked like in his playing days: