Off my chest...

There have been a few recent stories in professional sports that have stirred up some feelings inside me (or maybe it's this early Saturday morning coffee). I have to get a few things off my chest.

1. NO INSTANT REPLAY IN BASEBALL. I repeat, NO instant replay in baseball. In case you missed it (and if you're like last night's 3rd base umpire Brian Gorman, you DID miss it) the Brewers lost to the struggling D-backs 5-2 last night. The game was tied 2-2 in the 8th inning when a foul-ball-called-fair turned into a 2-run double giving the Arizona the lead, a lead they'd hold onto for the win. A couple of things - first of all, that call didn't cause the Brewers to lose. Their inability to score through the first 6 innings caused the Brewers to lose. Also their inability to score any runs after the 7th inning caused them to lose. Catch my drift? That call just gave the D-backs two extra runs. And it only takes 1 run to win a game, that run they'd get in an entirely different inning.

Aside from last night's game, though, I think Jason Kendall puts it best. When asked about instant replay in baseball, he said "That's the beauty of baseball. And the pain." YES! Billy Idol gets it, come on people! Baseball is still a pure sport because we haven't taken the human element of JUDGEMENT out of it. It's the mistakes that make this game human, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Even for home run calls. No instant replay in baseball.

2. KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF SPORTS. You have probably heard about the Texas congressman who is trying to get a bill passed through congress that would in effect ELIMINATE the BCS from college football, instead forcing a government-backed playoff system. The BCS is of course against this because this would all but destroy the "bowl game" that has been a part of NCAA seasons for generations. Not to mention, the amount of sales, merchandise, and advertising revenue that would no longer pad the pockets of so many of those NCAA football brass and bowl organizers.

I don't like the BCS. I would prefer a playoff system. Of course, I wouldn't lose any money on the switch, so it's easy for me to say. A playoff system (like EVERY OTHER SPORT IN THE COUNTRY USES) determines a clear, definitive, and deserving champion each and every time. No "Co-National Champions" in the playoff system. Who wants that on their car's license plate frame? If you made the playoff field large enough (say, 32 teams) the revenue would still be there, and the Champion wouldn't have to play too many more games. Solution? Only have 2 season opening non-conference games to allow for the longer "post-season".

Back to the point, though. BCS or playoff, the United States Government should have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. Socialism anyone? I'm sure you've heard the critics of our president calling him a "socialist" or a "marxist", but doesn't this college football issue smack of just that? The government has no business telling college football what to do, how to do, or when to do their business. Nor does it matter what the hell Obama says about "BCS or playoff". Why should that matter?

Along with this matter, I don't want the Mitchell Report, I don't want Senate subcommitties interviewing current or former baseball players on whether or not they used steroids. I don't agree with steroids, but neither do I think the government should tell us who should or should not be in the hall of fame. And they aren't "saying" that, but they are. Named, and you're doomed. Please tell me what baseball has to do with Congressional Subcommities.

3. GROW UP, A-ROD! I am sure you don't want to hear yet another person's take on the whole A-Roid thing, but bear with me. The first time he got caught, he said it wasn't true. Then he came on national TV with a major network interview, and said he did. But just for a couple years. That's it.

Then more information surfaces, supporting that perhaps he wasn't being entirely truthful. Get outta here, really? It would be kind of odd, for a baseball player to just up and start using performance enhancing drugs, and then just up and drop them all together. Or maybe it's just me. For anyone to believe that he stopped taking them when he was traded to the Yankees is ridiculous. Not only was the city bigger, but his payroll was the biggest. EVER. Also, he was moving to the largest city in the country, with the most fans, and largest media market. No pressure, there. I'm sure he didn't feel that pressure, either. Give me a freakin break. I don't even want to talk about the rest of the new information.

My solution? Well, after he comes on national TV AGAIN to appologize to the fans, and his teammates for lieing AGAIN, Bud Selig should ban him from baseball. End of story. That way, we won't have to worry about the A-Rod Hall of Fame debate which is sure to ensue the moment he announces his retirement sometime down the road. It also sets a precident for all other current and future ballplayers. Use drugs, you're out. Pete Rose, in his entire playing or managerial career, NEVER CHEATED AT THE GAME. And yet he may never step foot in Cooperstown, New York. I don't want it to be an asterisk record book, I don't want it to be something "we just don't discuss at the dinner table", I want it cut and dry. Get this sh*t over with.


Allelujiah, where's the Tylenol.