Merriman v. Big Mac

by lopey986 on Jan 8, 2007 3:08 PM EST Comment 10 comments

Well, this is my first diary and it may not be Pulitzer prize worthy, but it is something that I have wanted to get off my chest and hear others opinions on. Obviously, Big Mac is up for HOF Induction and it isn't looking like he is going to get in due to his alleged steroid use and his debacle in the court room. Yet, in another popular sport, a steroid user has been sent to a Pro Bowl and was even in the running for Defensive Player of the Year...Shawne Merriman. I feel this is the biggest slap in the face to anyone who is a Big Mac/Bonds/Sosa fan. How can sports writers hang all over the jock of Merriman when he was CAUGHT cheating with steroids yet constantly berate Mac/Bonds/Sosa due to their alleged steroid use. They say there is no way those guys could hit those homers without roids, but they believe that Merriman can get 17 sacks in 12 games without the help of 'roids? This is the biggest pile of crap I have ever witnessed. How do others feel about this? I believe if a sports writer will defend Merrimans action, he should punch Big Mac on the HOF ballet.

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Merriman v. Big Mac

would be a great cage match... Mcgwire gets to bring his bat, Merriman wears his pads and helmet. Put in on pay-per-view and use to proceeds to build a bigger, stronger wing at each respective HOF.

"...in winter, when there's no baseball... I stare out the window and wait for spring." -Rogers Hornsby

by SleepyCA on Jan 8, 2007 3:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

hypocrisy abounds

miklasz, dave kindred (in the sporting news), and now (today) jayson stark (at espn) have all publicly claimed a yea vote in favor of mac for your rationale, among others.

by sdesserman on Jan 8, 2007 3:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

great point

I think Mac should be in the Hall, but had never really looked at the whole Merriman issue like that. Great points.

10-time World Champs!

by TheFranchise9 on Jan 8, 2007 4:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Great point indeed. It's amazing how baseball itself is getting so much crap for steroids when football is doing nothing about it. The only argument I can think for the way things are being done is that baseball fans actually feel cheated when their players use steroids while football fans could care less. It could just be a matter of who the fans are. But still, I agree about Merriman. They brought that up in a game the other day and I didn't think of making the conncection to baseball, but I do remember thinking that he was getting off a little to easily . . .

On with the youth movement!

by aet15 on Jan 8, 2007 5:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah my friend pointed that out to me one day

Only he used the example that when a mediocre baseball player, Ryan Franklin(if not worse than that) gets caught using steroids, he gets press left and right, and is the opening of sportscenter. But when a great defensive football player, a star, Shawn Merriman is caught using steroids, nobody bats an eye.

by Frerken on Jan 8, 2007 6:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Biggie Mac

Never broke the rules. It was fine when he did it. Let him in. Ty Cobb was the biggest @$$hole on the planet, but he was great. Big Mac led the baseball resurgence. Let the guy in...

Also...
Football is a less dignified sport than baseball, as baseball has anways been the gentleman's sport. It is acceptable because they're all huge, bulky guys trying to kill one another...makes sense to me

BLaw.

by Dttl89 on Jan 8, 2007 11:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Baseball is romanticized

Many people hold a special regard for baseball. It's a metaphor for life. It's the greatest game ever devised. It's everything good and right about America. Etc. That means those who "sully" this glorious game are worse than those who merely break the rules of some lesser sport.

Baseball isn't any of those things, of course, and baseball players aren't any better as people than any other athletes.

Another point: Merriman didn't shatter his sport's most hallowed and over-hyped record.

Both of these are by way of explanation, not justification.

by blove121 on Jan 9, 2007 9:59 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

voting

as far as I'm concerned if you aren't going to vote for Mcgwire because you believe he did roids then you have to do what one chicago writer did and vote for no one who played in the 90's or late 80's, including Ripken and Gwynn until you see all the facts and know for sure whether who did and didn't use steroid. Attacking only home-run hitters for steroid use is ridiculous. Pitchers have used them as much for recovery as hitters have for power.

by drw13 on Jan 9, 2007 3:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

MAC Should Be In!!!

I do agree with you and football isn't held to the same scrutiny as baseball...neither is government for that matter...but Mark's career record should stand on it's own....just as Ty Cobb's did (good point!) and whether he was a model player or not can be hashed out by the 'experts' who have all put themselves in Mac's shoes and decided that he is guilty.

I'm sorry to say that Mark probably doesn't even care whether he gets in the hall or not but he still deserves to be there! Gaylord Perry even admitted to cheating in his own book and still he was regarded as a great pitcher of his day! And he was!

Some great players of yesteryear drank more alcohol than the human body should ingest but they performed on the field and were noted as super stars and are even in the HOF! Were they good 'role models'?? Did they 'cheat' or gain an edge to be able to play the game??

The baseball gurus should look around before they throw rocks in a glass house!

Mac is a HOFer in my book and I'm the only opinion that I need!

***11 Time Champs in '07!!!!!!!

GO CARDS!!!Bring LOU back!!! *** CARDFAN20 **LOU BROCK**

by cardfan20 on Jan 9, 2007 8:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Merriman

Wait twelve years or so until Merriman is up for NFL HoF consideration. The sportswriters will re-saddle their moral high horses and ride again to save the day.

by liam on Jan 11, 2007 10:36 PM EST reply actions 0 recs