Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke goes to bat for the most controversial baseball player in the universe.
Miami native and New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez is getting a raw deal from Major League Baseball. Since Miami New Times broke the mind-blowing story of Biogenesis, a now defunct anti-aging clinic in Coral Gables that supplied human growth hormone, testosterone, and anabolic steroids to Rodriguez and 18 other players, Commissioner Bud Selig and his minions want to make examples of them.
Two weeks ago, Selig slapped Milwaukee Brewer Ryan Braun, a former Miami Hurricane, with a 65 game suspension. On Monday Selig suspended A-Rod for the rest of this season and the entire 2014 season. I'm glad to see A-Rod is appeal Selig's decision.
To nail the players, MLB cut a sweetheart deal with Biogenesis owner Tony Bosch to rat them out. This just proves the crackdown is a pointless exercise in hypocrisy. Who goes after the drug dealer to get to his buyers? It's usually the other way around.
Rodriguez and the players targeted by MLB are being tried in a kangaroo court. They are being presumed guilty because of the embarrassing media coverage that baseball can't stop players from using PEDs.
I really don't see the crime here. Everybody going after A-Rod for using PEDs is a hypocrite. In every major sport, there are numerous PED pushers like Bosch making sure celebrity athletes continue to perform at a high level to justify their multi-million dollar contracts. It's not about chasing records or making sure they get into the Hall of Fame.
These players are under enormous pressure to keep earning their extravagant paychecks. Teams and league officials only punish players when it hits the media, but they know PEDs help protect their investment. When a team doesn't want to pay a guaranteed hundred million dollar contract because the player is not performing up to expectation, then the team blows the whistle on their own player.
Using PEDs is no different than when a Miami Heat team doctor sticks a cortizone shot into Dwayne Wade's knee before the fourth quarter so he can get back on the court. Isn't that the very definition of a PED? What about players who are taking over the counter supplements and pills to lose weight. Doesn't that enhance their performance?
Or how about Muscle Milk, the protein drink that is designed to make anyone who consumes it stronger. Yet no one in professional and collegiate sports is trying to ban Muscle Milk.
The same reporters, fans holding up signs at games, and major league officials are probably popping viagra every night to enhance their performance in bed.
We're living in a day and age where everyone is concerned with prolonging their youth and enhancing their bodies. Men who get hair implants and women who get face lifts, bigger breats, tummy tucks, butt implants are enhancing their performance too.
These athletes are being told they can't use substances that you and I can use legally for own personal health benefit. By banning some PEDs in professional sports, you're just creating a black market where pushers like Bosch can make millions of dollars.
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