What was on Mr. Rogers’ hand?

I don’t know what was on Kenny Roger’s hand and neither does anyone else. It’s impossible to know. Was it pine tar? Was it dirt? Is there a problem with the pigment in the skin of his left hand? Honestly, I don’t really care, to me this all ties into the dirt that is on the hands of Major League Baseball. What has been racing through my head all day is why players would cheat? I can think of a million reasons to cheat just as Kimberly Etheridge could think of 25 million reason for TO not to kill himself. My problem with the players who cheat is that they don’t come up with the same answer for why you shouldn’t cheat as I do and the answer to that is: because it is wrong!  

That’s what I am going to tell my son or daughter one day and that’s what all professional athletes should remember. It is wrong, plain and simple.

Professional athletes are human and sometimes we forget that. We as human beings can accept a person making a mistake because we all make mistakes. For some reason someone “Doctoring” a ball or injecting themselves with some substance doesn’t fall under that category. What is that reason? People don’t like being deceived.

Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco were my hero’s when I was a kid. They were the “Bash Brothers” and I emulated them as much as I could when I was in little league. What drives me crazy is that I was looking up to the wrong type of athlete. I should have liked the gritty guys who played the game hard and with integrity. I think a lot of people feel this way and that’s why hearing that these players cheated almost makes everyone throw up.

We can deal with Pete Rose betting on baseball. Why? Because it is something that all of us might have tried or even like to do. I’m not saying Pete Rose gambling on baseball was right or was even a good idea, simply stating that some people get enjoyment out of doing it. What people can’t stand is Pete Rose saying he didn’t bet on baseball when everyone knew he did. Nobody likes being deceived or lied to.

The funny thing about baseball is that it seems like cheating or doing something wrong has been a part of the game since it began. Players are always looking for the edge and so are coaches. You had players trying to steal signs, the Black Sox scandal, and god knows what else before steroids even came along. It just seems like doing anything to get an edge on your opponent was part of the game. So how do we get rid of something that just seems to be woven into the culture of professional baseball?

Major League Baseball can ban all the substances and players they want it won’t change anything. There is always going to be another drug or something else that players will find to gain an edge on their opponent. I wish it weren’t this way but this is how it is, and I am at a loss for ways to fix it.

Maybe we shouldn’t pay these players astronomical salaries. Let’s face it, that’s number two on their list of things to get at some point in their career (I really believe that #1 is winning a championship). Of course number two is tied into number 1. Obviously the better caliber player they are the more likely they are going to help win their team a championship and then they get their higher salary.  

Maybe they should be forced to donate a portion of their salary to youth organizations mainly those who educate young kids on how to be GOOD people. They should be taught that if you work hard and try your best everything is attainable. Including nine cars, diamonds, big houses, and exclusive country club memberships.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe athletes who cheat aren’t bad people. They are just under a lot of pressure. But wait, what about the man who goes out and robs a bank because he is having a hard time supporting his children on the amount of money he makes. Is it okay for him to rob that bank because he has the pressure of supporting his family? Of course it isn’t and pressure shouldn’t be an acceptable reason for why players look for that extra edge.

The bottom line is that it all comes down to incentive. You hit X amount of home runs, you will make millions. You pitch X shut out innings in the playoffs you’re going to make millions. So if it turns out that Kenny Rogers was using some substance on his hand to help his pitching and if I were a reporter when this news broke this would be my question, “Why did you do it?” I don’t know what or if there is an acceptable answer.

My next question would mean more to me than the first. That question would be:

“Was the potential of millions or just winning a game worth your and the games integrity?”

Anyone that answers yes to that just doesn’t get it. I don’t know how else to say it, some people just don’t get why many play the game.