Comments on: The Mitchell Report http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/ A blog for sports agents: Discussing sports business news, Sports Law, and other interesting sports related material Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:32:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Darren http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/comment-page-1/#comment-50349 Darren Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:04:19 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=758#comment-50349 After the '94 strike, it looked like baseball would never again be a "major American sport." The homerun race between McGwire and Sosa changed that. It got fans interested in the game again. MLB turned its back on any "steroids theory" at the time, because the league needed as much morpheine pumped back into its body as possible. Now that is biting the league in the ass. Steroid implications have made many people give up on the game again. If the MLB does not do something to clear everything up, the league may face more serious problems than if it actually digs information out of the Mitchell Report. Baseball WAS saved by the home run record duel of the late 90's. But that dual may be contributing to its eventual downfall. After the ‘94 strike, it looked like baseball would never again be a “major American sport.” The homerun race between McGwire and Sosa changed that. It got fans interested in the game again. MLB turned its back on any “steroids theory” at the time, because the league needed as much morpheine pumped back into its body as possible.

Now that is biting the league in the ass. Steroid implications have made many people give up on the game again. If the MLB does not do something to clear everything up, the league may face more serious problems than if it actually digs information out of the Mitchell Report.

Baseball WAS saved by the home run record duel of the late 90’s. But that dual may be contributing to its eventual downfall.

]]> By: petterputter http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/comment-page-1/#comment-50348 petterputter Sun, 21 Oct 2007 13:54:45 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=758#comment-50348 I hope the league management and player's union realize the damage this report could deal baseball's popularity and future net worth. Sure, the numbers/record purists want this report for their sake of the game they hold sacred. But what they don't understand, nor realize, is that this game has been cheated on since the beginning. I suggest the current baseball enthusiast, and potential MLB addict, only cares for the entertainment value the game brings today. They don't care if players use steroids as this is a personal decision which only affects the health of the abusing athlete. Can anyone tell me that baseball wasn't saved by the home run record duel of the late 90's? I hope the league management and player’s union realize the damage this report could deal baseball’s popularity and future net worth. Sure, the numbers/record purists want this report for their sake of the game they hold sacred. But what they don’t understand, nor realize, is that this game has been cheated on since the beginning. I suggest the current baseball enthusiast, and potential MLB addict, only cares for the entertainment value the game brings today. They don’t care if players use steroids as this is a personal decision which only affects the health of the abusing athlete. Can anyone tell me that baseball wasn’t saved by the home run record duel of the late 90’s?

]]> By: Jason Wulterkens http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/comment-page-1/#comment-49586 Jason Wulterkens Tue, 16 Oct 2007 01:20:40 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=758#comment-49586 More today from McCain: Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain said Monday it was possible Congress will hold another hearing on steroids in baseball. "Congress quite often goes in for a little headline grabbing, and then we move on because our attention span is rather short," McCain said on "The Dan Patrick Show." "I don't think that hearings are especially necessary until Sen. Mitchell issues his report." More today from McCain:

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain said Monday it was possible Congress will hold another hearing on steroids in baseball.

“Congress quite often goes in for a little headline grabbing, and then we move on because our attention span is rather short,” McCain said on “The Dan Patrick Show.” “I don’t think that hearings are especially necessary until Sen. Mitchell issues his report.”

]]> By: Jason Wulterkens http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/comment-page-1/#comment-49526 Jason Wulterkens Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:13:26 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=758#comment-49526 Palsgraf! Here's a nice blog entry on sportslawblog that addresses some of my open-ended questions: http://sports-law.blogspot.com/2007/10/can-commissioner-discipline-players-for.html Interestingly, MLB is supposedly insuring Mitchell against defamation-based liability that could result from his upcoming publication. Moreover, the entry delves into whether or not the Commissioner may use the results of the report to suspend or otherwise punish players, under the League's CBA. Alas, I ask again: Where are the quotes from Donald Fehr? A lot of his players are about to get hammered, perhaps unfairly. What has happened to one of the nation's historically most feared and strongest unions??? Palsgraf!

Here’s a nice blog entry on sportslawblog that addresses some of my open-ended questions:

http://sports-law.blogspot.com/2007/10/can-commissioner-discipline-players-for.html

Interestingly, MLB is supposedly insuring Mitchell against defamation-based liability that could result from his upcoming publication.

Moreover, the entry delves into whether or not the Commissioner may use the results of the report to suspend or otherwise punish players, under the League’s CBA.

Alas, I ask again: Where are the quotes from Donald Fehr? A lot of his players are about to get hammered, perhaps unfairly.

What has happened to one of the nation’s historically most feared and strongest unions???

]]> By: Darren http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/comment-page-1/#comment-49436 Darren Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:29:18 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=758#comment-49436 Congress passes the but for test for actual causation? :). Ahhh law school...kill me. Congress passes the but for test for actual causation? :) . Ahhh law school…kill me.

]]> By: Jason Wulterkens http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/comment-page-1/#comment-49421 Jason Wulterkens Sun, 14 Oct 2007 21:14:13 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=758#comment-49421 Huh? Where am I slamming a reporter for not doing their homework?? A lot of people feel (though I don't personally share the belief) that there has been too much political action in regards to steroids (Bush's State of the Union a few years back) and specifically the now infamous hearings alluded to above. And I would disagree about Congress' lack of involvement. The mere use of an independent investigator, as well as the sporadic threats and other musing by various senators (i.e., Senator John McCain's 2004 ultimatum to Major League Baseball to devise a plan for steroid testing--or CONGRESS would pass legislation) are proof that indeed Congress has already staked out a position on the matter. In fact, BUT FOR the threats of Congress, I highly doubt MLB would be as vigilant as they have been. You really think Selig would've done all of this were it not for Congressional meddling? Highly doubt it... Huh? Where am I slamming a reporter for not doing their homework??

A lot of people feel (though I don’t personally share the belief) that there has been too much political action in regards to steroids (Bush’s State of the Union a few years back) and specifically the now infamous hearings alluded to above.

And I would disagree about Congress’ lack of involvement. The mere use of an independent investigator, as well as the sporadic threats and other musing by various senators (i.e., Senator John McCain’s 2004 ultimatum to Major League Baseball to devise a plan for steroid testing–or CONGRESS would pass legislation) are proof that indeed Congress has already staked out a position on the matter.

In fact, BUT FOR the threats of Congress, I highly doubt MLB would be as vigilant as they have been. You really think Selig would’ve done all of this were it not for Congressional meddling? Highly doubt it…

]]> By: sparky http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/comment-page-1/#comment-49419 sparky Sun, 14 Oct 2007 20:33:27 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=758#comment-49419 George Mitchell is a former U.S. Senator who has recently also been involved in international peace negotiations and the like. He was brought in by the powers-that-be at MLB to lead the leagues investigation as sort of an independent investigator/prosecutor. Congress is not involved in the investigation at this point - outside of the grandstanding hearings it conducted a few years back. George Mitchell is a former U.S. Senator who has recently also been involved in international peace negotiations and the like. He was brought in by the powers-that-be at MLB to lead the leagues investigation as sort of an independent investigator/prosecutor. Congress is not involved in the investigation at this point – outside of the grandstanding hearings it conducted a few years back.

]]> By: Warden http://www.sportsagentblog.com/2007/10/13/the-mitchell-report/comment-page-1/#comment-49417 Warden Sun, 14 Oct 2007 20:05:10 +0000 http://www.sportsagentblog.com/?p=758#comment-49417 How is Congress overstepping their bounds when they have nothing to do with this? It's a freaking investigation that MLB is conducting! Be careful next time you want to slam a reporter for not doing their homework. How is Congress overstepping their bounds when they have nothing to do with this? It’s a freaking investigation that MLB is conducting! Be careful next time you want to slam a reporter for not doing their homework.

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