DC Metro Sports - The Mitchell Report: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Written by Wendall Stevens
Friday, 14 December 2007
George Mitchell really put ‘em out there didn't he? Talk about putting names on blast!The media is now saying that Barry Bonds has been vindicated but has he? He still lied but that's another story altogether. Has the last 10 years of Major League Baseball been a big scam? Are the baseball records set legit? This is the bottom line to this report. Let's breakdown the good, the bad and the ugly from the results of yesterday's report. The Good If there is any good from the release of the Mitchell Report, the truth is out. ESPN's legal analyst David Cornwell mentioned that he saw no real need to break the report but for young baseball players who aspire to be in the major leagues, they need to know. Young baseball players now know that Roger Clemens is not perfect. Hopefully they will learn that what is done in the dark will come to the light. The Mitchell Report was shock therapy for the future of the game not the present. If not for this report athletes will forever seek clever undetectable designer drugs to get an advantage and it would filter down to teenagers looking to make it to the big leagues. For Hall of Famers like Hank Aaron and Roger Maris their legacy is now more respected because for them it was all hard work and talent. Although their records have been surpassed, they should be more revered but because of the steroid scandal. The best thing about the Mitchell Report is Cal Ripken wasn't on the list. The Bad The leadership of Major League Baseball. Bud Selig just doesn't seem to have a clue unlike David Stern of the NBA and Roger Goodell of the NFL. Bonds seems to have more power than Selig. Do you think steroid abuse of this magnitude would go on in the NFL without Tagliabue or Goodell immediately taking control? Bud Selig had to have known about the steroid problem in baseball but soaring homeruns are good for the game right? If Barry Bonds is convicted of lying to a grand jury, how do you handle his homerun records? The leadership of baseball is unbelievable, you can take it anyway you want to and it doesn't matter the revenues of the game. The Ugly They bagged The Rocket, Roger Clemens. From a public relations view, this is the apocalypse. This changed everything. My question is did he really need steroids?He is the guy in baseball. Without Clemens this report is no big deal. The Conclusion Ultimately the release of the Mitchell Report will impact the game of Major League Baseball on the same level as Jackie Robinson breaking the color line in 1947. For major league baseball images, go to www.dcmetrosports.com/nationalsgallery

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