Performance Enhancing drugs have been an epidemic throughout professional sports for a long time and while new regulations and new ways to catch athletes who use such substances have been implemented, there is no way to completely stop this issue. Major League Baseball catches dozens of players using these banned drugs every year but it is almost certain that the players who get away with using these drugs far outweigh the amount that get caught. These substances are very popular in baseball because while it is beneficial to be strong in all sports, their is a direct offensive benefit to having massive muscles when you walk up to the plate. The stronger you are, the more homeruns you hit and the further you can hit the ball. Because of this obvious benefit to using these drugs, many players use them and while the number of players who use them have gone down significantly (well at least that we know of), there was once no ban on the use of these drugs was not banned and they were everywhere.

Via The Open News

While there is no definitive start or end time to the “steroid era” in professional baseball, it usually references the time between the early 80’s and the early 2000’s. During the 1980’s, performance enhancing drugs were coming on to the scene and being popularized and until 1991 the MLB did very little to try and prevent this. Steroids were banned in 1991 and even though they were considered to be banned substances, the MLB did not implement a league wide testing system until 2003 meaning that there was really no way to catch players if they chose to use these drugs. People did not realize how widespread the use of these drugs were in the league until they begun getting caught and it started to come into the light. People I suppose thought it was magic that suddenly players were breaking records that had stood for decades and continued to break these records each year. It was like overnight everyone had gotten magically gotten stronger and that is pretty much what actually happened. Between 1961 and 1994 only 3 players had reached the 50 homerun mark in a single season, then starting in the mid 1990’s many players started to easily surpass this milestone. Continuing into the late 1990’s, the single season homerun record seemed to be broken yearly after both Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire broke the 37 tear old record both in the same year.  Three years later in 2001, the record was again broken by Barry Bonds who racked up an unprecedented 73 homeruns in a single season.

While this new incredible increase in offensive output wowed fans and increase the popularity of the game once again, each of these players have been linked to the usage of performance enhancing drugs. The 500 homerun club was once regarded as a tremendous accomplishment for players but is now earning new members what seems like each and every year and no longer carries the same prestige. Many of the best players in history have been linked to the usage of performance enhancing drugs, should this tarnish their legacy or eliminate the records they set?

During the prime of the “steroid era” in baseball, these drugs were banned from the league. The records that guys like Sosa and Bonds set where done against the rules of the league so should their accomplishments be ridden of? It is not fair to guys who played the game decades ago who had no drugs to give them huge muscle. It is not fair to those guys who played during this era and played clean without the use of these drugs. It is not fair to those players now who play clean and have the impossible task of breaking the records of men who cheated to get in the position they are in. On the other hand, many people think that these players would have had Hall of Fame careers even without the use of these illegal substances.

Barry Bonds                                              Via SI.com

In my opinion, It is not fair to players in the past who have had their records broken by these players who cheated and it is not fair to players today who play cleanly and have to try to match these crazy numbers that were put up by guys who have even admitted to using performance enhancing drugs. But I also see that at the beginning of that era, players used these substances in order to gain a competitive advantage over other players, but by the time when McGwire and Bonds and Sosa all began to put up incredible numbers of homeruns each year, players were no longer using these substances in order to gain an advantage over their opponents, they were using these substances in order to even the playing field because everyone was using them at this time and players had to use them if they wanted to keep up with the other players.

Do I think it is fair that guys who cheated hold records like this and sit in the Hall of Fame? No I do not think that it is fair. Do I think that these guys should be stripped of their accolades? No because it is not arguable that these guys were all tremendous talents in the sport and what they did was really a product of the time period that they played in.

In recent weeks, there has been a movement to legalize gambling on professional sports games. While betting on sports games is legal in Las Vegas, that is currently the only place where this is allowed to take place. Even with such strict restrictions on sports betting, this is still a multi-billion dollar industry that raked in nearly 5 billion dollars of revenue in 2016 and is expected to soon exceed that number and should pass that number tremendously if this is legalized outside of Nevada. Now obviously, with such large amounts of money being generated in the business, large sports corporations want to be a part of  it. The NFL, NBA, MLB and even the NCAA and other major sports brands are looking for a part in it and the NBA was the first to make a step towards these legal wagers and are asking for 1% of all bets made on all games which may seem miniscule but will ultimately add up to a lot of money. Now there could be good and bad that comes from legalizing such sorts of gambling and many people are on the side of making it a reality, especially the sports organizations.

Via CalvinAyre.com

Gambling has always been a part of sports but it does not have a good history within sports and I think that is what people are afraid of. While thousands of bets go on in Las Vegas on the daily, there are always the notable incidents in the past that ruin it for everyone and make people hesitant to take it to the next level. The most legendary stories of sports gambling include stories like that of Pete Rose who now has a lifetime ban from baseball because of bets he placed illegally and bets that he even placed on the Reds, who he was managing at the time. Other stories include that involving point shaving in college basketball which has happened on numerous occasions where gamblers bribe college basketball players to not throw away the game but to allow the other team to cover the spread (let the score points so that the people betting can win their bets on how much that team is going to win by) so that they can win their bets. Now the most major of sports gambling incidents which is likely the basis for why it is not legal today is due to the Chicago “BlackSocks”scandal in 1919 where eight white socks players were paid a total of $100,000 to purposely lose the World Series.

Via Phactual

If gambling became legalized everywhere, there is no doubt that there would be people who would take advantage of it and more incidents like this would happen. Maybe not on that big of a stage but players being influenced by the money (yeah like they aren’t already) could really hurt the integrity of the game that their is today. This would also put lots of pressure on players to perform to the liking of the gamblers and could result in major backlash from these people if their team does not win or the player they bet on does not perform the way they wanted them to.

Now many fans are on board with the idea. The NBA has proposed that gambling goes much more widespread than just at Casinos. They are pushing for legalized betting at kiosks and even on your smartphone. With this easy of access to gambling, it could create an even greater issue for people who have gambling problems. Now the NBA could care less about that issue because with such easy access to wagering on their sports events, if they are earning a commission of the wagers, they will obviously be making more money.Now these issues are being analyzed at the level of the Supreme Court and it is expected that a decision on the subject could be coming out by spring time this year.

In my opinion, I do not think this is a good idea. Betting on sports has been an interesting part of sports the way it is now. Even though I do not bet on sports myself, I do enjoy looking Vegas’s odds put out on “Who is going to win the Heisman Trophy” or “What team is going to win the Super Bowl this year”. But that is the small amount that I think should be allowed. Sports betting would take over and I believe it would be on the same level as fantasy football is today. With millions of users, people watch pro football games, not to see who wins but to scream at the TV screen in joy when a player on their team scores a touchdown for their fantasy team or curse that player’s name if he gets injured. It takes away from the simplicity and relaxing nature of being able to watch these game with your friends and family and while this will open up a new market for income in these major corporations, they obviously do not have the populations best interest in mind when going through with this.

This blog post is going to be unusually similar to my previous blog post about whether or not the Washington Redskins should change their name. Over the past years, the Cleveland Indians have been going through a similar process. The Indians, while sharing a similar controversy, they do not share the same controversial name that Washington does. Instead of their name, it is their mascot, Chief Wahoo, who has caused controversy itself with its “stereotypical” representation of an Indian. Many native Americans find this depiction to be very offensive but again, just like the Redskins, this historical franshise has been built off of their mascot and the backlash from fans if the mascot or name was to change would be extreme.

Via SFGate

On Monday, the Cleveland Indians announced that they would be removing Chief Wahoo from their uniform and hats once and for all after the 2018 season. This decision came from Indian’s owner Paul Dolan after many people, including the MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred advocated for this change. The Indians have obviously been trying to avoid this drastic change but they saw that it was inevitable. The concept of completely changing the name of the Cleveland Indians first arose in 1994 when the team moved to Jacobs Field (later name Progressive Field). This change in scenery offered as good a time as any for them to change their name but the idea ultimately did not go through. Protest against the name and the mascot/logo (Chief Wahoo) continued through the years. In 2013, the first steps towards getting rid of the logo took place. Chief Wahoo was removed from the primary cap of the players and was replaced by the simple block-letter “C” that we see today. Previously, the logo could still be found on the sleeve of the uniform of each player but even that is now gone. The logo will remain on Indians merchandise on other licensed products but throughout the stadium and on the uniforms, Chief Wahoo is no more.

People still say that this is not enough to just get rid of the logo and not change the name but Paul Dolan said that no attempt to rename the team will take place in the immediate future. While this may be the case, same for the Redskins, it seems that a name change is inevitable. People will continue to protest until they do change the name and as we can see, the Cleveland Indians are making an attempt to compromise (unlike the Redskins front office) but for the Native Americans and the people are against the team name, they will not cease until the name is changed no matter the attempt to compromise. A name change for both the Indians and the Redskins are on the horizon.

Obviously the reaction to hearing the news that Chief Wahoo is being removed from all aspects of the team was differing. Some people rejoiced that the front office and the people in power heard their cries. Although this was a step in the right direction for those who it pertains an issue to, it is merely that, a step. On the other hand “RIP Chief Wahoo” tweets have been trending on twitter and the fan base is mourning the death of a figurehead that has stood for nearly 100 years. Fans are praying that the Cleveland Indians can win the World Series this year, not for the glory and happiness that comes with winning a World Series, but to emblazon Chief Wahoo onto every TV in America one last time and into the record books where he will live on forever… but that probably wont happen.

Via teleSUR

My opinion on the matter is similar to that in which I spoke of in my Redskins post. I think they should change the name for the sake of those who are being hurt and offended. Again, I am as big a sports fan as they come, but in the end, it is just a sports team and it is something that all people can come together and enjoy and if that isn’t being accomplished, changes should be made. On the Indians though, I am slightly more hesitant in my belief that they should change the name. The Indians have been around for a very long time and have been a historic franchise in baseball. I feel they do their part to coexist with the Native Americans and do their best to respect their culture and bring it to the game. Also, they demonstate a willingness to compromise with the people and try to make it so that everyone can be happy and simply enjoy baseball as it is meant to be enjoyed. Although that is the goal, it is nearly impossible to make everyone happy. Whatever decision the Indians make in the future, it will be the wrong one in the eyes of someone.