Former baseball star Roger Clemens was arraigned today (Mon Aug 30) on six felony counts. Prosecutors say he lied to Congress in his testimony concerning steroid use.
I have no sympathy for Clemens, but there is a lot of irony here. Lying to the liars! I'm sure they ought to be able to recognize a lie up there is Congress. They're always telling them. While arraigning Clemens, why not also arraign Congress for lying to the American people?!!!
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What I see here in this picture just shows how the shade is all the more turning gray.
What can we do to reform Congress? Then again, who can vote to give themselves pay raises? The bear will seek to devour the camp at nightfall, then is gone with little hope of being caught.
The steroids controversy of baseball is another sad commentary on the state of affairs. How could people ignore something which was as apparent as day for several years? When an athlete reaches the age of 35 or so, his production is naturally going to decline. Not so with all of these who have been accused. Also, how could people be blind to the fact of so many players who suddenly overnight had developed a physical stature that Popeye The Sailor would envy? I believe we have not seen the last of this scandal by any means.
But all of this runs deeper than just an issue of lying about steroids. It deals with the fact of how sports has impacted American culture at large. Some may find it hard to believe, but prior to around the mid 1970's, your average athlete made very little money at all. They played simply for the love of it. Most of them had to take other jobs in the off season to get by. Can you imagine something like that taking place today? It seems the biggest stars of today are arrogant, spoiled profit machines. The average individual can no longer even relate to them for the outlandish salaries they draw. So many of them get away with crimes and other things just because of who they are, and their "star power." Which ultimately I believe, is one explanation for problems and rebellion with the youth culture of today. These athletes are their heroes. They want to be just like them. Steroids, crime, and all. What heroes to have.
Of course the American people are culpable in the case of Congress. We keep electing. Probably with sports professionals, too. We keep paying their salaries by attending the functions.
Sports hero: perhaps an oxymoron?
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