The Steroid Era: Blame This One on the Players and the MLBPA

Many of baseball historians will tell you the sport has evolved in the past century and can be broken down into different eras. The Dead-ball Era, “The Pre Jackie Robinson Era” the time period before African Americans were allowed into MLB , The WW II era during this period many of the sport's greatest players, including Joe Dimaggio and Ted Williams went off to fight in the war while in the prime of their careers. In 1968 Bob Gibson recorded a 1.12 era the lowest ever for any pitcher pitching 300 or more innings in a year. The following year the mound was lower thus decreasing the pitcher’s advantage. Now we are stuck with The Steroid era.
This era I blame on the players. Previous eras were not in the players control. Societal factors and rule changes incorporated by MLB forced all players to play “on the same level playing field”, and the statistics of those eras were by products of the influences outside the players control.

But steroids are different- no-one was putting a gun to these guys’ heads to take a needle and stick it in their behind. Players voluntarily looked for and administered these performance enhancing drugs to increase their chance to make it to the big leagues, inflate their stats, and cash in. Anyone using steroids after 1991- yes-1991violated the edict sent out by Fay Vincent, placing steroids on the banned substance list.

I fell in love with the game of baseball in 1967 - the “Impossible Dream” season of the Boston Red Sox,when a guy named Carl Yastrzemski – “ Big Yaz Bread” as we called him- was winning a Triple Crown and carrying the Sox single handedly on his back

The first memories I have of watching any sporting event are from the second to last game of that season when Sox and Twins tangled for the AL title It must have been a big deal I was almost seven; my bigger brother all my uncles, my grandfather and even my mother ans sisters were watching it.

The Sox were a game behind the Twins and needed to win the last two games of the season and pray for a Detroit loss to win the AL pennant. Yaz went 7 for 8 in those last 2 games with a HR and 6 RBIs. Even though the Sox went on to lose the WS to Bob Gibson and Cardinals in 7 games against I was hooked on baseball.

For my First Holy Communion gift I had to have a baseball uniform. I wore it every time we would play pick up games. I probably looked rlike a real idiot but I didn;t care I was Yaz in that uniform!

Since then I have gone to hundreds of games , burned away hours of emotional energy. and spent enough money on tickets, MLB merchandise, tv game packages, and other MLB licensed products to fund the payroll of a small market team.

Much of Baseball’s heritage and history is in its records and numbers. More so than any other sport Now In the midst of this steroid era, with the all the records being challenged and broken by cheaters like Barry Bonds Mark McGire Roger Clemens, and now AROD I think it’s fair to say that you and I- the fan- have been “Bernie Maddoffed”


We’ve been victims of a fraud perpetuated by the players, owners, the Players union and those two crooks who run the union Gene Orza and that fat pant load Donald Fehr.

Chicks dug the long ball so everyone looked the other way when HR numbers were escalating at rate faster than my 401 (k) is plunging. We fans were duped by the great HR race of 1998 featuring Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire who now doesn’t want talk about the past.

Bonds going on trial for perjury pertaining to steroid testimony is our new HR king. Clemens was supposed to be the greatest pitcher of his generation is looking at a similar fate. Now AROD, who was supposed to be the guy to put a clean face on the sacred HR record has admitted to using steroids. I don’t know about you but I as a fan am pretty ticked and feel like I have been screwed and ripped off by MLB- now MLB’s credibility ranks right up there with that of professional wrestling. At least with wrestling everyone knows it’s staged.

Bernie Madoff and mlb: two peas in a pod

Somehow those day from 1967 seem even longer ago than they really are and for that I am really pissed off. I want a refund! Mr. Obama, can you send me a stimulus check and bail me out too?
- Steve

Starting NYNE show February 22

This past week's show featured a special bonus hour of "The Starting NYNE". WIth Paul and Alex, two keys members of the team, out due to illness Steve Rogan and Mike Carver welcomed in special guest host Tom Goren to join the show for the evening.

To listen to the show click here:

http://www.carverradioproductions.blogspot.com

In the first hour the guys went back and forth on the AROD steroid story and included clips from the press conference he held at Yankee camp. Chris Carlin of SNY, pre and post game host for the Mets broadcasts this year, and co-host of Loudmouths and Beer Money joined the program to talk about AROD as well as the upcoming Met and Yankee seasons.

In the second hour the guys talked a little NCAA hoops and the upcoming Tournament in March. Dave Goren, 2008 North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year and NCAA expert chimed him with his opinion of the potential final four, dark horses, and possible players of the year.

In the second half of the hour the guys played a little "on-board/over-board". During this segment current topics are mentioned and each member of the "NYNE" either agree or disagree. Complete with sound effects from our crack engineer MIke Carver, the segment is always informative and fun.

Steve and Mike would like to extend a special thanks to Tom and his brother Dave for coming on the show on such short notice. The NYNE is looking forward to getting Paul and Alex back snd being at full strength on March 8th, the date of their next show.

Steelers The Best This Year; But Have They Transplanted The Pats as "The Team of the Decade"?

As the curtain of the NFL 2008 season has fallen for the last time (not including the Pro-bowl which garners as much interest as C-Span re-runs) we are left pondering an incredible finish to a Super-bowl which gives the Pittsburgh Steelers an unprecedented Sixth Championship ring.
Kudos and congratulations to the Steelers, its coaching staff, the Rooney family and the city of Pittsburgh.
With the sixth Superbowl win, Pittsburgh now holds sole claim to the team with the most victories in the Big Game. The greatest team in NFL history? If the sole criterion is number of SB victories then of course The Steelers have to be on the short list. One could not complain if such claims were made by the Pittsburgh faithful and pundits far and wide.

Now I see there are writers, who obviously have nothing left to write about, crowning the men of Steel as the greatest Team of this decade prying the Patriots away from the top spot.

The decade began in 2001 ( not 2000 as the rest of the world would like to mistakenly believe) and still has two years to NFL seasons to go before it is over. Since the 2001 season let’s begin with the most obvious facts:
1. The Patriots have won 3 Super-bowls the Steelers have won 2. The Pats won back to back titles.
2. The Patriots have been to 5 AFC Championship games of which they won 4. ( Only loss was to Indianapolis). They also appeared in 4 Superbowls and won 3.
3. The Steelers have been to 4 AFC CHampionship games and went 2-2 in the same time span. Since Heinz Field has opened the Steelers are 1-2 in AFC Championship games.
4. Of the 4 AFC Championship games won by the Pats, 2 were won against Pittsburgh IN Pittsburgh. The second win was a blow-out by the Pats.
5. What a difference a year makes; last year the Pats went 18-0 before losing to the Giants in the SB and The Steelers bowed out of the Playoffs in the first round to the Jaguars.
6. OH yeah- let’s not forget the regular season........ in 2003-2004 the Pats won 18 games in a row- in 2006-2007 they broke their own record by winning 19 in a row, This accomplishment after the Pats had lost Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis- the Defensive and Offensive coordinators through the 2004 season.
7. Since 2001 season the Pats have won 97 games in the regular season- a winning percentage of 76% and the Steelers have won 85 games or 66%.

8. The Pats have made the post season 6 times with as record of 14-3 while The Steelers have gone to the post season with an 8-2 record.

The best team in NFL history? The Steelers have won the most SB’s and should be considered the elite franchise in the historical context of the league- but this decade? Puh-lease can we wait until the end of the decade and objectively look at the numbers. Right now The Pats are without question, still the Team of the Decade.

PS- For all the "Patriots Cheated" readers let’s remember that the Steelers of the 70's have already been "outed" as to using steroids- perhaps all teams used steroids back then. But at the same time we know many teams also illegally videotaped other teams.

- Steve

Steve "The Greek's" Superbowl Pick

Well, at long last the day of The Big Game is within striking distance. After NBC's 6 hour pregame of "happy horse manure" the game is due to kick off at about 6:30. I'll tune in at 6:25 and skip all the nonsense filler stories including the obligatory "rags to riches" or "player who raised 14 brothers and sisters because both parents were crack addicts" human interest stories.

Countless hours of pouring over minutia and obscure stats that will convince us of who will win the game. Even President Obama will be part of the pre-game. I'm already "Obama'd out". Get on with the game already!

As a Patriot fan I would love to the Steelers lose to the upstart Cardinals. On my list of "hatred for NFL teams", the Steelers rank third behind the Jets and the Colts. Unfortunately, I think the Steelers win this game.

The game is a classic "Big Offense" against "Big Defense" game. Kurt Warner has played this type of Superbowl game before in 2001 when his heavily favored Rams fell to the Patriots. I think one can say the offense from the greatest show on turf has to be considered batter in overall talent and depth than Arizona's. Even with Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and the remaining weapons in the Cardinal arsenal, I would have to give the nod to the Ram's offense of Marshall Faulk , Isaac Bruce, Torii Holt and others.

I just think the Steelers defense is too good. In 2001 the Pats chose to blitz Warner sparingly. It would not surprise me at all if the Steelers to adopt a similar approach, play more cover defenses and blitzing less than they normally do. Warner torched the Philly blitz in the first half of the NFC Championship game. After half time adjustments the Cards had three straight 3 and outs before the game winning drive.

History has shown us that great defenses can take away any offense's biggest weapon. Look for Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Stephen Breaston to get pounded in " bone crushing" fashion anytime Troy Polamulo, Ryan Clark or any of the other beasts on the Steelers "D" have the chance. Remember it was Clark that sent Willis McGahee off in a stretcher in the Championship game and nearly decapitated Wes Welker earlier this year.

All indications are is that Big Ben will be good to go health wise. In his first Superbowl Rothlisberger passes went 9-21 and he had a downright awful game. I'm sure he remembers that and has something to prove this time around. Although Hines Ward is iffy with a bum knee, Santonio Holmes and Willie Parker are poised to step up. Look for TE Heath Miller to have a big game for Pittsburgh. It kills me to say it but, if I were a betting man, I would say the Steelers win by at least 10 points 27-17.

Enjoy the game and see you next week. Oh by the way, on our radio show last week Paul and Mike each had Arizona winning the game outright and Alex had Pittsburgh winning but not covering. Just wanted to get that on the record.

Come Monday, we'll see who "The Greek" really is.

- Steve

Joe Airs Yank's Dirty Laundry

OK. So maybe you have been under rock for the last couple of days and haven't heard. "The Yankee Years", a book written by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci, is due to on book store shelves Tuesday, February 3.
In it, Joe seems to air the dirty laundry of that classy Steinbrenner empire known as The New York Yankees. Joe takes swipes at everyone from Brian Cashman to AROD. In the book Joe claims that players on the team had a myriad of issues with star players. A-ROD is referred to as "A-FRAUD" by many of his teammates, according to Saint Joe- and that's just the beginning. Joe claims Brian Cashman, Yankee GM and Steinbrenner buffoon, hung him out to dry (oops another laundry reference) when it was time to negotiate the skipper's new contract. Joe also says everyone on the team hated Carl Pavano. How could they? Carl was never around, spending nearly his entire Yankee "career" on the DL, appearing in only 57 games over four years. Pavano must have been a real pr*ck to have earned such scorn in such a small time frame.
Seems that Joe's doctor also told old Georgie Porgie that Joe had prostate cancer before he told Joe. AHHHH! Yankee class and tradition! Oh, to don the Pinstripes!

All this has us asking one question: "Why"? With all the money Joe has earned in his career, why would a guy perceived to be a "player's manager" and always told his players and the media

"everything stays in the clubhouse" write the book? What's an extra million bucks or so to one of MLB's highest paid managers in its history?

I wonder if Joe ever read his own book he wrote a few year back entitled:
Joe Torre's Ground Rules for Winners: 12 Keys to Managing Team Players, Tough Bosses, Setbacks, and Success written by Joe Torre and Henry Dreher.

Who knows what's true and what's not. I guess we'll have to wait for the book to come out. One thing is for sure. It is a brilliant marketing campaign launched by the publisher to leak juicy tid-bits then launch the sale of the book two days after the Superbowl. Hardly a coincidence, wouldn't you say? I bet A-ROD et. al. are looking forward to their first day of spring training when The Bronx Zoo hits Florida. I know I can't.
-- Steve

Starting NYNE 1-25

Click here to check out the Starting NYNE's newest episode that aired on 1-25. Paul, Alex and Steve talk with WFAN's Ed Coleman about the Mets moves so far and the moves they have yet to make. Then the guys switch to football and tackle the Superbowl and the Jets recent hiring of coach Rex Ryan.

NFL Championship Sunday is Upon Us

Alas! The bittersweet day known as "Championship Sunday" is upon us. This is truly the last "real" Sunday for the NFL. The final four teams will be reduced to two by the end of Sunday night and we will be left with the Super bowl remaining. Rumor has it the pregame show for The Big Game will begin Monday at 8AM.

After all the workouts, training camp, games, all the plays, the injuries, upsets, and drama ( both on and off the field ) we are left with an improbable matchup in the NFC if Philly vs. Arizona. How many in week 16 of the NFL season saw that coming?

In the AFC Pittsburgh and Baltimore a pair of bitter division rivals will play for a third time this season. The previous two matches have been decide by a total of 7 points with Philly come up on top in both games.

Last week I went 3-1 with my sole loss being the Cardinals coming out victorious over Carolina and Jake "6 turnovers" Delhomme doing his best Brett Favre impersonation.Once again: who saw that coming?

Anyways here are my picks:

NFC Championship Game: The Eagles are a 4 point favorite heading into the desert. After their upset last week ( you may recall I picked them to beat Big Blue outright), the Eagles are one game away from the Big Dance. It will be the 5th and probably last time the duo of McNabb and Reid will be in this position in the last 8 years. That should give Philly a lot of emotion and motivation heading into the game. But I smell an upset here. The Cards just took it to the Panthers last week without Anquan Boldin.
He looks like he will play this week. Coupled with all world receiver Larry Fitzgerald and a guy named Kurt Warner I am taking the points and the Cardinals. Don't be surprised if Arizona wins outright.

In the AFC game Baltimore is a 6 point dog to the Steelers. As a Pat fan I would love to see the Steelers lose this game but I think Baltimore is going to come up short. I don't believe in that "it's tough to beat a team three times in one year" philosophy. Each game is an independent event and Baltimore really should have lost last week as they were outplayed by the Titans and won as a result of Titan turnovers in the red zone and penalties. The Steelers got a great game from Willie Parker last week and Big Ben seems to have shaken off the injury he sustained in the last regular season game. It kills me to do this but I am giving the points and taking the Steelers.
-Steve