2008 Woodie Awards
Double standards must go
Ben Nielsen
Issue date: 9/21/07 Section: Sports
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Can someone explain to me why Shawn Merriman is on Nike commercials? Merriman, if you remember, tested positive last season for using human growth hormone, the same drug Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds are accused of taking, and was suspended for four games. Less than a year later, one can see Merriman blasting through would-be blockers and taking out ball carriers in his new Nike commercial. To my knowledge, Bonds and Giambi, neither of whom have tested positive for the substance, though Giambi has half-admitted to taking it, are on zero commercials.
In addition to the Merriman situation, New England Patriot head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 and cost his team future draft picks for illegally taping New York Jets defensive coaches. While Belichick was coaching last Sunday night, Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Wade Wilson was suspended for five weeks for using HGH to help him overcome diabetes. There is no evidence to suggest Wilson ever gave the drugs to any of his players.
We are all aware of the performance enhancing drug problem in baseball. Significant evidence has surfaced within the last year that charges Rick Ankiel, Gary Sheffield and Gary Matthews Jr. of either being connected to or using HGH. More than 100 players have been suspended for drug use, more than 75 percent of them pitchers, since the policy was approved by baseball.
And let's not forget the Tim Donaghy scandal in the NBA. Donaghy is the NBA referee who allegedly worked with organized crime syndicates to fix games. The NHL, whoever they are, had a similar problem as well though it did not involve one of its referees.
All of the people listed above are one thing: cheaters. Yet, for some reason, they have all been treated differently. Are we now at the point where we are suggesting there are different types of cheating?
Does having drug testing somehow lessen the level of cheating (Merriman) while not having a testing system (Bonds, Giambi and others) make it worse? Should that matter? Should it matter if records are involved or not?
In addition to the Merriman situation, New England Patriot head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000 and cost his team future draft picks for illegally taping New York Jets defensive coaches. While Belichick was coaching last Sunday night, Dallas Cowboys assistant coach Wade Wilson was suspended for five weeks for using HGH to help him overcome diabetes. There is no evidence to suggest Wilson ever gave the drugs to any of his players.
We are all aware of the performance enhancing drug problem in baseball. Significant evidence has surfaced within the last year that charges Rick Ankiel, Gary Sheffield and Gary Matthews Jr. of either being connected to or using HGH. More than 100 players have been suspended for drug use, more than 75 percent of them pitchers, since the policy was approved by baseball.
And let's not forget the Tim Donaghy scandal in the NBA. Donaghy is the NBA referee who allegedly worked with organized crime syndicates to fix games. The NHL, whoever they are, had a similar problem as well though it did not involve one of its referees.
All of the people listed above are one thing: cheaters. Yet, for some reason, they have all been treated differently. Are we now at the point where we are suggesting there are different types of cheating?
Does having drug testing somehow lessen the level of cheating (Merriman) while not having a testing system (Bonds, Giambi and others) make it worse? Should that matter? Should it matter if records are involved or not?
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