Everyone is to Blame

I didn't get around to reading the Mitchell Report yet, but I needed to post on some things about what I've heard other than just a list of names and some of those names admitting to usage. But before I start, I've been more MIA than I'd like, a promotion at work leaves me with zero downtime to post a work and I am exhausted when I come home, so I don't go on the computer much. Just another excuse to add to the list for this blog.

But onto the Mitchell Report. In my view, this is a start to getting performance enhancing drugs out of baseball. Is it a strong, choke full of evidence report? Not really, but it confirms that steroid, HGH, or whatever players used is true and has been part of the culture of the game the last 20+ years or so. The problem the report ran into in order to make a strong case is that baseball has a culture of not pointing the figure at other players for wrong doing. That's what Mitchell was up against the whole time and it will continue to be what baseball is up against as it attempts to clamp down on this problem.

The thing about it is that commentators, analysts and the like are pointing the finger at Selig, players, and a few other people when honestly, we're all to blame:

• The fans are to blame for showing up to games, supporting teams who signed players who used the juice, and continuing to watch the sport.
  

• The team owners and management are to blame for showering players with money who probably didn't deserve it because they were cheating. That may have knowingly heard about drug usage and did not attempt to have a team policy to ban it.

• The personal trainers, be they for the team or personal trainers, are to blame for allowing this stuff into the clubhouse. Several gave up names in this report. The trainers, whether they were involved in supplying the stuff or not, had access to it and use clouded judgment to bring these drugs into the game.
  

• The players are to blame not only because many of them took it, but many of them likely tried the stuff even just once. They let the culture fester. While not pointing the finger is admirable in some cases, it is also a lousy and cowardly excuse that has now tarnished players, careers, and the game itself. It shows a lack of leadership among ballplayers in today's era.
• The players Union is to blame as well for just agreeing in 2002 to keep the players integrity somewhat in check. The union is there to support the players, but not on this level.

• Finally, MLB is to blame for not having this investigation earlier. Sure politics are a big part of why this didn't happen until late (such as saving the game after 1994), but it seems that taking action is happening sooner rather than later. MLB has been weak until recently on this issue, and it will be interesting to see how committed Selig, et al are to making the game clean again.

So my point is, anyone involved in baseball from watching the game as a fan to playing it or managing it from a business standpoint is to blame for steroids, HGH, and all the other performance enhancing drugs that have entered baseball. Although the 2002 drug policy was a first step, there is a long way to go before the game is cleaned up and even when stronger policies are in place, those who supply and create the drugs are still going to try to find there way around drug tests.