Who's Next?

Why is there seemingly a double standard in the sporting world when it comes to steroids? Am I foolish to think that Major League Baseball players have been singled out as the main culprits in the steroid debate while other sports and other athletes are merely overlooked?

When somebody thinks of steroids, inevitably, their thought process hones in on the likes of Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, Roger Clemens, etc. And that's because these men (Rodriguez excluded) were paraded around on Capitol Hill during Congressional Hearings on steroids. It's been beat into our brains that steroids were a persistent problem in baseball throughout the mid-90's, as players got bigger, records began to shatter and the world just sat idly by applauding and clapping with each new record being broken. But, there's never any mention of any other sport. Ever.

You know the names Bonds, Clemens and Canseco will forever be linked to the terms "cheater" and "steroid", but it's unfair to parade these men around Capitol Hill, CNN, ESPN, NBC, or anywhere else that has media representation, while ignoring the fact that steroids, are a problem in every sport.

I'm sure we all know the names of the major polarizing figures of the steroid debate in Major League Baseball, but have you ever heard of these men before?

Lyle Alzado
Rodney Harrison
Shawn Merriman
Bill Romanowski
Dana Stubblefield

Any ideas? Well, I'll make it easier for you. Those are just five men who have been linked to steroids that are/were NFL players.

Lyle Alzado was one of the best defensive lineman during the 1970's. Yes, you read that right, 1970's. Steroids were predominant in the NFL during the 1970's, but you would have never known that, would you?

Rodney Harrison is a sure-fire hall of famer on the New England Patriots. And guess what? He was suspended the first four games of the 2008 season for testing positive for HGH. Did you know that?

Bill Romanowski was an NFL linebacker for 16 seasons and is most well known for his aggressive play and extremely physical nature with opponents and teammates alike. He is the poster-child for "Roid Rage".

Shawn Merriman is one of the best linebackers in the NFL today and won the 2005 Defensive Player of the Year award. And yep, you're right if you're catching on here, he tested positive for steroids in 2006 and was suspended as well.

Seeing my point yet? Steroids aren't just a problem that Major League Baseball has to deal with. It's a problem that's persistent in all avenues of sports. Yet, Congress feels the need to regulate steroids in baseball and turn the blind eye to football and every other North American sport.

It's part of the culture we live in now. Because of the large number of athletes who decide to cheat the game and themselves, it leaves fans, like myself, at a cross-roads. I try to believe that an athlete is succeeding and sheer ability and heart, but, that's not the society we live in anymore. It's a cut-throat world, where everybody is out for themselves and every advantage (legal or otherwise) has to be taken to achieve maximum success.

It is directly because of this that sports will never be the same for me. It can't be. Everything in sports is up for debate now. The next time I see Peyton Manning zip a 50 yard pass down the sideline with pinpoint precision, I'll wonder, "is he?". The next time I see Albert Pujols hit a towering home run 430 feet away, I'll wonder, "could he?". The next time Lebron James unleashes a jaw-dropping move to win a game, I'll wonder, "what about him?". When Tiger Woods pumps his fist in celebration for another Major Championship at Augusta, I'll wonder, "you too?".

It's the world we live in now. For the rest of our lives every athlete who does the unthinkable, defies the laws of gravity, or shows more toughness than we could ever imagine stomaching, we'll always have those lingering doubts of the validity of their accomplishment.

I, for one, am not surprised about Alex Rodriguez's steroid implication. The times of athletes being "heroes" and "role models" for America's youth, are long gone. With countless athletes being involved in heinous criminal activities or steroid scandals, the list continues to go on and on of athletes spreading the message to children that "hey, it's okay as long as you have money".

So, while the rest of America is shocked and angered over Alex Rodriguez's recent admission to steroid use, I can only shrug my shoulders and say "Who's next?"