HOT TOPIC: With More to Come

I could not help but put up a quick post on this subject. It seems that Marc Ecko, a fashion designer with an affinity with sports, has purchased Barry Bond's 756the home run ball and is putting its fate up to a vote on the Internet. Visit the website http://www.www.vote756.com/ to see for yourself and vote what you think should be done with the ball. Mr. Ecko makes a comment on the site that really intrigued me into today's perception of performance enhancement via illegal means (i.e. Steroids, HGH, etc.) His quote is "The idea that some of the best athletes in the country are forced to decide between being competitive and staying natural is troubling." It is my opinion that the seeking performance enhancement via illegal means is not a new thing in sports and it goes deeper than just deciding on staying natural or not. Personally I think seeking an edge is human nature. Coupling that with the competitive drive that most athletes have and the amount of money these athletes can make it makes seeking an edge that much more important. To find the answer to Mr Ecko's question you have to look outside sports. Look at how in everyday life people always look to find the edge and do so using questionable means and sometimes illegal means. Take it one step further and look at yourself and how you seek an edge using questionable and sometimes illegal means. When was the last time you made a U-turn illegally, or turned Left when there is a no Left turn allowed. That is seeking an edge do to some necessity you have. Whether it be that you are running late or don't know where you are going it is common practice for everyday people to seek an edge driving by using questionable and sometimes illegal driving tactics. So is it so hard to believe that athletes these days are forced into those same dilemmas on a much more different scale but it all comes down the the human nature of seeking an edge. Hopefully most athletes can take the moral high ground and make the choice to stay natural and seek other means to get the edge. But, unfortunately I believe that most are not and almost forced into using these questionable and illegal means to get their edge. Case in point is Rodney Harrison a Defensive Back for the New England Patriots. He is currently sitting out four games for violation of the NFL substance abuse policy for admitting using Human Growth Hormone. His reasons were that he was trying to get over injuries and remain in the game. Now we all know Rodney never would have admitted this. But, he was caught, so the truth comes out. With today's lucrative contracts for professional athletes staying in the game means so much more than what it meant just twenty years ago. With Millions riding on incentives and bonuses these athletes morals are tested. But, most times I think human nature wins out and Athletes seek the edge. Unfortunately the edge usually means performance enhancement drugs.

More to come on this topic. Also, for your information I voted to send the ball to the hall of fame. Personally, I think history is the best judge of how Barry Bond's and his tactics on his way to being the home run king. History can be damning and it can be lauding. Lets allow history and public perception decide not an Internet poll.