Hank Steinbrenner: Steroid Problem Worse in the NFL

Hank Steinbrenner is fed up with all the scrutiny that the MLB is under these days regarding steroids and HGH. The NFL, Hank claims, has a much higher frequency of players taking banned substances. For the New York Yankee exec, it's fairly obvious. "Look at the speed and size of those players," he told the AP.

Steinbrenner may have a point that steroid and HGH use in pro baseball is talked about and investigated far more than steroid and HGH use in pro football. People forget that one of the NFL's premier linebackers, Shawne Merriman, was suspended four games for failing a test. Rodney Harrison, the notorious New England safety sat out the first four games of this past season, and yet few, if any, remember or mentioned this minor detail during the Patriots' run at a near perfect season.

What Hank failed to mention, however, is that the NFL has had random, year-round testing since 1990, complete with numerous suspensions since that year. Steroid testing in the MLB, on the other hand, was not a major issue until 2005. Prior to that year, testing was ineffective and punishments were light, at best. In the 1990s and early 2000s, while the NFL was cleaning up its image and at least attempting to rid its sport of steroids, the MLB, its commissioner, and its owners turned away as baseball players took performance enhancing drugs. The league began to prosper, as home runs became plentiful, and MLB continued to avoid the subject. That is, until the matter began to spiral out of control.

Hank also has to come to grips with the fact that football players contain a sort of anonymity that baseball players simply do not have. Furthermore, because of their natural size, violent nature, and covered faces, NFL players are not as easily relatable to fans as baseball players, who enjoy plenty of face time during games and appear to be normal people like you and me. Naturally, when these players start to exhibit bulging biceps and growing heads, people are going to notice and begin to wonder what is going on.

So, Hank Steinbrenner has two things to realize. First, the massive problem that is steroids in MLB is partially the fault of people like his father, who turned a blind eye in the late 90s and on as revenues increased along with players hat sizes. Secondly, the immense scrutiny experienced by baseball simply comes with the territory. Seems like someone is just jealous that the NFL has become far and away the nation's most popular sport.

Needles, Nannies, and Bloody Pants

So, who was telling the truth and who was lying? It sure was hard to tell, altough the Rocket's body language sure did not look like he was very comfortable at any part during the proceeding. One thing is for sure, however, the highly antipicated congressional showdown between Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee resembled a soap opera more than an inquiry into the use of steroids and HGH.

First, the fact that Clemens' "good friend" Andy Pettitte was not present at the hearing shows what kind of guy Pettitte really is and essentially doomed Roger from the beginning. Is Andy going to be mentally ready for the upcoming baseball season? One thing is for sure, the Yankees desperately need the lefty to produce at the two spot in the rotation with huge question marks in Hughes, Kennedy, and Mussina.


We learned way too much about a certain "palpable mass" that appeared on the Rocket's bum. This lovely visual apparently led to a bloody pants display in question. According to Clemens, this occurred due to a bad B-12 shot. Yeah, sure.

Wait, there's more. Forget Spygate, that's old news. We are now witnesses to a brand new controversy, what journalists and other media types are calling Nannygate. When will the "gates" end? This aspect of the investigation, however, is certainly important and worth following. Along with Andy Backstabber, this can have serious implications on the investigation and potential negative ramifications for Clemens.

Finally, we learned that a number of the members on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform are complete morons and were way out of their element. I believe it was Rep. Darrell Issa of California that referred to the popular sports gear brand Under Armour as "Under Armour-All." Sounds like a great idea: stay warm while playing football and shine your tires afterwards.

When everything is all said and done, Rep. Dan Burton was correct in his stuttering tirade that ripped poor Brian McNamee to pieces and labeled Clemens a "baseball uh t-uh-t-titan." This whole thing was a circus. It really bothered me too.

Houston, We Have A Problem

The Rocket, Roger Clemens, and his former trainer Brian McNamee are scheduled to testify publicly Wednesday at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. In what will no doubt be a cotinuation of the same old story, the seven time Cy Young winner will vehemently deny ever using performace enhancing drugs. This is certainly something we've seen before.

Wednesday's session will be held in the same wood-paneled hearing room baseball fans have become so familiar with. In March of 2005, we painfully watched several big name players essentially ruin their careers and reputations. This list includes Sammy Sosa, who forgot how to speak English, Mark McGwire, who forgot how to speak period, and who can forget the finger-waving Rafael Palmeiro.

In a weird twist, McNamee recently turned over used needles and gauze as evidence. Why would he even keep those things lying around for that long? What's more, the former trainer is now claiming he even injected Clemens' wife with HGH. Wow. The plot has certainly thickened in the past several days.

With all this said, the future does not look bright for Roger Clemens. Appearing before congress did not exactly bode well for players like Palmeiro and McGwire. The once hallowed slugger Palmeiro tested positive for steroids five months after testifying in front of the committee and quickly slipped into oblivion. The former home run king McGwire also fell off the face of the earth following his testimony. These two have a questionable chance of gaining entry into the Hall of Fame, and saying questionable is being generous.

Wednesday, then, will be yet another chapter in the Steroid Era Saga. Will The Rocket follow suit and crash and burn like his predecesors, or will one of the greatest pitchers of all time keep fighting and clear his name for takeoff into the Hall?