>but I am uncomfortable with the position that they were on a level playing field since so many guys were doing it, so what the hell.
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>I'm not saying, "because there were many people doing it, what the hell"....what I'm saying is that it's very difficult to point to a team and say that a certain playoff run needs to have an asterisk, because some of the players might have been (or were) juiced. (I make a different distinction when it comes to a single player and a significant feat, such as the all-time HR record).
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>But even with the HR record....most MLB fans are savvy - Hank Aaron KNOWS that the large majority of baseball fans consider Hank the true HR leader. Bonds could have knocked out another 100 and I'd still view Aaron as the HR king. I don't see too many people (outside of McCovey Cove) walking around saying that Bonds is the actual HR king.

That's not what the record book says, though, and that does aggravate me. And I don't expect the record book to have any asterisks added. As distasteful as it was, using steroids was not against the laws of baseball before 2003. Ownership and the players' union both had their heads firmly in the sand.

Hall of Fame voters seem to look at it differently. So far none of the eligible steroids guys have come close to election. The true signs will be when Bonds and Clemens become eligible. By the numbers they are way out there, guaranteed first time enshrinees if not for the issue of steroids.

One thing that's interesting is that steroids have become such a huge, shameful thing for baseball while football gets a pass. Anyone with as much sense as a hound dog knows a large percentage of NFL players have not gotten there by all natural means. But even when someone is caught they just get a slap on the wrist and a yawn from fans. Remember when Shawne Merriman was caught red handed a couple of years ago? He got a 4 game suspension and went to the Pro Bowl that year! But Michael Vick bankrolling a dog fighting operation, oh, that's bad, that's unforgivable.

(David Letterman had a good line about Vick after the announcement that Vick would be conditionally reinstated by week 6 if someone signed him. He said Vick will to STAY on the sidelines for 4 games. Stay.... stay....)