Drew Sharp, a writer for the Detroit Free Press, wrote this column about Ken Caminiti's death. The tone of the piece, that athletes should learn about the potential dangers of steroid abuse, is right on. The fact baseball, Caminiti's sport, is drilled is slightly off-base.
Sure, baseball has a drug problem. It has a fairly lame testing and enforcement policy, too. However, this is just piling on the "Baseball is a dead sport" bandwagon that began after the last work stoppage.
Did anyone take note of this past Olympics? How many athletes got bounced out of The Games for testing positive for steroids? It was nearly a daily occurrence.
Forget the regular Olympics, some Paralympic athletes that got booted for testing positive for steroids and other illegal substances. Baseball players are the only ones who are having a problem?
When Lyle Alzado died years ago, many suspected his death was steroid related. Steve Corson, the offensive lineman with the Pittsburgh Steelers, suffered with a number of unique medical conditions that many attributed to steroids. Alzado and Corson played in the 70's when a number of players began using a all kinds substances to improve performance. Did any football players learn? Seems a number get caught each season.
Honestly, in a league widely regarded as bigger, faster and stronger than it was when men like Alzado and Corson played, does anyone think that maybe steroids are still an issue in the NFL? No, that can't be, they have testing. Of course, the Olympics have tested for years. That hasn't stopped the use or caught every suspected abuser.
To imply baseball is alone in the depths of performance enhancing substance abusers, or that this is the first death that could be connected to steroid abuse, is wrong.
Update: ESPN is reporting Caminiti died of a drug overdose.
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