The media widely has been known to blow things substantially out of proportion, and this is certainly one of those cases. It can be argued for hours on end, one way or another just how dangerous steroids really are. Does it really matter? Alcohol is dangerous, and so are cigarettes…not to mention all the prescription drugs on the market with serious side effects, so honestly I ask… what’s the difference?

Most sports fanatics will ramble off about how using steroids is cheating and provides an unfair advantage, but once again I ask who cares? These sports players are paid millions and millions of dollars to entertain us; including that whole home run record business, which was all for us fans. I’m sure there are thousands of ways each one of these players tries to get ahead, and I can guarantee most of what is done in the locker rooms will never reach our ears.

If you think this billion dollar industry is pure in every aspect think again; cheating exists in sports like a plague. How many times have you seen a home referee pick on one team more, simply because they favored the opposition; I’ve seen it plenty of times. I can’t even begin to list the amount of times I’ve heard players were experimenting with performance enhancing drugs or trying out new ones, not to mention the rigorous workouts most of these players go through every day. I’m sure some work out much more than others; that boosts performance, why isn’t that cheating?

Frankly, if these players want to shoot themselves up with a drug that in many cases is killing them, then so be it, it’s their choice. Don’t even mention the fact that if these players truly want to do it, then they will, regardless of laws or fan opinions. Don’t try and tell me that the United States as a whole has never used such drugs to gain an advantage either, they exist all over the market these days.

So once again I say who cares. But what is your stance?

Like two peas in a pod, baseball and superstitions just go together. Could any two words be more synonymous than those? Superstitions are as much a part of baseball as following player stats and keeping the score. I know many people that will tell you that superstitions are just a lot of poppycock and nonsense, but to some hardcore fans and baseball teams franchises they are a way of life.

Recently in the news, Gino Castignoli, a construction worker an avid Red Sox Fan, decided to jinx the new Yankee Stadium by burying a Boston Red Sox jersey in the cement of the foundation of the new ballpark. When team officials found out about the scheme, they paid $50,000 to have the shirt found and removed from the structure. Now it could be argued that a rival team’s jersey isn’t going to curse the Yankees when they play, making them lose, but it is something that could have demoralized the team which could have cause them to play poorly.

The Boston Red Sox had their own curse, “The Curse of the Bambino”, which was huge in the 20^th century. The Sox traded Babe Ruth to the NY Yankees for $100,000 before the 1920 season, virtually dooming themselves to 86 years of losses while the Yankees won 26 titles.

At least the Red Sox finally broke their curse, the Chicago Cubs should ever be so lucky. They have the billy goat curse. Their blight began when William Sianis showed up for the 1945 World Series with his pet goat — he’d even paid for a ticket for the animal. It’s said that when Sianis and his “guest” were ejected from Wrigley Field, he swore the Cubs would never win again. The Cubs lost that series and haven’t made it back to the World Series since.

Next year, Yankee stadium will cease to be used (the Yankees are building a new stadium across the street). But hopefully the new stadium will continue the legacy of great baseball in a historic atmosphere. Hopefully in 80 years fans will be able to look back and see that the new Yankee Stadium is as appreciated as the old one.