Article:Is it worth it?

So, the NY Times reports that a letter has been drafted to start the process to look into a criminal investiagtion into whether Roger Clemens lied during his hearings on Capitol Hill back on February 13th. OK, after we hold our collective breaths on the validity of the story given the Times track record the pats week, let's look at the merits of the case.

First things first: I think we can now all agree he lied. That to me is not the overall goal to show if the Rocket lied. My question is, much like in the Barry Bonds case, is it worth the millions of dollars in actual dollars, court time, man hours and the such in order to take down one person who's trying to cover up that they used steroids and HGH to further his baseball career?

IMHO, it's not even close. By taking down Clemens and Bonds for perjury, are you going to stop the flow of steroids, HGH and whatever may be the drug of today and tomorrow? I say no maam! You will have some vindication and the glow of taking down a big name, I'm sure. But hasn't that already happened? Haven't Clemens and Bonds already lost their legacy and their good names? Haven't they already been taken off their lofty posts?

Look at it like your two-bit drug dealer who's dealing $10 drugs every now and again. He's not the guy you're going to invest millions of dollars to take down. He might be a pawn in the bigger game, but he doesn't stand alone. You don't waste years trying to take down one drug dealer.

In all of justice, lawyers and prosecutors continue to ask themselves: is the juice worth the squeeze? If it is, you move forward. If not, you cut bait and run.

I'm not advocating running away from the performance enhancing drugs in sports, I'm just saying let's take another approach. We can't change the past or spend time taking down those who cheated the past. You have to look forward and try to put your best plan in action.

It's what we all tell our kids. You've made the mistake, now let's admit there's a problem and plot a course to change the problem into a positive. Congress, the Department of Justice, Major League Baseball and the players, owners and management now can look at themselves right now and say: are we worried about the past or the future? If it's the future they are truly concerned with, then there is hope.

Take all the resources you're going to take in the Bonds and Clemens persecution and put them into education, testing and a chance to save the sports you claim you want to change. Include the players you want to charge with perjury, those who came forward that they cheated, those who have performed cleanly and yes, those trainers who dealt the dirty needles filled with steroids. Let them all tell their stories.

But don't stop there. Complete the education with harsh reality. Start it in the high schools and straight up through the big leagues, a one-strike policy if you cheat. Over the top, yes. A must, absolutely!

Start clean, no pun intended, and move forward! The Presidential election is all about change in 2008, if major league baseball doesn't feel that same sentiment, then we're all losers.

Back with more later...