Media trying to railroad Manny Ramirez out of the All Star Game

http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/643171


http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke-dodgers31-2009may31,0,3631052.column?page=2

So basically the media, in all shapes and forms, i.e. print, t.v., radio, terrestrial, and satellite have yet again gone past their usual stance as "the voice of the people" and have decided to do everything in their power to make sure a cheater doesn't make the All Star game for baseball. Yes, Manny broke rules and most likely cheated, and yes will have missed 50 of the first 88 some odd games. No debate or arguement there.

Now the media believes they have the right to tell the people, who they supposedly are the voices of, what to do with their all star ballots. I believe they have gone too far with their power to print whatever they personally think. Shows what happens when you give people too much power over the information that is passed to the public.

The issue is, regardless of what Manny may have done, he still happens to be one of the games most popular personalities (unlike Alex Rodriguez after he was caught), and might actually get voted into the All Star game by the fans of the game. You know, those people who actually PAY TO SEE THE GAMES as opposed to sitting in luxury boxes for free (the media).

Some people don't like fan voting, a completely different debate itself. What isn't debatable is the longstanding fact that professional sports, all of them, belong to their respective fans.

The media needs to stop this witchhunt. It's mostly the older ones with the pitchforks as they still hold baseball in some regard right up there with whichever gods they believe in. Baseball is no longer "america's pasttime" (Football based off of average attendance and ratings numbers), and they just need to accept that.

 

I wish we would just drop this concern about perfomance enhancing drugs. It is not as if a guy with no talent or physical skill can simply pop pill and do great things. An athlete has to have uncanny talent, train hard and practice daily to be successful.

If steroids were legalized I don't things would change much. You would have some willing to juice and others unwilling.

I hope Manny gets voted in.

 

He should be voted in. Whatever he took didn't make him hit home runs and RBI. He's a fantastic ballplayer