Mark McGwire said something incredibly profound today when he admitted he used steroids during his record setting 70 home run season. "I wish I had never played during the steroid era," McGwire said.
If McGwire had been a ballplayer 50-75 years ago, he probably would have been a great player anyways, and clean of steroids. It makes one wonder if ballplayers from 50-75 years ago, if playing when McGwire played, would have succumbed to steroid use as well.
Which now brings us to Pete Carroll. I don't think it is fair for the coach that may have been at least been partially responsible for sanctions against a college sports team, leaving before the sanctions are applied, and being rewarded a huge contract as well.
It would be interesting if the NCAA would impose two different penality options. If Pete Carroll stays in USC to face the coming NCAA sanctions, the NCAA limits the sanctions to two years. However, if Pete Carroll walks away now, then the NCAA imposes one year of sanctions for every year Carroll coached, which was nine years.
What would you do if you were Pete Carroll and the school that put you back on the map was going to face either a 2 year penalty if you stayed and coached, or a 9 year penalty if you left for your own big contract?
The way the "system" is set up now, even the wrong doers first get the accolades, the money, the fame, then they get to apologize years later. Unfortunately, these actions usurp the accolades, the money and the fame from the more honest among us, and then continue to do their damage years later when the usurper then does the required apology tour.
