Band on the Run

Bud Selig is now attempting to defend his inability or unwillingness to appoint a genuine independent investigator to look into the steroids problem in baseball. Here's some of what Bud had to say:

"It's important for somebody who understands what I call the mores of culture of this sport as well as he does. That helps in the investigation. That doesn't hurt it,...He has complete autonomy. He wouldn't have taken this without complete autonomy."

I'm sure he wouldn't have taken the job without complete autonomy, but that doesn't mean that he wants the fingers pointing at his friends. Maybe they'll find some sacrificial lamb to throw under the bus, but the owners were as guilty as anyone in this mess and just don't believe that the esteemed Senator from Maine is going to be looking too hard in that direction.

Bud continues:

"I mean the fact that we're friends had nothing to do with it."

What the hell is he talking about??!! The fact that they are friends had everything to do with it! Bud Selig could have chosen any one of a thousand qualified people for this role. He could have chosen someone who was truly an INDEPENDENT investigator. Perhaps Bud doesn't understand the meaning of the word. I'll help you out Bud. One of the definitions of INDEPENDENT is, "not affiliated with a larger controlling unit." Oh let me see, do you think the BOSTON RED SOX or MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL count as larger controlling units? Who exactly is he trying to convince of this fact?

Here's part of what he claimed he said to Sen. Mitchell:

"What I said to Sen. Mitchell was that, 'Look, we've done now everything we can do."

What he meant to say was that he said, "Look George, we did absolutely nothing about this for years and now that we've been forced by outside pressure into action, I need someone who's going to look good to the people on Capitol Hill." Once again, I have to quote the Onion headline that so succinctly stated the point about steroids in baseball, "Barry Bonds took steroids reports EVERYONE WHO EVER WATCHED BASEBALL", apparently everyone except for the commissioner and every owner in the game. They were too busy looking at attendance figures.

Here's Bud talking about the reaction of the crowd in San Diego to Barry Bonds:

"I guess none of this is unexpected. I'm saddened by it in the sense that Opening Day was such a good, positive day, every game was sold out. It was really a great baseball day."

He's actually talking about the f*$king crowds on opening day!! Can you believe it? He's trying to gloss over the crowd reaction to Barry Bonds by talking about attendance figures. It's pretty much what he has been doing since the steroids controversy began. I guess there's a lot to be said for consistency.

Bud, seriously man, how can you look at the public with a straight face and say that you appointed the best man for the job. George Mitchell is a part owner of the BOSTON RED SOX! Does that sound independent to you? There happen to be two players on the Yankees who are part of the steroids scandal. Do you think whatever report Mitchell comes up with is going to be kind to them? Even if they are both guilty (and both have admitted to taking steroids in Grand Jury testimony), how do you think the public is going to perceive that information when it's coming from someone who sits on the board of the BOSTON RED SOX?

Buddy, my boy, I'm going to share one life's great constants; just because you say something is true, doesn't necessarily make it so.