Reply #75: I have acknowledged there are degrees....

[IndianaJones]

and even pointed out the degrees of difference between steroids and amphetamine in baseballs drug policy. I do not dispute this difference and agree that steroids enhance performance to a greater degree than amphetamine. My assertion is that to label Bonds a cheater while glossing over the alleged use of performance enhancing drugs by legends of yesteryear is, in my mind, hypocritical. The fact remains that many of these players used a drug that is universally classified as a performance enhancer, was ignored and buried for years by baseball, and has only recently, along with steroids, been banned. To characterize Bonds, who did not break rules of baseball even if allegations of steroid use are true, as a cheater, while giving a pass to those that did the same thing, albeit to a lesser degree is disingenuous. While I have read many of your posts and can see that you are much more knowledgeable than the average or casual fan, I would submit that most people that would use such language to describe Bonds are unaware of the rampant use of amphetamine for decades in baseball. Are unaware of the derogatory term "playing naked" reserved for those that would not use for the good of the team, and are unaware of the long history of amphetamine as a performance enhancing drug in sports and other walks of life. It is regulated for a reason. To say it is like caffeine or just "diet pills" is, to me, disingenous.

While we disagree on this subject, and most likely many others, I do respect your considerable knowledge of the game and it is refreshing to have a civil discussion with someone familiar with the history involved.