But before I get into good ol’ Joe, let me talk about a couple things…

When Barack Obama was just a candidate, we heard this thing about health reform, economic growth and change. More specifically we heard that he was going to change the health care system. Possibly even a single payer system, but definitely a change to the way the insurance company plagued our system.

Now we have a health care bill in debate that not only has no single payer system, not even a public option, but also recently took out the compromise to that option. The lowering of Medicare to those 55 and above. And while I haven’t heard one way or the other, might also include a public mandate to force people to purchase insurance or face fines or even jail.

Let me be clear President Obama. If any bill comes across your desk without a public option or has a public mandate in it, stand by your word and VETO it. Not all reform is good reform. And clogging up the system with minor changes, while arguably beneficial is just a waste.

The public mandate is not only against the Constitution, but also against our civil liberties. To force me to pay for something without choice is against my human will. Its a violation of any and all human basic rights. To those that argue about the car insurance mandate, be clear… you choose to buy that car with the knowledge you have to also purchase insurance. Its a package. People that choose to live shouldn’t be mandated to insure their lives.

The public option was the entire point wasn’t it? Create competition for the industry. Bring down costs. Insure the uninsured. And now that’s been “compromised” out? By whom? Not the American people that’s for sure. And the people representing those people in those states are not going to forget. So Lieberman, Lincoln, Nelson to name a few… Get your resume’s ready because you’ll need a new job come election time. Without a public option, sincerely what’s the point? Congress has just wasted the last 6 months of tax payers dollars to debate and disagree. In all to come up without a plan and without an option. And even worse… want change now? No, none of this kicks in until 2014. Why?

I feel like we are living in a different country. This is the United States of America. We the people. Yet we are forced to watch our Congress do nothing but waste time voting if College Football should have a playoff system. Regulate steroids in baseball. Sports are entertainment, not a political matter.

Back to my good friend Joe. Mr. Lieberman now is the biggest hypocrite in the world. And I say that with fact, not slander or defamation. As seen on Countdown and Rachel Maddow, they showed various clips of Joe Lieberman constantly saying he was for the Medicare to 55 plan. Now? Joe wants no part of it. This next thing I say, I will be clear, I have no fact just opinion to back this up. Joe Lieberman is clearly being paid off by the insurance industry to block any/and all legislation. Period. Even his own party put out an advertisement saying Joe only cares about Joe. Not Connecticut, not the American people. Just Joe. Time to go Joe. Lose your seat, and your precious roles ahead of committees.

And this Medicare for 55+? That’s all well in good. But last I checked, there are millions and millions of 20 somethings and 30 somethings without health care that won’t even make it to 55 because of it. And they are now and throughout the history of time the base for which this country’s labor comes from.

But wait… That’s not all folks… no I’m not done.

The filibuster. The way to block almost any legislation from passing. The minority way to stand up to the majority and make a stance known. That too Lieberman was against, til he decided to use it for his benefit now. But this is about the policy and not good ol’ Joe. The filibuster used to be a good thing. Believe it or not, yes… good. Now its yet another cancer growing in Congress. Prior to the Bush years, filibusters were not even a topic of discussion. Once in a while they would pop up their head and say hi, but there was a time when Congress was elected to actually push laws through and make changes and yes… vote. Now? They just argue. Don’t do anything. Don’t pass anything. Just waste tax payer money and take their free Medicare insurance and tell other people they can’t have what the Congress already has. They filibuster confirmations of seats, they filibuster laws from passing, they filibuster everything they can. And they do it for no other selfish reason, than simply put, change is bad for them. Regulation is bad for them. Congress is the most comfortable job in the US. And if they have to actually do anything, then well that just jeopardizes it all.

Congress is a broken system. And the House isn’t much better. You were voted to speak for the people that you represent. Not for yourself. You were voted to stand up for America, not the people holding America back that broke it in the first place. From John McCain and all his telecom lobbyists (yeah no earmarking… yeah right. Just another hypocrite. That’s why you aren’t President) to Lieberman and the insurance industry, and yes that includes all the Congress members that are being paid off at the moment. Just plain BROKEN.

Republicans are too busy being the party of NO. The Democrats are too busy pulling a John Kerry (see why you aren’t President either?) and flip-flopping. And all the while, nothing is getting done.

I think it is a common school of thought that all that is wrong with the Oakland Raiders start and end with one name… Al Davis. His choices have not only caused a team in turmoil, but one that has no chance at winning with him in charge. It all starts with the top, and he is the decision maker.

Just look at his coaching choices in recent years…

Art Shell? A link to the past? Success? Art Shell, and I will note that this is my opinion, but Art Shell never was a good head coach. A good position coach, but not head coach. He was just a benefit of good talent around his team. And his philosophy was from an era that the NFL has long since passed by. He never was capable of turning around a failing franchise.

Lane Kiffin? So the Raiders start to win a game or two. But Kiffin wants to do it his way, but not Al Davis’ way. What does Davis do? He tries to force Kiffin to quit and eventually fires him. Lane Kiffin never had a solid team to coach. And his track record at USC as a position coach shows his ability. And now he is turning around an attitude and having success at Tennessee. Go figure? Good move Al. Way to force out the one good hire you made.

And now Tom Cable? What a joke. No wonder a real head coach doesn’t want any part of your money Al. This guy, Cable, you can’t go a week without hearing negative news in the media about him. Whether it’s punching his own staff or allegedly hitting women this week in the news. Tom Cable is a train wreck. And has no qualifications to even be a head coach. He’s not even a good position coach.

Do yourself a favor Al… Stop. Take a step back and hire real people to run the franchise, sit back and collect your money like most owners do. That is the only way you can turn around this franchise. Oakland should move back to LA. Make lots of money. I personally think you should hire Marcus Allen, move the team to LA. That way you have a LA guy (He went to USC) and a Raider legend to draw fans. So at least you will make some money even if your team sucks.

Simply put… The Raiders are not just a joke to the NFL. They are just plain sad.

Here is the Al Franken sound clip:

Al Franken 10.18.09

Here are the Republicans:

Senators Alexander (R-TN), Barrasso (R-WY), Bond (R-MO), Brownback (R-KS), Bunning (R-KY), Burr (R-NC), Chambliss (R-GA), Coburn (R-OK), Cochran (R-MS), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Ensign (R-NV), Enzi (R-WY), Graham (R-SC), Gregg (R-NH), Inhofe (R-OK), Isakson (R-GA), Johanns (R-NE), Kyl (R-AZ), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Risch (R-ID), Roberts (R-KS), Sessions (R-AL), Shelby (R-AL), Thune (R-SD), Vitter (R-LA), and Wicker (R-MS)

Franken’s Proposal To Guarantee Sexual Assault Victims Their Day In Court

By 68 – 30, Amendment Offered in Honor of former KBR employee Jamie Leigh Jones Passes the Senate

Washington, D.C. [Oct 6, 2009] – Today, the amendment offered by U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) to stop funding defense contractors who deny assault victims their day in court passed the United States Senate by a vote of 68 – 30

Last Thursday, Sen. Franken introduced an amendment (S.2588) to the FY2010 Defense Appropriations Bill that would restrict funding to defense contractors who commit employees to mandatory binding arbitration in the case of sexual assault. The legislation, endorsed by 61 women’s, labor and public interest groups, was inspired by the story of Jamie Leigh Jones, who watched the vote from the Senate gallery today.

Jones was a 19-yr-old employee of defense contractor KBR (formerly a Halliburton subsidiary) stationed in Iraq who was gang raped by her co-workers and imprisoned in a shipping container when she tried to report the crime. Her father and U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (R-Tex.), worked together to secure her safe return to the United States, but once she was home, she learned a fine-print clause in her KBR contract banned her from taking her case to court, instead forcing her into an “arbitration” process that would be run by KBR itself. Just today, Halliburton filed a petition for a rehearing en banc in the 5th Circuit Court, which means that Jamie’s fight is far from over.

“I’m proud of what we accomplished today,” said Sen. Franken. “Victims of sexual assault deserve their day in court and no corporation should be able to deny them that right. Jamie’s courage in telling her story will help women all over this country and I’m honored to have been a part of that.”

“I am highly honored that Senator Franken and his wife have created this amendment to ensure that others do not have to endure the suffering that I have,” said Jones. “This amendment makes all the hard times that I have gone through, when going public with such a personal tragedy, worth every tear shed from telling and retelling my horrific experience. I know this amendment will save so many in the future.”

Specifically, Sen. Franken’s amendment:

• Does not require contractors to change or modify existing employment contracts. It only bars funds to contractors who continue to use these mandatory arbitration clauses in their employment contracts.
• Narrowly targets the most egregious violations and applies to defense contracts, many of which are administered abroad, where women are the most vulnerable and least likely to have support resources. The amendment will apply to many contractors that have already demonstrated their incompetence in efficiently carrying out defense contracts, and have further demonstrated their unwillingness and their inability to protect women from sexual assault.
• Applies to claims arising out of sexual assault, like assault & battery (including rape), intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent hiring, retention, and supervision, as well as Title VII civil rights claims, which were specifically designed to protect vulnerable groups in the workplace.

Leading Minnesota and national organizations who have endorsed Sen. Franken’s amendment include the Minnesota Women Lawyers, the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Sexual Violence Center, Minnesota NOW, Advocates for Human Rights, the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the National Women’s Law Center, the National Partnership for Women and Families, the American Association of University Women, the National Council of La Raza, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, and the Consumer Federation of America. A full list of the 61 endorsing organizations is attached.

“Sexual violence is about a person trying to exercise power and control over another person through unwanted sexual contact and violence,” said Pam Zeller, Executive Director of the Sexual Violence Center. “In arbitration the intent is to arrive at an agreement. This agreement does not have to be equitable in order to be resolved. It is also not intended to resolve a criminal matter. Sexual harassment and sexual violence inherently have an imbalance of power. Submitting a victim of sexual harassment, or sexual assault, to a process of arbitration is a revictimization of the victim, and minimizes the seriousness of the crime of sexual assault. The proposed amendment by Senator Franken will protect victims of sexual harassment and sexual violence from being revictimized through the arbitration process.”

“This amendment reflects a critically important step in safeguarding the rights of those who have experienced discrimination in the form of sexual violence, harassment, and stalking,” said Donna Dunn, Executive Director of the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault. “We know that justice for victims of violence often seems elusive. It is very important that each person have the right to assess and choose the options that they believe best fit their needs. This amendment is a giant step in that direction.”

“No survivor of sexual assault should be denied the ability to seek justice,” said Terri Poore, Policy Chair of the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence. “Asking a victim to enter into arbitration with someone who raped her or a company that wouldn’t protect her is outrageous and sends a clear message that such violence is simply not taken seriously.”

My Conclusion:

I would love to hear the “good” reason that 30 Republican senators including Presidential runner up John McCain voted essentially pro-rape. I mean are you kidding? Can there even be a good reason that 2009 this sort of medieval events still exist. Let alone in the world’s corporate contracts.

Its beyond time for people to stop letting these people not only stop progress but assault our personal rights.

What you will find there:

• Our Network Sites: Including, PureStyleDC.com, Pure23.com, IncInvestor.com as well as this one, Smoove3.com. Plus new ones as they launch.
• Web Sites I’ve designed and developed, basically my portfolio
• Other Graphic Design work. Business Cards, Logos, E-Flyers.
• Company News and Info as it goes live.

Still launching LiveGrind and HoopsRemix soon. And GetBYZE.com will be coming sometime in the next couple months. As well as other niche sites I’ve been working on.

So checkout and bookmark BYZE.info

The Company is continuing its growth. And I like where it’s heading. More sites, more clients. Looks promising.

Life is funny sometimes. Challenges around every corner. And sometimes we win and get an object or feeling of victory and satisfaction, happiness… Sometimes we lose and feel loss, regret, a blank void or depression. And sometimes we just push… Not winning or losing but merely putting off the challenge to face again, as that challenge never really fades away. Regardless of the conclusion of that said challenge or test, the main thing is to always learn from that lesson. Teach yourself what only experience can bring. That insightful knowledge of life’s trials and tribulations.

I’m not sure what’s next for me. Not sure if I’m going to move to Denver or anywhere else for that matter. Maybe saying I don’t know is the first step to finding the answers I seek.

I do know a few things. But the biggest thing I know is that I don’t know everything. And as the sun rises to east this morning, I hope to know more than yesterday before it sets in the west. I think we all wish a little bit that we had perfect lives with perfect happiness, but we all realize that perfection is an imperfect object of affection and a myth that no one can lay claim to achieve. Just a goal in which some live their lives trying to obtain, only to eventually realize what most already know, that our imperfections are what make us unique. And that each person’s perfect qualities completes someone else and their imperfections, making each other stronger and more complete by helping one another where the other is weak.

It takes two to dance, as well as to fight. I take blame for my part in many an argument, and while not alone in fault, much like dancing it takes a stronger partner to lead. Not better, but in each instance…. stronger. As I thought in the shower this morning, I came to a realization. That if you want something done, sometimes you have to do it yourself. That is not just about making new, but sometimes fixing old.

Can everything be fixed? No. You can’t force someone to dance with you. You can just lead your hand out and make a compelling pitch to why they should take it. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes you push it off to another day. But the only sure thing is that someone has to take that lead. Not everyone is strong enough to swallow pride, to admit that they feel weak or incomplete. And sometimes the person that had every reason to be angry, upset or just plain got screwed over has to be that one to lead the fixation of the problems.

In a not so perfect world, it’s not always the one that does wrong that says they are sorry. Or even attempts to ever repair the wrong they caused. Some just believe that they deserve to lose what was lost and give up on trying to make amends. Conscious is funny like that sometimes.

I don’t know if I’m deep, but I am definitely reflective. And I’ve done many wrongs in my life that I will always have haunt me. Some will never be able to be repaired no matter how hard I try. But what I can control is that attempt at redemption. A revelation that means that hope is only lost if you don’t try to in the first place. Things might never be like they were, but is a little of something better than not having any at all?

I know I’ve babbled on enough, and you probably stopped reading at the first sentence. But if not, I hope I made you think and maybe pick up the phone and ask someone to dance with you. I think I might today. I wish I could say for sure… Anger still bodes deep. But is losing something that important to you ever worth losing without at least trying?

Life… lol.

In other news…

Denver is only 2 months away. Getting excited to get my life going forward again in a great city around great people.

Wondering if Shawne Merriman only said intoxicated (not drunk) to cover up drugs involved. Does Tila realize he might have been helping her?

Mike Vick, week 3 at home in Philly. Sure, why not? But will he even see that much of the field unless McNabb goes down with injury?

Labor day, and its going to rain… shitty. Still lets cherish Canada for helping create the Union. Even if they might not be a completely good thing in 2009. (see rant coming one day)

Jay-Z dropped the Blueprint 3. Two thoughts. One, can even come up with original titles anymore? Two, not bad. Decent album. Not his best, but good.

Is Obama ever going to stop talking and just do something, I mean anything at all? Forget promoting good will, just use your authority and push something through. Worked for Bush. And he pushed through crap that people hated. So shouldn’t it be easier since Obama’s plan was supposed to be a good thing?

Saw Gamer. Solid movie. Not happy Gerald Butler is in every movie alive lately, but he’s proving his worth. SPARTA! Looking forward to the movie he’s in with Jamie Foxx coming out soon.

Once my hosting problems are solved, I’ll get back to writing more “real” articles. I promise. Oh, and on a last note. If someone taunts me and I hit him, isn’t that provoked and self-defense under law in case of provoked rage? I’m just saying. Not right but not as bad as its being played up. Been said before, but the media controls perception among the masses and will always sensationalize the news to slant to the negative and fail to promote the positive. t’s just reality.

Seriously? What the hell? First it was a “news” story, and I stress the word “news” in the loosest fashion, but still “widely” covered, that Michael Vick was drinking something, assumed to be a Grey Goose & pineapple in a corner booth somewhere. The big deal? That most felony paroles violate that parole with alcohol. Basically, the media has a vested interest in SENDING Michael Vick back to jail, trying to take more of his life, not the reporters, but his life away from him for… ***drumroll*** one drink!

Well, sorry… It’s termed in his release as him not being able to have “excessive” alcohol, and one drink doesn’t violate that.

Then, today… Various media outlets and online publications are reporting about Chris Brown partying and wondering if it already violates his probation that was issues yesterday.

First… Last I checked, being around a group of people and dancing doesn’t violate any known probation charges, especially for a person that makes money and has a career around such a scene like a popular R&B singer such as Chris Brown.

Now let me inject, I think Chris Brown is a low person. Anyone that beats the shit out of a woman is worthless to me. Even if I can’t stand the voice of said woman.

Back to the subject… Secondly… Why is the media TRYING to put Chris Brown in jail? With the last two examples, it makes me wonder if they get a cut of the tax dollars per celebrity inmate? Seriously? I know train wrecks equal ratings, but trying to take someone’s freedom for anything less than something of a villainous nature is simply bullshit.

If Michael Vick breaks another law, goes back to dog fighting, or even alcohol based charges such as a DUI or DWI, then by all means drum up the band and send him back to jail. If Chris Brown goes off on another woman or even puts out a shitty album, it then can be considered. But until then… Let them rehab their life and go back to a normal existence that DOES NOT involve the media spamming me with headlines of such a wasted nature.

There is much more important news in the world. And everyone in ears reach knows I’ve been pushing for more television news to cover the local scene more and less global. As I find it hard to even hear about the Wendy’s burning down just up the street, yet I know a road side bomb went off a half world away. And now you are going to take away from that even more by broadcasting sensationalized news just to cover people that even by the media’s own admission aren’t worth said attention. So by all means… cover one of the million other things in the world that are MUCH more important.

ESPN… There is an entire league full of news about training camps. Even Jerry Jones and the HD TV issue. Tell me when Mike seriously screws up, or even when he scores his first TD. Until then… enough.

Every entertainment channel… Same. Tell me when dummy aka Chris Brown is putting out a new album, or better yet don’t give him any attention at all, since that is much worse than jail for any celebrity. Jail just boosts his visibility. So tell me when Britney goes crazy again instead.

Wow, guess this was longer than I thought. We all love a good tale of a tragic nature, but come on media, mix it up a little and stop covering the same issues and rehashing it over and over again. Give us some real news, and something new. Show some creativity and stop stomping on the already dead horse. Did I get that phrase right? Ahh… who cares?

I do have a new article probably coming today or tomorrow (probably tomorrow).

I did finally figure out what the hell “LLS” stands for in internet and shorthand talk. Laughing Like Shit for those like me and were WTF? Love DMV and the things we come up with. I’m still old school, so I will stick with LOL.

UPDATE: Twitter has allowed me back in, so @purestyledc is alive and well! Follow today! Aug. 20, 2009

Twitter seems to want to mess with me… I recently shifted some of my twitter accounts around so I can unlock and use my @purestyledc (unfollow) name again. I was using @thepurenet (unfollow) and putting the whole network in one place, one source, etc… But people felt it was too much info to process at a time, and it was monopolizing their feeds. So, went back to purestyledc and got locked out from the system that still wants to call it thepurenet, which it says doesn’t exist, and purestyledc which I can’t login to. So….

The birth of a new twitter account!

http://twitter.com/pureonline (follow!)

The OFFICIAL home of PureStyle Magazine.

For other sites on the network, I’ve created separate accounts. IncInvestor.com is @incinvestor (follow!), FightDC.com is @fightdc (follow!), WrestlingDC.com is @wrestlingdc_com (follow!) (be sure to include the underscore, sorry wrestlingdc was squatted on and taken), and of course Smoove3.com is still myself @mginn3 (don’t really care if you follow, lol).

Facebook:

Still got just my normail page, and one page for The PureStyle Network. Only 48 fans, so please tell your friends and people you bump into on the street. Let’s grow that to at least 1k so I can reserve the name.

Social media is more than advertising (spamming you), it’s about connecting on a grassroots level with not only friends and family, but completely new people and strangers that might just be interested in the same things you are and reaching out to them and showing them love too. It’s about sharing a thought or an idea and getting instant feedback, both positive and negative. It’s about growing, not just yourself, but the world together.

We now have the ability to reach out and talk to celebrities first hand. @ reply a star and sometimes they actually acknowledge you and respond. No longer are the world’s elite on a different planet, through social sites like Twitter and Facebook you can now realize not only are they human and real people who have real thoughts (sometimes), but that some of the biggest stars actually care about you. And people in general. Some don’t, some will still have an outlook on life all unto themselves (Tom Cruise), but love or hate him… Ashton gets it. Brea Grant gets it. And they are wisely following the lead of the tech world who sets those trends.

In the end, we all benefit. We all grow. Connecting one person at a time in a global environment.

Oh… and while on some personal stuff… My Marlins are on FIRE! Let’s go FISH! And my New York Giants off to a good start! Happy Bday to the guy who might not make the team but had a great game winning interception for the TD!

And hopefully GoDaddy has fixed my hosting issues with the traffic spikes. But if anything goes down over the next couple days, its because they are moving me to a new grid hosting platform.

Jeff Townes, Philadelphia born and raised, and to most of the world is better known as DJ Jazzy Jeff is world renown for his participation in the legendary rap group, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince with long time best friend Will Smith. But I find myself constantly defending DJ Jazzy Jeff to those who just don’t know that the man is more than a sidekick, in fact, Jeff was not only the back bone of the group but also the launching pad for some of today’s hottest stars.

When DJ Jazzy Jeff was coming up, he was the “IT” DJ for block parties in Philly, if Jazzy was DJ’ing the party was packed. Even going as far as winning the World DJ Championship in the 1986 New Music Seminar DJ Battle. Before “Girls Ain’t Nothing but Trouble” dropped, Jazzy Jeff was scratching up the turn tables from party to party making famous what is now common place in the world of DJ’ing… The Scratch!

Most people don’t know, that in fact, Will Smith was only introduced to DJ Jazzy Jeff by chance. The story goes, that playing at party a few doors away from where Will lived, Jazzy Jeff was missing his hype man. Smith filled in and well… the rest is history. The duo went on to win awards and helped bring rap and hip-hop to the public eye and even won the very first rap Grammy award.

No one doubts the legacy of the duo, nor that of Will Smith, who as we all know has solidified himself as one of hip-hop’s greats as well as one of Hollywood’s top leading actors. Will has made that little bankruptcy thing from before his Fresh Prince TV show days a long and very distant memory. But what about Jeff? Oh sure, he pops up and performs with Will from time to time. Occasionally gets a shout out here and there, but really, what about Jeff?

Is Jeff Townes aka DJ Jazzy Jeff, or Jazz on the hit TV show, nothing more than an over-hyped sidekick? A hip-hop legend because of association? In a word… NO!

Jeff Townes is a hip-hop pioneer. Check that, a music pioneer. He has had his hands in the launching and development of current music stars like Jill Scott, Musiq and Raheem DeVaughn. Moving most of his focus towards the Neo-Soul movement. But still knee deep in hip-hop. In 2007, his release “The Return of the Magnificent” featured artists like CL Smooth, Big Daddy Kane, Pos from De La Soul, Method Man, Peedi Peedi and more. Showing off his strong hip-hop skills and his Neo-Soul involvement at the same time.

DJ Jazzy Jeff is not only the legend he deserves to be, but also still a moving force in today’s current music place. Working with artists like Rhymefest, he is still in the game. Just more behind the scenes pulling the strings and making beats and producing some of the best. While not prominently featured with Will Smith anymore, he still has produced several of his songs on his album releases since the duo separated musically.

There is no doubt that while you might not be in the know, Jeff Townes has earned every ounce of respect he has in the world of hip-hop, and will continue to blaze new paths throughout the music world. And if you haven’t heard them, check out “NY Weather Report” by Talib Kweli and “Get Busy” by The Roots and listen to the scratches on those tracks, that’s all Jeff.

So allow me to say yes. DJ Jazzy Jeff, you are one of hip-hop’s icons.

The next season 1995, play resumed, and baseball went on. The fans however didn’t come back. Attendance was down, ratings dwindling and the fans showed their discontent by hitting MLB where it hurt most, their pockets. In fact, only one man was able to regain some fans, bring some back… Cal Ripken Jr. His streak, passing Lou Gehrig’s Iron Man streak and overall good guy image temporarily saved baseball.

But once the streak passed, October came, Braves won, no one cared and baseball ratings plummeted once again.

1996 came and went, and without much surprise now, looking back, Ken Caminiti was the MVP that season, a player who became the first to admit publicly he used steroids. Once again, attendance dropped. Yankees won with little to no fan fair and the game was struggling to regain their image, their fans and their income.

1997, a year dear to my heart, as it was the year my beloved Florida Marlins won their first World Series was an exciting year. But still fans stayed away for the most part. World Series had an exciting 7 game finish. Ken Griffey Jr had a huge year, and Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens dominated to win the Cy Young awards in the NL and AL.

Then it happened. See die hard, traditional baseball fans never left the game. Mad, but still watched and came out. Every league knows one thing, you make money when you can get the non-traditional fan to watch. When the game just has to be on in the sports bar, so you don’t miss a thing. Like the NBA when Jordon is playing or the NFL every week. A can’t miss event that even the casual fan will look up and watch.

1998 provided that spark. Everyone loves the long ball. Famous line in baseball that never was more true. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa lit the world on fire. And the summer of 1998 had every sports fan, baseball fan or not, watching and reading the morning paper to see if McGwire or Sosa hit a home run that game. It was the unofficial start to the “Steroid Era.”

McGwire and Sosa, jointly wiped all memories of the 1994 work stoppage away. Their magical chase of Roger Maris’ 61 home runs became not only the talk of their respective cities, St Louis and Chicago, but around the country and even around the world! ESPN would cut away from any and everything every time McGwire or Sosa came up to bat. Major news networks were tuned in. EVERYONE WATCHED! And like that, they saved baseball.

In the years to follow, the so called “Steroid Era” exploded. And players that were or weren’t doing steroids slammed homers left and right. Barry Bonds went on to break McGwire’s 70 with his own 73. And every ball that splashed down in the bay was an instant souvenir. Baseball was on fire and if not for that era, baseball would be like the NHL is now.

Hockey is struggling to regain what was a very hot sport before their last work stoppage. And even with young emerging stars such as Sydney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin ratings and fans are still not watching the way they used to.

What the point of this all is this… Professional sports are one thing… Entertainment. And people for the most part don’t care what someone is ingesting or poking in their bodies before or after a game. They care how many runs their team scored, who hit the ball the farthest. The home run derby during that time was exciting to watch. Sosa would slam the balls on to the street. Barry into the bay. Now? Ask how many people if they know Prince Fielder won the derby this year?

Tradition will always have its place, but lets not confuse amateur and professional. People pay good money to watch and be excited. And while a no-hitter is a great thing, it’s really boring live and sitting in the stands. I remember being in Baltimore when Mike Mussina pitched a 3 hitter vs the Orioles while he was then with the New York Yankees. And while I looked up after the game and realized what I saw, at the time my cousin and I were bored to death. And we both love baseball!

The home run, the slam dunk, the 50 yard touchdown. The sexy play, the big play. The SportsCenter highlight. That’s what people pay to see.

Let’s be honest. Look at the latest polls. The media cares more about steroids and PEDs than the average fan does. Manny Ramirez was cheered when he came back in July from his 50 game suspension. People don’t care, they want to see them play.

The media just wants to save their moral high ground, protect their childhood heroes from having their records erased. But they are hypocrites. Not only because they were front and center drooling over every homer that McGwire and Sosa hit, but they ignore the legit and obvious facts that each generation has their own steroids. They just test now.

The 70’s had a various amount of players on LSD, PCP and other speed like drugs. The 60’s and even back to the 50’s. Heck, go back to the 20’s and 30’s and look at the icon of icons in the world of baseball, Babe Ruth. He was notoriously drunk half the time. Ty Cobb said as much during later interviews.

The fans don’t care. They pay their hard earned money to be excited. To watch something that will make them feel that the money they just paid for that ticket(s) was worth it to possibly come back and pay it again. During the aftermath of the strike, they didn’t. They watched on free TV, if at all. They gates at the games were sparse, and people didn’t care. The “Steroid Era” saved baseball. It got people excited to watch again. To go to the game and hope to catch a home run. Stadiums were loud again, and people talked about the game where ever you went. It was a magical time.

Now the media wants to ruin that. They think they are saving the game they love. But they are killing it. The average fan doesn’t care if David Ortiz did or didn’t do it. They care that he hit a home run. They care that he is “Big Papi” the larger than life character.

In a dream world, we would have world peace, no wars, no crime and no steroids. But this isn’t that world. And professional sports are a highly paid and expensive industry. One in which fans demand to be entertained or they change the channel without thinking twice. People watch when we bombed Baghdad. Support the war, hate the war… no matter, people watched. When there is an accident on the highway, everyone stops and watches. People have a very short attention span, and the spectacular is what draws.

Do I support steroids? No. But it’s their bodies and while anabolic steroids have proven a health risk, HGH and others have not been proved to be a heath risk. And it’s their life, their body, their choice. And not only am I exhausted from hearing about steroids in the news, on SportsCenter and even in talks about players who have never failed a test. I like many fans, just don’t care.

So we beg the media to stop. Stop protecting your generation while you kill ours. Put those guys in the Hall of Fame because of their contribution to the game, if not just for their numbers alone. After all… They saved baseball.