Ultimately, what worries me most is the health of any athlete that has taken steriods or is thinking about it. Sure, Ken Caminiti died more because he did drugs, but I think steriods also greatly contributed to it.

Frankly Del, I must say that the mindset of the fan that you describe worries me because I think that is what drives players to push their bodies to the limit and then take something to compensate, so that they can entertain and continue to do so, even if after 3 or 4 years in retirement they die of a stroke or something to that effect. I'm not knocking your attitude at all, I just don't share it.

As much as it pains me to say this, athletes should be concerned with being role models to all the people out there in this aspect: that they shouldn't make it seem okay to take steriods and thus heighten the risk for a premature death.

I've always considered myself a purist in sports to some extent, though I like the wildcard in baseball, thus I've never been a fan of the homerun parade and perhaps, if this steriods scandal does indeed explode and is somehow put under control, baseball might benefit from it as everyone won't be so eager to juice up and hit dingers, but will instead care about winning, setting a good example, living a good and a full life. If attendance of baseball must suffer in order to allow the players to have healthy post-career lives, so be it.

Sure, there is some glory in living your life on the edge, doing extraordinay things with your time and dying before you get old, but is it worth it?

Take care all.