In light of the release of the Mitchell Report pertaining to the widespread use of steroids in Major League Baseball, I reflected on what might be the cause of such a scandal.

Before I proceed, please pause and reflect on the following professional athletes and coaches:

• Marion Jones – disgraced track and field athlete
• Michael Vick – disgraced professional football player
• Bill Belichick – current NFL head football coach accused and fined for cheating
• Barry Bonds – indicted for lying about his involvement in steroids
• Roger Clemens & Andy Pettitte – Major League Baseball players accused of taking steroids in the Mitchell Report

As to the cause, let’s start with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. As most of you are aware, Belichick was caught spying on other teams. He admitted to cheating and was fined $500,000 by the NFL. To the average citizen, this fine would have been devastating but to a coach who makes millions in salary and endorsements, it’s little more than an inconvenience.

Now to the real root cause of the problem that is haunting professional sports. It’s us, the fans. Despite the fact that Bill Belichick was caught and admitted to cheating, fans keep buying the tickets and filling up the stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts to watch their World Champion Patriots.

I’m confident that Atlanta Falcon football fans would have filled the stadium if a convicted Michael Vick had been allowed to play this season.

Also, we have to be pretty naïve to believe that the steroid scandal exposed in the Mitchell Report is something new. How many coaches, players and owners have been aware of this abuse over the years? My bet is that it’s in the thousands. As long as the teams kept winning, kept filling the stadiums, kept making millions for the players, the owners, and the league, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy ruled. Now that the truth has been exposed, the media machines will go to work on “damage control” to restore the integrity of “America’s Game.” This is where the fans have the clout. If we as Americans believe in integrity and doing the right thing, we’ll boycott next year’s games until professional baseball cleans up its act. The question is, will fans act with integrity and expect excellence from the game or will they keep filling the stadiums as long as their team wins? I’ll bet on the latter.

It goes deeper. Parents spend millions of dollars a year sending their sons and daughters to special camps to hone their talents. Why? So they can win. Also, don’t be surprised if the next steroids scandal pertains to high school athletes. In America, it’s all about winning!!!

Even though Marion Jones cheated and she deserved the punishment that she received, she at least had the courage to admit what she had done. The guilt weighed so heavily on her conscience that she had to admit the truth so she could live a life of dignity. Unlike those implicated in the steroids scandal, she at least had the courage to face the truth.

As to the power of one’s conscience, this is where I will circle back to fellow Texans Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte. The big question is, did they or didn’t they take steroids or performance enhancing drugs? Roger Clemens and his attorney are adamantly denying the accusations while Andy Pettitte’s camp is currently remaining silent. No matter the millions that these athletes have made, money will never remove the cloud of suspicion that will accompany their names. The millions that once praised them for their pitching expertise will always question their integrity. My recommendation to these, and all athletes who have cheated by taking steroids and performance enhancing drugs, is to come clean with the truth. This is the only way integrity can be restored to Major League Baseball.

Oh, I forgot to mention the most important result of telling the truth – a clear conscience.

Byrd Baggett
Track & Field All American, Team Captain
University of Texas, 1968-1972

Note: For those who might be interested, I didn’t cheat and I didn’t take steroids during my career at the University of Texas. My parents and coaches instilled in me the importance of fair play and sportsmanship. And yes, I sleep well at night, as the softest pillow is a clear conscience. Also, Andy Pettitte and I were both inducted into the Deer Park High School Hall of Honor. My hope is that an asterisk will not be placed next to his name.