We’re Here For You
You know how when people are going through a traumatic event in their lives they often turn to a support group that includes individuals who have gone through the same thing themselves in the past and can help them navigate through the pain and stress they’re feeling in a safe and healthy way?
I think that we cycling fans need to set up something that so that we can reach out to all the poor, grief-stricken baseball fans these days. It breaks my heart to watch baseball fans walk around with eyes like saucers, shaking their heads in disbelief at the news of their hero, Roger Clemens and the mounting evidence that points to his use and abuse of steroids and/or human growth hormones during his career.
I feel a bit like someone who has survived and escaped an abusive relationship listening to someone who has just begun to be mistreated at home. I hear them going through the same stages of denial: “There’s no way he would do it,” “He really sounds sincere when he says he didn’t do it,” “I know a guy who knows a guy who went to school with a guy who dated a girl who’s brother worked for his agent and he says that he’s totally clean.” It’s sad.
We cycling fans have been going through this for so long that we’ve forgotten how much it hurt that first time that one of our favorite riders was accused of - or admitted to - doping. Do you remember that first time? Maybe it was the first time you heard someone accuse Lance of doping. Maybe it was Floyd or Jan or Ivan. Maybe it was the entire T-Mobile squad. You didn’t believe it of course. You argued with friends and family and co-workers, defending your hero with great gusto. Then more and more names started being linked to doping, more and more guys started admitting to it outright. Then you changed your tune to something like, “well, maybe the rest of them are doing it, but not my guy.” The evidence continued to pile up and at some point you stop arguing with people when the subject of doping in cycling comes up and you just try to change the subject.
And here we are watching these poor baseball fans just beginning that journey. If any of you baseball folk are reading this, we’re here for you. We know how you feel. You feel hurt and confused. It’s natural. I’m afraid I can’t tell you that it will get better. In fact, it will almost certainly get worse. But you’re not alone. And, in a few years, when that first co-worker says to you, “why do you watch baseball? Aren’t they all on drugs?” we’ll still be here for you.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Related Articles
- No related posts
April 12th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
It still bothers me about the cyclists.
But Baseball? LOOK at some of those guys.
Why are the fans surprised?
Whatever your sport, just play clean, will you?