"We have to make some radical move to get the attention of everyone. Cheaters can't win and steroids has put us in the position that it's OK to cheat"
About this Quote
Lou Brock’s statement highlights a deep frustration with the state of fairness in sports, particularly in the context of baseball’s struggles with steroid use. He calls for dramatic action, emphasizing the urgency of doing something significant and disruptive to wake people up to the seriousness of the problem. The idea isn’t just about punishing individuals but about sending a loud and clear message to the wider world of players, fans, and officials: cheating cannot become normalized or go unchallenged.
He asserts that cheaters should never be allowed to win, pointing to an essential value in sports: the victory must go to those who play by the rules. When cheaters win, it undermines the entire foundation of competition, casting doubt on every achievement and diminishing the credibility of the sport itself. Brock goes further, expressing concern that the prevalence of steroids didn’t just affect individual players, it altered the culture, making it seem as though cheating was not only possible but actually acceptable within the sport.
This normalization is profoundly troubling. If young athletes see professional players bend or break the rules and face no serious consequences, they may conclude that winning is more important than integrity. The consequences stretch far beyond records or championships, eroding trust, community values, and the meaning of athletic excellence. Brock’s call to action is shaped by these concerns: the integrity of the game, the example set for future generations, and the health of the sport itself all demand a response strong enough to change the narrative.
Ultimately, Brock’s message isn’t merely about drugs or individual bad actors. It’s a passionate plea to restore fairness and ensure that hard work, talent, and honest effort, not shortcuts, define who wins and who loses. If nothing changes, the very spirit of competition risks becoming corrupted beyond repair.
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