Well, there is a difference between MLB and the NFL. MLB records used to be meaningful and to a lot of people they were one of the cool things about the game. NFL records have never been meaningful, so steroids have no real impact on the history of the game or the integrity of records that have been kept for over a century.

If you don't like reading posts about it, I suggest that you stop reading threads about it instead of bitching about the threads.

Personally, I think it has much more of an effect in baseball. Baseball is largely a one-on-one matchup of hitter vs. pitcher, and if your hitter is juicing and can hit the ball farther, turning an out into a homer, that's a big difference. Football, you have 11 on 11, and the effect isn't as pronounced IMO.

At least those teams get results with their bloated payrolls.......

Albert won't beat A-rod in "age to hit 500". Though he just turned 30, he has 366 on his career and would need to have record breaking, back-to-back, seasons to reach 500 faster. A-Rod broke the 500 plain at 32 years 8 days old and it didn't hurt that his birthday is during the baseball season. Since Albert was born in January, he'd have to his 134 home runs over the next two seasons.

Albert Pujols dob 1/16/80 home runs = 366
Alex Rodriguez dob 7/27/75 home runs = 583

Side by side comparison of total home runs in a season over the last 5 years
Year / AP / AR
2009 / 47 / 30
2008 / 37 / 35
2007 / 32 / 54
2006 / 49 / 35
2005 / 41 / 48
Total / 206 / 202

Certainly they are neck & neck with a slight edge to AP, but he has never had a 50 HR season, while A-rod has had 3. A-rod didn't come on the scene as quickly as AP either hitting only 5 HR's in his first 2 seasons, while AP had 71.

I love AP and would rather have him. I think he's better and a better all around hitter, but A-rod will hang on to his record for several years.

Here's the thing with Albert - I don't believe for a minute that he used steroids and I don't believe he ever would.

As a consequence, Cardinals fans need to realize that 'clean' players will actually age, as opposed to the steroids freaks of yesteryear. We probably only have 2-3 more years w/ this Albert. From there, he'll start to decline.

Now, as I've said before, the truly elite decline more slowly and do so gradually. As such, we'll see a guy that puts up 3 more seasons with an OPS of 1.000 or better, then a couple seasons in the .900s, then 3-4 more in the high .800s.

But Albert's only going to be Albert for so long. Enjoy it while you can.

It would be nice to root for a team that has a player who can be mentioned in the same breath as A-Rod.

But I live in Kansas City. :(

That is way more impolite than what I said. I am a huge fan of both, and to me there is no difference. As far as I know, back in the lower paying days guys baseball guys DID wash down some D-Bol when they were finishing of their fifths. Steroids are far from new. Money got huge and that changes everything. Try to physically match up NBA idiots from the modern era versus "old-school" guys...shit. And I HATE the NBA but respect the athletes.

Like I stated previously, Albert isn't just about hitting home runs. He hits for average also. Bonds certaintly didn't. Pujols is a complete player. Both Bonds and ARod are not. hell, Griffey jr. is a more complete player than both of them.

Really? :spock:

Any accomplishment A-Rod ever achieved in baseball is now tarnished because of steroids. I wouldn't touch him with a 10 foot pole.

Say what? Bonds didn't hit for average? Most guys would have been swinging at IBB pitches as many times as he got walked and shit. Pujols is just as good as anybody, and I don't care if he has done steroids.

And yes, Pujols is a better average hitter than Bonds overall.

I wouldn't count on that just yet. Yeah, the Cardinals can't compete salary wise with the Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs but they are not bottom feeders either. They can afford a top ten payroll.

I agree. They would be straight stupid to deal him in any fashion. I wouldn't count on Pujols breaking that home run record though, and that isn't even a bad thing. He already fights like crazy through injuries.

Spun off this discussion to a new thread and poll

Eat shit and die, Mr. Rodriguez.