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I'm sure these points have been made already in this tread. But seeing as I'm too lazy to read 15 pages.........
People don't understand just how serious Pete Rose's gambling is. Baseball, football, hockey, tennis, sumo wrestling, whatever are all selling the same biz: Fair competition at its highest level. They are selling the public that everyone involved in the game is trying their hardest to end up the winner and care is being taken to make sure everyone follows the rules equally & fairly. Once a breach happens in that regard, there is no business. As it is, their is a significant portion of the fan base (myself included) who already believes that not everything is on the up & up in major team sports. Now imagine if it is proven without a doubt that multiple players were not trying to win? In order to make some extra change on a side bet? What would happen to that sport? Once fans doubt that the participants are giving their all love of the sports will diminish, Congress will get involved, the tax breaks & antitrust injunctions they enjoy now will disappear. The major leagues cannot allow even a momentary spark in that regard to catch fire.
Imagine if the Mitchell report wasn't on steroids, but on gambling. Think of it. Hundreds of players on every team except the BoSox (I still lol at that) has players on it betting on the outcome of the game. What kind of scandal do you think would erupt? For a commissioner, to compare betting to PED's, even murder, is like saying the local general store is comparable to Wal-Mart. It is something you just can't tolerate. W/PED's you at least know the player is trying to put his best out their on the field. In some cases, just trying to get onto the field. W/betting you will always question every decision made. "Did he miss that payoff pitch low on purpose? Did the catcher call for that pitch knowing that was the hitter's favorite to swing at? Did the batter really get confused on that hit & run signal?"
There is a reason why PED's, domestic violence, marijuana etc continues to invade sport's locker rooms. Cause getting in trouble for those things isn't necessarily a death sentence for their career. Gambling? Comparably, hardly a peep is heard about it in the major leagues. That's because once caught, players, coaches, mgrs. execs etc know that that's the end. Death sentence. There is no coming back. That's how seriously the majors view it & have to view it.
And that's why MLB & the HOF can't adjust their position just to let Pete in. You can't give out any hope that you can bet on the sport you play and be forgiven. For sports, it is truly an unforgivable sin.
And please don't excuse Pete Rose's betting by saying he only bet on his team to win. Did he bet on them everyday? What was he telling the mob when he didn't bet on the Reds that night? Was that a way for him to get some of his bets forgiven? And what about his former teammates who have gone to bat for him? The ones who wanted him forgiven cause he had fully admitted to what he did? The ones who thought he should be in the HOF cause he didn't gamble as a player? The ones who despite Rose's constant lies & deceptions still believed in him?
Rose is a low life scum concerned with only one thing: Pete Rose. Pete Rose would never step up to the plate for anybody. But he has fans, teammates, and media defending him & acting as his advocates. Save it for the souls who actually deserve someone in their corner but have nobody. Not a lying, narcissistic, self-promoting, snake of a man addicted to attention but allergic to responsibility & culpability.
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