Steroids.

1. Well, it looks like McCain has succeeded in breaking the union. I am pissed, because I thought the current regime (in place for all of one year) was good enough, with Shame being a primary factor, that it should have been continued for several years.

At least players start with a clean slate. Everyone is at "Strike 0" right now. Even Matt Lawton. But that probably means that players who claim that new positive tests are results of previous detected (and punished) usage will be punished again. (If I really wanted to, I could find the name of the Mariners' pitcher who was punished in the Minor and Majors for one usage.

2. I do think 50 games is too much for a first offense. Maybe 15/75 would have been more reasonable (when you get your first positive, you'll really need to think about what you do from then on out, but if you've never tested positive, why be so paranoid about everything?)

3. But at least the issue appears to now be done with and columnists will have to find some other crap to get into fits about. (Pitch correcting for pop singers, when everybody assumes that they're making those sounds with their God-given talents would be a good start.)

4. Dear Democrats, please nominate someone I can vote for (not Kerry) in 2008. If McCain is the GOP nominee, I can not and will not vote for him. My vote is here for the taking. Come get it.