Quote:
Originally Posted by glchen
I think it's multiple things.
First, as has been mentioned, numbers mean a lot more in baseball. Most everyone knows the season and career home run records. The home run chase by McGwire and Sosa was a huge deal where hoards of fans were watching and following each at bat. The only thing somewhat comparable in football are the touchdown and passing records (and rushing yards), but very few people were following Manning as he was breaking record. People congratulated him, but it wasn't front page news like the home run chase. So when fans find out that these hallowed records are being broken by "cheaters," it leads a much more raw feeling in people's mouths. "I was so excited when I was following the chase, and now I found out these guys were juiced...."
Second, and related to the previous one, I think the baseball Hall of Fame is the most respected out of all sports, especially because of its long history. Therefore, when fans think that players got in unfairly, they are more upset.
Another thing I think is due to the longevity and player contracts in baseball. You have huge guaranteed contracts in baseball. Baseball players can play until they are nearly forty, and make huge money for many of those years. If they gain those contracts by juicing, it simply seems unfair. They don't get paid for their suspension, but they still get paid plenty when the penalty is over. I think I read somewhere that said ARod is still guaranteed 63 million after his one year suspension is over. Other players like Mickey Cabrera and Johnny Peralta (sp?) were still given large free agent contracts immediately following a PED suspension. For football, the career is much shorter, and other than the signing bonus, the contract is usually not guaranteed. Football also seems like a much more "dangerous" sport, so most fans give them a pass as they feel they earned it due to the nature of their sport.
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Good answer, thanks. I don't watch much football, usually only when I'm forced to, no real interest in the sport. Watching it the other day was just sad. I think I saw about 15 guys leave the game injured between the two games and the announcers are so used to it, they just move on like nothing happened. I'm not sure what parent in their right mind would let their kid play football after watching how many guys leave with concussions. If I had a kid, I'd tell them, you want to play football, do it when you're 18 and old enough to know the consequences of multiple concussions. I would never start them down that path. Just a sad sport to watch.