[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Tyruscobb

Okay, I'll take the bait. There are significant differences between yesteryear's greenies, and today's performance enhancers. For brevity's sake, I'll highlight the two main ones.

First, greenies were legal. They were methamphetamines, which were readily available in stores and over-the-counter at the time. Methamphetamines were in diet pills, pills truck drivers took for energy, focus, and to stay awake, etc.

Mantle taking a greenie probably had the same effect as if he had drank a few cups of coffee before a game. Would you argue that gaining focus and energy through drinking 4 cups of coffee constitutes an unfair performance enhancer?

Conversely, non-medically prescribed steroids were and are illegal. Thus, one (greenies - methamphetamine pills) were legal at the time the players used them, whereas the other (steroids) were not.

Secondly, the performance enhancement level is not even questionable. Mantle basically took energy pills that were essentially the equivalent of drinking a few cups of coffee, whereas Bonds took steroids that caused him to hit the ball harder and further. Heck, they even increased his shoe and head size. Comparing greenies and steroids is like comparing apples and oranges.

Focus/energy v. brute strength.

Just to the bold part. That is so ridiculously unbelievable it is like saying heroin is the same as taking a couple aspirin for pain. If you don't believe me try your silly 4 cups of coffee and then do a nice half gram line of meth and tell me how similar they are.