Athletes that could end your fandom if they cheated?

[gingi79]

We sadly live in an age where seemingly every sport is full of cheaters, thugs and criminals. However, there are still some guys who play the game right and yet still excel. In your opinion, which player from each of the major sports would most devastate their league and fanbase if they were found guilty of steroids/ cheating/ etc?

My list:

MLB Mike Trout
NFL: JJ Watt
NBA: Steph Curry
NHL: Steve Stamkos
NASCAR: Dale Jr.

Opinions?

[danesei@yahoo.com]

We sadly live in an age where seemingly every sport is full of cheaters, thugs and criminals. However, there are still some guys who play the game right and yet still excel. In your opinion, which player from each of the major sports would most devastate their league and fanbase if they were found guilty of steroids/ cheating/ etc?

My list:

MLB Mike Trout
NFL: JJ Watt
NBA: Steph Curry
NHL: Steve Stamkos
NASCAR: Dale Jr.

Opinions?

If you consider using steroids to be cheating, I'd say at least two of the players on that list already have cheated in the past.

[ndevlin]

If you consider using steroids to be cheating, I'd say at least two of the players on that list already have cheated in the past.

Which 2 out of that list do you think took steroids?

[Bondsgloves]

If you consider using steroids to be cheating, I'd say at least two of the players on that list already have cheated in the past.

I agree

[godwulf]

After witnessing the support, even adulation, heaped on people like Ryan Braun, A-Rod and Bonds, AFTER their actions caught up with them, I'm really pretty cynical about fan bases being "devastated". As for the league, isn't A-Rod the only one of the three I just mentioned who has received any punishment at all? Tells you something.

[danesei@yahoo.com]

Which 2 out of that list do you think took steroids?

Am I allowed to state that without it being considered a defamatory comment until such time as they admit use sometime in their 50s, when they possibly have cancer?

[danesei@yahoo.com]

Which 2 out of that list do you think took steroids?

Oh, and FWIW, I actually think three players on the OP's list took some form of steroid. In some cases, it might turn out like Andro for MLB, where players would all say "Oh, I'm only taking Andro. I'm no cheater." Until it was revealed that Andro was a steroid, then they claimed they were clean... a la Mike Piazza.

[jeriley23]

Tom Brady... Oops. No really russell Wilson

[coxfan]

There are different degrees of cheating. Those who have used PED's and then been caught lying about it are likely to experience much more censure ( eg forgetting about the Hall of Fame) than those who cheated but didn't lie publicly.

A few athletes have said "If you're not cheating, you're not trying." That point was echoed by a famous female athlete whom I won't name. But an intelligent person realizes that if you cheat to win, you haven't actually won. You've created the illusion of winning, but that's not the same thing as actually winning; there's no real sense of accomplishment.

[sox83cubs84]

There are different degrees of cheating. Those who have used PED's and then been caught lying about it are likely to experience much more censure ( eg forgetting about the Hall of Fame) than those who cheated but didn't lie publicly.

Agreed. Both Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte, users who admitted their use without needing to be prodded by a court case or Congress, seem to be faring better in the court of public opinion than A-Roid, Raffy Roids, Big Mac, etc.

Dave Miedema