Steroids: Triple Play or Speaking with Forked Tongues ?

Triple Play: Having it both ways on steroid scandal
12:05 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Maybe you can have it both ways. That may well be the lesson kids take away from watching the sad saga of Rafael Palmeiro's failed steroid test unfold.

The player
It's troubling to see someone you look up to humble himself and admit to personal failure. Mr. Palmeiro said, "I made a mistake, and I'm facing it. I hope that people learn from my mistake and that the fans can forgive me." But in the same breath as this "apology," Mr. Palmeiro repeated the denial he delivered in sworn testimony to Congress, saying he never, ever, ever intentionally took steroids, period, end of story, amen. And yet, he admits, he has "no specific answer" as to how steroids ended up in his body.
So, to clarify, he didn't do anything wrong, but he is sorry for what he did.
Got that, kids?

The president
In his State of the Union address last year, President Bush urged professional sports "to send the right signal, to get tough and to get rid of steroids now." He used the presidency to persuade Major League Baseball to increase testing and penalties for players. Now his reaction suggests that evidence doesn't matter as much as his friend's words: "He's testified in public, and I believe him." Maybe baseball will revise its policy and just ask players whether they have steroids running through their veins.
To clarify, more testing is needed to hold people accountable, but a friend's word trumps all.
Got that, kids?

The promoters
The New York Times reports that Major League Baseball officials knew about the failed drug test before shining a bright spotlight on Mr. Palmeiro's 3,000th hit last month.
So, to clarify, the message for aspiring young athletes seems simple:
"Don't take steroids. But if you do, we'll still cheer you when you reach new heights."
Class dismissed.

source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/080305dnediraffy.12199ba8.html