Important...Please read if you're a journalist...

A limit on government powers that has the potential to hurt citizens if media use it irresponsibly.

 

Let's say Novitzky and the feds were, in fact, targeting Bonds. Someone tell me what exactly is wrong with that? This is a man chasing the all-time home run record, he already holds the single-season one, and like it or not he's the public face of a major team sport. That's the way it works: Public officials and celebrities are major investigative targets all the time.

The Gatlin, Marion Jones, Landis and recent Charlotte Panthers news (which is getting waaaay too little attention) shows once again that American sports have a major problem with illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I know some folks on here really don't see anything wrong with steroids. Fine, I urge you write columns urging they be legalized.

But for now, they're illegal, and 99 percent of doctors will tell you they should remain that way. And the fact that major American sports stars had used steroids was a story that needed big help from publishing those grand jury transcripts, absent public admissions (good luck), pictures of players injecting themselves (better luck) or positive tests being made public (which in baseball didn't exist until last year).

The Chronicle reporters have made the argument that their stories pushed baseball - as well as Congress - towards more stringest testing and examination of the problem. And they're right. Therefore, in their mind and the minds of many, that served the public good.

 

Lugs, we are SO far from the public siding with us on this one, it would spin your lovely head.

 

Bravo on this front. Having not pored over seven pages of posts, I will say that I am fully in whatever camp says that these guys should be applauded rather than lauded and prosecuted for their work.

I've never met a single individual who could cast aside the general rule that says it's okay to print something as long as the good it does outweighs the harm it causes. The harm here is what exactly? The bruising of some egos? The aching toes of political folks who've had their toes stepped on?

I'm open to debate, but this is, perhaps, the biggest sports scandal in history. Maybe some high-level dealer or, perhaps, even a mobster escaped prosecution because of the leaks. Does that really matter? Isn't there always someone else ready to take their spot anyway?

This is a First Amendment issue, and there's no other way to see this. The public had a right to know, and the Chronicle had a moral right to give the public all of the information it could obtain. Now, if they broke into an office, there may be a crime involved. But simply coercing someone to feed you information of this nature shouldn't be a crime. Let us not be misguided. This is about the government's ability to stop the media from reporting facts.

My edit: After going back to read some of the posts, the federal shield law is definitely the answer, and I think all reporters should band together to ensure that it happens. The precedent in this case should be cast aside in favor of a federal shield law. The sad truth is that this case won't rise to the U.S. Supreme Court, which can interpret shit however it wants, because the reporters don't have the financial backing they need. The best way to help them would be to send them cash. Lord knows they didn't make any with the release of their book. Some added gloom is that the Supreme Court probably would just call Georgie boy and ask him to cast a vote for them and then sign their names to the majority opinion.

Additionally, since the bloggers have so much free time, I say that we send them all to Washington D.C. in a Volkswagon bus to lobby Congress. Apparently, Whitlock will be driving. Now I remember where I've seen him before. He was my sixth-grade bus driver.

By the way, Rick, have you spoken with Tommy Chaikin in recent years? That story was the reason I'm in this business. I'd love to hear his take on all of this.

 

bullshit. this is a free press issue.

bush- and cheney-like businessmen have been making billions in this country off the commission of federal crimes, yet that is OK?

a coupla guys tell a story, make a few bucks, and they should go to jail?

 

Buck Weaver begs to differ, good sir. 8)

 

As do Sport Sullivan, Billy Maharg, and Sleepy Bill Burns . . .

 

As do several former members of the IOC and various local Olympic organizing committees, as well as some Italian soccer players.
And, luggie, once you're in the hoosegow for contempt, it is completely up to the judge and prosecutors whether or not you end up with a felony conviction on your record. It's a matter of time, not law.