Wayne Drehs

  (1:01 PM)

What's going on everybody? I'm here and ready to take your questions, thoughts and hate mail in response to our Cheatwave package.

Luke (Charlotte)

Wayne, do you think fans will ever get so upset with cheating in sports that we stop going? I doubt it. There will always be somewhere who is willing to go to a game. If one person stops, there are probably about 5 standing inline behind him to gobble up his good seats.

Wayne Drehs

  (1:03 PM)

Hey Luke ... you raise a great point. If there's anything I've learned in the past 48 hours, it's that people still have an undying passion for sports. They may question what they see a little more, but, for the most part, that doesn't stop them from going through the turnstiles.

Joshua A (Aventura, FL)

What about all the cheating that goes on in college football? It seems to fly below the radar. Ohio State with Troy Smith, and USC with Reggie Bush?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:04 PM)

That's a great point, Joshua. And what about a college coach promising a recruit that he isn't going to go anywhere, but than bailing as soon as the big job at State U comes up. Those aren't exactly high-flying morals, either.

Marvin Larvin

Wayne the Stain, is Barry's record drained? Why does it cause so much pain? Why are people protesting acting so insane? Does anyone have a brain?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:05 PM)

I don't know why. I just had to post this question. Marvin is like the Dr. Seuss of SportsNation.

Ryan (ATL)

I have no doubts that Bonds took steroids but in an era where I believe at least 75% percent of players were taking something, it's sad that's he and a select group of others get the wraith of the media and the fans. Bud Selig created this mess because he had no testing policy and he is taking the easy way out by putting the heat on the players...

Wayne Drehs

  (1:07 PM)

Obviously, Ryan, he wasn't the only one. There were pitchers and catchers, infielders and outfielders, rookies and veterans, Hall of Famers and guys who were up for a cup of coffee. In many ways, it is sad that Barry has faced the brunt of this. But at the same time, he did eclipse arguably the most cherished record in baseball, so how could he not be the focus?

Jake (Philly)

Are we as fans condoning cheating by going to the games? I don't know. But what am I supposed to do? I love the game of baseball and I sure as heck am not going to let the likes of these cheaters take that game away from me.

Wayne Drehs

  (1:09 PM)

I'm with you, Jake. It's difficult. I'm a big Cub fan, watch them all the time. And one reader asked me a pretty probing question yesterday: How would I feel if the Cubs finally won the World Series, but they did so by cheating? I'd like to think I'd be ashamed. But would I?

Josh A (Aventura, FL)

Wayne, absolutely love to death your piece. My question is: Which SPORT stands to lose most fan support/interest from cheating?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:11 PM)

Flattery will likely also get your question selected. Thanks Josh. I think it's pretty obvious that it's baseball. In part because we don't know what the Mitchell Investigation will bring and in part because fan interest is at an all-time high. There really is no place else to go but down.

matt (the chi)

In your oppinion should Shoeless joe be in the hall of fame?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:12 PM)

After two days of going on and on about cheating and how we need a zero tolerance policy, matt, for some reason, when it comes to Shoeless Joe, I still vote yes. You look at his numbers in that series, you look at what he accomplished in his career and it's hard for me to say no.

Willie (Portland, OR)

Wayne, is cheating more prevalent now, or does it just seem that way with the advent of the internet and 24 hour news coverage?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:14 PM)

This is a great question, Willie. And an argument that a lot of readers brought up today. And I'm not sure I know the answer. Cheating has certainly been around forever and there's no question that the 24-hour news cycle and the growth of the internet and blogs and sports talk radio can make this seem a lot worse than it perhaps truly is. But when you look at all the "isolated" things that have happened in sports in the last year, from jet fuel in NASCAR to Donaghy to the Tour de France to cobra venom in horse racing, you have to at least ask the question. And that's what we tried to do.

Joe (Huntsville,AL)

Anybody that played that well with no shoes, you gotta let them in.

Wayne Drehs

  (1:15 PM)

I laughed on that one, Joe ... good stuff.

Wayne Gretzky

Wayne you are cheating in this chat.

Wayne Drehs

  (1:16 PM)

It's true. Rather than just rambling away, I periodically jump to Microsoft Word to spellcheck what I type. You got me.

Willie (Portland, OR)

Wayne, in your opinion what do you think the worst act of cheating, in any sport, of all time is?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:18 PM)

Anything that involves game fixing. (Which again, completely rips apart my Shoeless Joe argument). As I see it, that tears at the heart of integrity in sports, something that the NBA or the NFL or any other league or organization simply can't afford to have happen. If we don't believe what we're watching is real, it might as well be pro wrestling.

Dale (Andover, MA)

Wayne - always love reading your stuff. Tiger has always said "bring on the tests", but we have already seen in the other gentlemens sport (tennis) that top tier players such as Guillermo Coria have tested positive for steroids. Do you think golf has something to worry about here?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:20 PM)

I don't know. You'd like to think that Gary Player has a little bit of credibility when he goes off like he did at the British last month. And as I wrote in yesterday's piece, an Italian golfer was recently suspended for suspected use of a steroid masking drug. If golf simply strengthened its testing program, I think a lot of these questions would go away.

Tom Washington, PA>

My question is why do we care who's cheating? Don't we want bigger, stronger, and faster?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:22 PM)

Yes, Tom, we do. What would the Olympics be without a new world record? How exciting would baeball seem if the top home run hitter was jacking out about 35 dingers a year? In many ways, every single one of us pushes for bigger, stronger and faster. And because of that, we all share in the blame. Tom raises a great point: Maybe we should just let everyone cheat and forget the idea that ethics and athletics should go together.

Ted (Boston,MA)

How often did you cheat on homework or tests in school?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:24 PM)

I'll be honest -- not at all. The only thing I did cheat on, I'll be totally honest here, is that I doctored my report card once in college so that my parents didn't think my grades were as mediocre as they actually were. Hopefully my Mom isn't watching this chat.

Paul (AZ)

So with the scandal out about nba refs, do you think there are more ref that are fixing games. The past would lead to believe that there are more than one ref fixing games.

Wayne Drehs

  (1:25 PM)

I don't know, Paul. You would think. I spoke with Brandon Lang a few weeks back. He was the guy the movie, "Two For the Money" was based on and he told me that there was no question in his mind that there are more referees involved. The question is whether or not they can -- or will -- get caught.

Jeff (Iowa)

There is no way Mitchell can come up with something that doesn't make Selig and the owners complicit in this whole thing. And we all know if Bonds had the personality of John Kruk, it would not be this big of a deal.

Wayne Drehs

  (1:27 PM)

You're right about Mitchell, Jeff. As for your other point, here's something to think about: I read a great column the other day comparing the sketchy performance-enhancing pasts of Lance Armstrong and Barry Bonds. Forget race for a second and just ask yourself this: If Barry Bonds had been a friendly, entertaining, outgoing guy who had raised 63 million for cancer by selling bracelets ... and if Lance was a surly anti-media jerk, would things be different?

matt (the chi)

i disagree with tom w's point he raised. Then we will have 12 yearold basebal players haveing heartattacks and the average life expectancy for an athlete would be 35

Wayne Drehs

  (1:29 PM)

Indeed, Matt. That's the argument behind Dale Murphy's, 'I Won't Cheat" Foundation. He wants to try and correct this problem before we see too many teenagers start dropping dead.

Brian (DC)

I cheated all the time in HS and a little in College...now i am a doctor for Orphans, how bout that?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:29 PM)

Brian, I'm going to pretend I didn't post that.

Wayne Drehs

  (1:31 PM)

I have a question for you guys: If I told you that I had a pill that would make you a professional athlete, that you would make at least $2 million a year for 4 years, but I couldn't promise you would live anymore than 10 years after your career was over, who would take the pill? Honestly?

al (DC)

I would, i believe this argument was first posed in the Illiad, Achilles is the life i would lead, but i understand the other types of life...but people should have a choice

Alex N. (Miami, FL)

Where can I get these magic pills you speak of?

matt (the chi)

amsolutely not. You cannot put a price on life wayne

Mike (LA)

Before a family, maybe! Now with a family no I would not!!!

Toby (Columbus Indiana)

I would probably take the pill. A great life over a long probably medicore life.

Wayne Drehs

  (1:33 PM)

That was fun. Couple more quick questions ...

Vic F. Addison, IL

Since this is the age of ?pay me? and the MLB, NBA, and NFL know that people won?t stop watching, the only way to stop the cheating is to hit them in the wallet. If fans continue to watch, but boycott sponsors do you think it would affect procedure within the big three?

Wayne Drehs

  (1:35 PM)

Gotta give it up for anyone from Addison, my original hometown. Vic, I'd say it doesn't matter. Although we saw the power of public pressure when it came to PETA and Michael Vick, people are so divided on this topic that there is no way there would be enough organization to boycott sponsors. The way to stop it, in my opinion, is to increse the penalties.

ben (dc)

u couldnt promise any of us we would live more then 10 more yrs if we didnt take the pill either...

Wayne Drehs

  (1:35 PM)

Ben gets the gold star ...

Toby (Columbus Indiana)

give us more questions wayne;)

Wayne Drehs

  (1:37 PM)

One more question. We'll go out on this note. Pretend you're a Chicago Cubs fan (stop laughing). You haven't won a World Series in nearly 100 years. How would you feel if the Cubs finally won the World Series, but then a week later it was discovered that Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano tested positive for steroids and Derrek Lee used a corked bat? In essence, your title is tainted. How would you feel?

Crocodyle

WORLD CHAMPIONS!!! YES!!! GO CUBBIES!!!

Toby (Columbus Indiana)

I think that would be worse than not winning at all. Getting your hopes up and having it come crash down is hell.

Marc (Malden, MA)

If you told me that there was proof that members of the 2004 Red Sox used PEDs, I wouldn't be shocked and I wouldn't care.

Vinnie (NYC)

It wouldnt count in my eyes... plain and simple

Eric (Ann Arbor)

It would be embarrassing, and my greatest frustration would be with the players on the team who broke the rules and who betrayed--more than anyone else--me and my fellow fans.

Mike (NJ)

I wouldnt feel anything after a month straight of celebratory booze

Wayne Drehs

  (1:41 PM)

And on Mike's champagne-filled note, I'm going to bow out. Thanks so much for all the questions. Everyone enjoy their weekend.