Reefer Madness

Apparently, Mr. Met is being replaced by Mr. T. if you believe the reports from Newsday. They have a picture of relief pitcher Grant Roberts toking from a hooka in 1999. It's actually one in a series: Roberts smoking from a homemade bong constructed from an empty honey container in the shape of a bear and tin foil, Roberts eating at McDonalds at 2 AM, etc. You get the picture.

Baseball is so conservative. It's as if the 1960s never happened for baseball. So a 22-year-old was smoking pot recreationally a few years ago? Is this earth-shattering news? I would have to think that it would be extremely difficult to have a pot problem and be a major-league ballplayer, even a Met. The attendant lethargy would kind of be a problem being an athlete and all. Would this be a big story if they players were alcoholics given that alcohol would probably more damaging to a player's career?

Look, there is a drug problem in this country, especially with America's youth. Athletes are young, traveling, not necessarily the bookish type, and have little to do a good portion of the time. Some probably do drugs socially and drugs a whole lot worse than pot. In June supposedly pitcher Mark Corey was hospitalized after a marijuana-induced seizure. I have never heard of marijuana causing a seizure.

Bobby Valentine who seems that he is on drugs of a more serious nature had this to say, "When I was playing, smoking marijuana was not the thing that you did when you were playing baseball." C'mon, he sounds high right there. Bobby, you should have taken pot when you played. At least you would have had an excuse.

If the Mets had just responded to this story with "Who cares? It's a non-issue," everyone would have been better off.