Tim Ellsworth

Former major leaguer Doug Glanville has an interesting op-ed piece in today’s New York Times about steroids, aging and fear.

The newest round of Congressional hearings danced around Miguel Tejada, the remorse of baseball leadership and a lot of could haves, should haves, and might haves. Moving forward, we must openly address not only the drug issues plaguing the sports we love, but the culture of fear that shakes our society.

We’re scared of failure, aging, vulnerability, leaving too soon, being passed up — and in the quest to conquer these fears, we are inspired by those who do whatever it takes to rise above and beat these odds. We call it “drive” or “ambition,” but when doing “whatever it takes” leads us down the wrong road, it can erode our humanity. The game ends up playing us.

I’ve been a Glanville admirer ever since I read this article by Jayson Stark about the video game exploits of Glanville and Curt Schilling.

“Not enough attention is paid to the off-the-field motivators that create nasty on-field grudges,” Glanville revealed. “I believe video atrocities top the list. Curt Schilling assassinated my lovable Dwarf Paladin in EverQuest, happily smiling as his character stood in the safety of the town guards. That can create serious internal friction.”

Another great quote from Glanville:

“Schill has to live with what he has done,” Glanville said. “He can tell whatever story he wants, but the facts are the facts. Bingbong was set up, led to an untimely death in the prime of his life for no other reason than pure malice. Things like that do not go unavenged. Sometimes it spills out onto the field of play.”