Sports-Related Conspiracy Theories

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Some of the recent posts about various things being rigged has gotten me thinking. I love a good conspiracy theory, and I'd like to know how much you all do, too. I think this thread should be a place to hash those out. I'll start:

Joe Paterno decided to kill himself rather than face the public for his proximity to Sandusky and the kiddie porn dungeon that became the Penn St facilities.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Sosa was the among the best? Really?

Not at the stature of those others, but he was still very good before those years.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Maybe the product improved and doctors got better at administering it.

Absolutely think that could be the case as well.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Plenty of players have admitted steroid use was common in baseball long before 1994.


Steroid use plus all of those other factors at once (juiced baseballs, ballpark size, expansion, etc.) would certainly explain that better than just steroid use (which had been an epidemic in the sport long before that time).

I've been caught up in an epic shitstorm gagfest of a Cardinals game, but I've told you multiple times in this thread that the causes were overdetermined.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Not at the stature of those others, but he was still very good before those years.

He was a fringe Major Leaguer for the first four years of his career. He was already on his third team by that point.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

He was a fringe Major Leaguer for the first four years of his career. He was already on his third team by that point.

That's not exactly unusual in baseball. Not everybody is good immediately like Trout/Harper, it takes some time (and it did for Sosa to even become the player he was before the 60+ HR years).

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I've been caught up in an epic shitstorm gagfest of a Cardinals game, but I've told you multiple times in this thread that the causes were overdetermined.

Fortunately Arizona is just that bad.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

The dilution of pitching and the smaller parks helped, too. A lot of factors overall, but I do think that PEDs were the largest single contributor.

Imagine if you were Ryan Howard and you were born in 1960 instead of 1980. You'd play your entire career in a cavernous shithole like the Vet instead of Citizens Bank Bandbox.

That's definitely accurate. Perhaps my conspiracy theory should be more along the lines that the spike in home runs during the so-called steroid era had a lot more to do with other factors than it did steroids.

Yes, home runs spiked during that era. I would bet the balls were juiced which makes some appreciable difference. Yes, ballparks become more hitter friendly and yes, pitching got worse due to league expansion. Let's throw in a few more. The strike zone decreased in 1996. New ballparks not only shortened the fences, but also in many cases restricted foul territory giving more players a shot. Mass increases in legal supplements and weight training (granted, weight training is boosted by steroid use). Maple bats. Improving video training (exhibit A - Jose Bautista. Exhibit B - Curtis Granderson). Can we also point out that Bonds started wearing that ridiculous elbow pad and got away taking an entire part of the plate?

Factors that could explain the offensive dropoff after steroids. Is it outrageous to think the MLB might deaden the baseball knowing the steroid scrutiny? Hitters are walking less and K'ing more. Defenses are becoming extremely innovative at defensive shifts. Defense in general has improved a shit ton and you have guys like Billy Beane building teams primarily on defense. Pitching has improved considerably and I've read that strikes thrown has increased dramatically. One more interesting HUGE difference. Even though the strike zone hasn't changed, analyses show that the strike zone has increased considerably the past few years. (edit: one more. Pitching velocity has increased dramatically. Not for the better. Tommy John surgeries have also increased dramatically). CONSPIRACY THEORY? Did the MLB increase the strike zone and deaden balls to reduce hitting?

Here's the interesting question... let's assume no ballparks changed, the level of pitching stayed the same, and balls weren't juiced. How much would Bonds, McGwire, and Sosa have improved production without PEDs? Bonds and McGwire were massive power hitters way before they ballooned in size. Now, would Bonds have been able to maintain production at his late age without PEDs? I bet not. I don't know if any of those guys could hit 60+ home runs. But I bet they could easily top 50 without any PEDs.

[Buehler445]

Even then 50 to 60 is a 20% increase. That's enormous.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Even then 50 to 60 is a 20% increase. That's enormous.

Well then let's raise the stakes. Reduced strike zone, juiced ball, really bad pitching, ballparks with shorter fences/less foul territory, maple bats, improved strength training and legal supplements, major improvements in video technology. Those things probably all coming to a head right at about the steroid era.

Who's to say those guys wouldn't have seen appreciable home run spikes even without PED use? (Ignoring that maybe steroids prolonged some careers)

[Jerm]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Jordan was hungover. Maybe it was alcohol poisoning, but he did it to himself.

Yeah that's the prevailing thought, which is crazy in itself, but the intentional food poisoning angle is too juicy lol....

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Surely there's a Pink-Kel conspiracy theory. I mean for god's sake, the mans record is like Schottenheimer minus actually getting a shot at the golden ring.

I haven't been paying much attention to MU since the realignment, but I would imagine that boy has got to be severely outmatched in the SEC.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by 505 Chief

Surely there's a Pink-Kel conspiracy theory. I mean for god's sake, the mans record is like Schottenheimer minus actually getting a shot at the golden ring.

I haven't been paying much attention to MU since the realignment, but I would imagine that boy has got to be severely outmatched in the SEC.

Pinkel's divorce was caused by his affair with then-Columbia meteorologist Michelle Bogowith, whom he impregnated. After this was found out, she was shuffled out of Columbia to land at KC Channel 4.

Good enough?

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

Well then let's raise the stakes. Reduced strike zone, juiced ball, really bad pitching, ballparks with shorter fences/less foul territory, maple bats, improved strength training and legal supplements, major improvements in video technology. Those things probably all coming to a head right at about the steroid era.

Who's to say those guys wouldn't have seen appreciable home run spikes even without PED use? (Ignoring that maybe steroids prolonged some careers)

I don't have a dog in this fight. I'm merely pointing out that a 20% increase is HUGE.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Pinkel's divorce was caused by his affair with then-Columbia meteorologist Michelle Bogowith, whom he impregnated. After this was found out, she was shuffled out of Columbia to land at KC Channel 4.

Good enough?

It'll do.