After 20 years of scandal over steroid use in baseball, two more star players are tarnished. Yankees third basemen, Alex Rodriguez, admitted to using steroids early in his career saying "I was young. I was stupid. I was naive." He confirmed the recent report that he was one of 104 players to test positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 but asserts that he no longer uses any performance enhancing substances. Later, Miguel Tejada of the Houston Astros was charged with lying to Congress in 2005 when he said he did not know of any other player using steroids in professional baseball. Reporters from Sports Illustrated and the Washington Post discuss how the "steroids era" of baseball began and how and when it might end. Quotes "I wanted to prove to everyone that, you know, I was worth, you know, being one of the greatest players of all time. And I did take a banned substance. And, you know, for that, I'm very sorry and deeply regretful." - Alex Rodriguez, Yankees third basemen "The evidence we uncovered indicates that this has not been an isolated problem involving just a few players or a few clubs. Many players were involved. Each of the 30 clubs has had players who have been involved with such substances at some time in their careers." - George Mitchell, Major League Baseball Report chairman "You know, baseball is still policing itself, which, you know, is something that like on the Olympic level doesn't fly, but there are harsh penalties now. You know, people are named, so certainly they've come a long way." - David Epstein, Sports Illustrated Warm Up Questions 1. What are steroids? What do they do? Why are steroids banned in sports? 2. Name some players that have been accused of steroid use. 3. When is it illegal to tell a lie? Discussion Questions 1. How does the fact that star players lied about their steroid use make you feel? Are there times when it is OK to lie? What is do public lies do to public trust? 2. Do you believe that Alex Rodriguez has stopped using steroids? Does the fact that he ever used them change your opinion of him? 3. What do you think is the proper punishment for steroid use in baseball? 4. Why do you think players use steroids? Do you feel some of the same pressures? Additional Resources Read the transcript