The choice came down to Greg Anderson or Jack the Ripper...
“Some parents have a problem with him being a coach, but it’s not like he was caught stealing or did some bad things with children.”
— Tim Gannon, a real estate broker and father, explaining why he has no problems with Barry Bonds’ steroid-pushing trainer, Greg Anderson, serving as an assistant coach for his son’s Capitol Electric team in the Burlingame Youth Baseball Association, according to an article in Sunday’s New York Times.
It’s seldom that one sees in print a more perfect example of my least favorite rationalization for unethical conduct, “It’s not the worst thing.” This popular and despicable rationalization seeks to excuse bad conduct by comparing it to worse conduct, an intellectually dishonest device that can be used to try to minimize the seriousness of literally any behavior, no matter how heinous. (“Sure, Jack the Ripper did some bad things, but he was no Hitler!” ) It is the ethics embodiment of the dishonest rhetorical technique of the false choice.
The question for Mr. Gannon to answer isn’t whether a convicted felon and promoter of performance-enhancing drug use for his athlete employers and clients is better choice to coach aspiring young baseball players than a child molester or a bank robber. The question is whether he should be in a position to interact and influence kids at all, and the obvious answer is no. Anderson has proven that he doesn’t respect sportsmanship, that he has made his living by helping athletes cheat, and that he doesn’t believe that laws are made to be obeyed. Forget about what he actually does with the children: his hiring sends a message that these revolting values are acceptable in a sports environment and where children are learning how to be responsible citizens and ethical human beings.
Today a New York sports columnist insinuated that Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Batista might be a steroid-user because his late-career arrival as the premier home run hitter in Major League Baseball is inherently suspicious. Greg Anderson helped bring baseball to this sorry state. He was instrumental in helping his best friend, Barry Bonds, shatter the game’s home run records by chemical means, destroying forever the integrity of the record book and the ability of future sluggers to be appreciated on the basis of their deeds without inviting scrutiny into their methods. In addition, Anderson stands for defiance of lawful authority, as he spent months in jail rather than comply with a subpoena to testify against Bonds.
What a perfect choice to guide young ballplayers: a felon, an ex-con, a scofflaw, a cheat, a drug-pusher, and a historic figure in baseball’s devastating steroid scandal.
But hey, it’s not like he killed somebody!
Ethics Alarms 
Actually, the use of steroids and performance-enhancing substances does kill, just very slowly. I can’t remember the name of the pro football player who died several years ago from this; I think he played for the Raiders. Anyway, the point is that Greg Anderson may have killed someone; they just haven’t died yet.
Lyle Alzado. There’s no smoking gun, but he believed in the link.
You’ll get no argument from me.
This moronic parent should have been visited by my mythical “Eugenics Man” before he was allowed to reproduce. One has to prove onself worthy of owning a PET, for Pete’s sake, for all the good it’s done.
It’s the end of the world, if “killing someone” becomes the floor for ethical behavior. Either that or I’m right in my belief that we are becoming stupider by the generation, and that “getting out the vote” from these morons is the worst thing we can do for our c9untry.