The NFL just suspended six players for using diuretics (a masking agent for steroids), some of them major stars (Deuce McAllister, Kevin and Pat Williams), yet there's no word from Congress, no 'we've been betrayed' cry from fans, and no investigation into the causes, former users and solutions. Why does MLB get lambasted while the NFL gets a pass?

My theory lies in the nature of each. Baseball is 'The National Pastime', a game of legends and myths and heroes. It's a slow, pastoral game played everyday during the summer, and kids go to games with their dads. We hold the records sacred.

Football is a high-octane, collision sport that celebrates violence. Football wasn't a major sport before 1958. The Superbowl is only 42 years old. It's played once a week, in cold weather, with grown men watching (you rarely see kids at games). You might know who the all-time leading rusher is (Emmitt Smith), but how many yards did he gain?

Yet, we all know Babe Ruth hit 714 homers and Aaron 755, and Ted Williams hit .406 and Joe DiMaggio hit in 56 straight games and Roger Maris hit 61 home runs.

We hold baseball (rightly or wrongly) on a pedestal because it's part of the fabric of our history and, quite frankly, we like football violence enough to justify (at least somewhat) the use of PEDs.