Ever since Ryan Braun tested positive for PEDs, I have been telling everyone who would listen that Braun would win an appeal. Just because Commissioner Bud Selig is no longer officially owner of the Milwaukee Brewers, you can’t possibly argue that the Brew Crew is not still his team. The team he supports, the team he wants to win. And whatever influence he can exert when it comes to a key decision involving Milwaukee or one of its best players, you can bet he will. I don’t know if anyone will take a look at “independent” arbiter, Shyam Das’ bank account to see if Selig slipped him a few million. But would it surprise me? Hell no.

Let’s look at some facts. Braun has steadfastly maintained his innocence since he tested positive, but we all know that’s a bunch of crap. Rafael Palmeiro did too. So did Mark McGwire before eventually coming clean (interesting word choice there, huh?) But the facts are, the limit for testosterone to epitestosterone to stay within the doping rules is 4-1. Braun’s was nearly 8 times that. This unequivocally shows that he wasn’t just doping, he was effectively drinking PEDs from a fire hose. If we were to draw an analogy to alcohol, and Braun was tested at 8 times the legal limit for driving, going to jail would be the least of concerns. Because he would be dead.

More facts. During his ultimately successful appeal, Braun argued that his test was improperly stored on the way to the lab. NOT, that the test was flawed, that the procedure was. Essentially, he admitted to being not just a doper, but a RAGING doper, but with the help of Selig on his side was able to circumvent the rules.

I suppose I shouldn’t be angry since I knew all along how this would play out. But I am upset that nobody in the sports media is raising more of a flag on this. Shouldn’t someone who brazenly wags their middle finger at the rules get called out on it?