Besides hosting Sports Byline USA, I'm also a businessman. Therefore, I have an appreciation for making a buck. I believe individuals and businesses should be able to make as much as they can, as long as it's legal. And, businesses should make as much as they can as long as it's within the confines of the character and best interests of the business they're in. More times then not, that leads to long term business success. Now, it appears Major League Baseball may be about to take a dangerous step deeper into financial whoredom.

Major League Baseball is considering allowing teams to sell advertising on the sleeves of their uniforms. While not precedent setting, it's a bad idea. Soccer teams around the world have ads on their shirts hawking everything from beer to cameras. NASCAR drivers look like walking billboards for sponsors, while tennis players and golfers are often shown playing while wearing sponsor and corporate logos. This is soccer, NASCAR, golf and tennis. It's not baseball.

Baseball is unique and special. Despite recent stupid moves by the owners and players, the game still remains sacred in some ways and still a part of the culture of America. While it's questionable whether it's still "America's pastime," it definitely still remains a part of our consciousness. We remember when we played the game for fun and how as a kid our dads or families took us to the ballpark to watch the "big leaguers play. I was reminded of this when I was at Spring Training in Arizona this year. Walking to the ballpark to watch the A's and Giants play, I was behind a father and his son headed to the game as well. The little boy was barely five years old. He had a baseball glove almost as big as he was. As they walked along, I heard the father tell his son about the players he would see and how if a ball came their way to stick his glove out to catch it. Baseball is past down from generation to generation. The only thing that allows that to happen and continue is baseball's historic importance in our lives and it's perceived purity.

That perception will not only change, but also will kill the last vestige of pure, good feeling fans have about baseball. The only commercial a baseball uniform should have on it should be the commercial across the front that says New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Kansas City, Detroit, Atlanta, etc. Can you imagine the Yankee pinstripes denigrated by a commercial for McDonalds, Coca-Cola or some other big time, big name glitzy corporation? I get angry when I think about it. And you should too.

There's absolutely no justification for putting ads on player's uniforms. A baseball official says, "This is about trying to find creative ways to bring valuable partners into baseball." Fine, find ways to bring those valuable partners into baseball in some way that doesn't hurt the game and turn the fan off further then they already are. Baseball has already "schlocked up" your baseball viewing experience by electronically putting ads on the backstop and fencing behind home plate. It's not only intrusive, to me it's offensive. Who wants to see a commercial for "Joe's Cars" when you're trying to watch Mark McGwire jack another home run out of the park. What really burns me is the commercial for "Joe's Cars" isn't really there on the backstop and fence at the ballpark. It's only on your television screen, having electronically been added to the picture. They aren't presenting the game for you fans to enjoy baseball. They're presenting the game with the hope you'll spend money with the sponsor you see on the screen during the game.

The real stupidity of putting ads on uniforms to make baseball more money is that it only means it's more money the owners and players will argue over, with the fans taking it in the shorts from continuing to escalate ticket prices. Until baseball gets some order that stabilizes the game for the fans and small markets, then they have to learn to live with the billions they're already earning.

If baseball sells one uniform ad, I refuse to support the game again. To do so will tell me baseball has no understanding or appreciation for the character of the game. A decision to sell uniform ads will be based on greed. And, baseball has already shown for too long the combination of greed and stupidity is a bad decision.

I feel better now.

I'm Ron Barr

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