Bank On It
Posted April 2, 2006, 7:53 PM ET

The Major League Baseball season is officially underway, and it has the potential to be one that we'll remember for a long time.

It's not due to the great plays and players, but because of the controversy surrounding the game. The steroid nightmare has reached epidemic proportions and Commissioner Bud Selig looks as confused as ever.

Selig's announcement last week to conduct a formal investigation into the steroids matter makes him look like he's on a 7-year delay. What took so long to come to this brilliant decision? And some players are already on record saying that they have no interest in agreeing to participate with the investigation...What now, Bud?

Leading the way for Selig's unrest is Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants. Bonds is the poster child for fans' dismay at the game and the entire steroid problem...it may not be fair, but it is a situation that Bonds, Selig and MLB know all too well.

Making matters worse for baseball is the fact that Bonds is fast approaching the #2 spot on the home run record list which is currently held by the legendary Babe Ruth. If Bonds can stay healthy, he will threaten the all-time mark held by Hank Aaron.

As if things couldn't get worse for the game of baseball, one of the game's leading sponsors made an even bigger error with an announcement that truly makes no sense.

Charlotte-based Bank of America, the "official bank" of Major League Baseball, announced that they would have nothing to do with any advertising campaign surrounding Barry Bonds' home run quest.

The Bank of America's Cathy Bessant (her official title is "Global Treasury Services Executive"...and I'm not making this up) said, "There is no reason to stand up for controversy, baseball has got to get the perception of drugs out of the sport. It matters." Bessant reiterated that cheaters shouldn't prosper.

Really?....wow, that's an interesting position from Bank of America.

The reason I point that out is because Bank of America seems to have no problem advertising, marketing and promoting their relationship with another professional club that finds itself in the middle of a very controversial steroid issue. In fact, the bank is bold enough to spend tens of millions of dollars to see its own name on the face of the Carolina Panthers' stadium.

I think the Bank of America has the right to sponsor whatever they want, but it seems pretty inconsistent that Ms. Bessant and the financial instituiton would take the stance they have towards Bonds, and yet turn the cheek the other way with their relationship with the hometown Panthers.

Barry Bonds allegedly took steroids, and he has not tested positive at this point...Numerous Panther players have been proven to take steroids. That's a big difference, but evidently the "suits" at BofA disagree. But it is good to know that BofA is concerned that sports needs to get rid of the "perception that drugs are involved with sports".

When I see a Bank of America television commercial, they emphasize that banking with them is a "Higher Standard". I would add that based on their recent Bonds decision, they should include a new line in their television campaign...and it goes like this:

Bank of America...a "Higher Double Standard".