Legalize it! Joe Maddon jokes pine tar should be legal in Colorado and Washington

It's not just those glasses that make Joe Maddon the coolest manager in MLB. The Tampa Rays skipper also has himself a great sense of humor, as illustrated by his commentary on the Michael Pineda/pine tar controversy.

This is a touchy subject for a couple reasons: The usage of pine tar and other foreign substances by pitchers is far more common in MLB than suspensions for it suggest. And, the Rays play in the same division as the New York Yankees, so it might be a bit uncouth to comment on another team's business. But Maddon's take? It's pretty great.

A pot reference, eh? Not only is it timely, but there's actually some truth in comparing baseball's battle against pine tar with America's ongoing debate about marijuana legalization.

Both are illegal, but often accepted as long as their use isn't too egregious, so users generally practice discretion and keep a well-placed stash. Some people will argue legalization is the way to go, but that's up for debate these days. Defenders will say stuff like "chill out, man, it's not a big deal," while traditionalists are staunchly opposed.

One big difference: It hasn't been proven that using pine tar makes a pitcher want to eat Doritos.

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Mike Oz

is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz