Well, the afternoon started well for Mark McGwire when he FINALLY admitted to doing what we all knew he was doing; steroids. Then given the opportunity to really show the world how repentant he was, he decided to back-pedal throughout the hour-long interview with Bob Costas tonight. Why Mark? You had us all and then you threw us behind your massive ego. And the big capper to hammer home that this was all about his ego and nothing else...when Bob reminded him that LaRussa pinch-hit for him in what would have been his last official time at bat in an MLB game, he waved it off saying his last official AB was an HR in a regular season game following 9/11 rationalizing it by saying most players don't play in the playoffs so those stats don't count somehow. What?!?
Hand-eye coordination, God-given talent and a little PED cocktail equals Hall-of-Fame numbers but just don't quite get you into the Hall of Fame. McGwire decided to completely discount the affects of steroids and ignore the fact his numbers dramatically went up once he started taking the steroids. He said he wished MLB had been doing steroid testing at that time and then he and Bob "wouldn't be sitting here talking today". Well, he had that right because his career would have ended much sooner without the cheating and his numbers wouldn't be worth talking about. Why call Roger Maris' widow today to apologize if you really didn't feel like you cheated? Why all the tears and choking up? It's remorse Mark for cheating...let it go man...you cheated so just admit it and be done.
Maybe he really believes his delusional "memories" otherwise known as lies, but nobody else really does. Or is he the only guy to ever take PERFORMANCE enhancing drugs and not really have them enhance his performance? If everything was on the up-and-up Mark and these drugs didn't help you cheat, then why do you feel like you have such a massive burden with this secret? Just the fact that the steroids helped you heal faster is a level of cheating by itself Mark. How did you even get the steroids? Did you have a prescription for them? He said he was "introduced" to them at his fitness club. Was that by a doctor? And then he pulled a Bonds and said he didn't remember what he did although he did "prefer the orals" over the "injectables" and he only did "low dosages" because he didn't want to look like "Arnold Schwarzenegger or Lou Ferrigno" and topped out his weight at 250 and finished each year around 235. I'm sorry, but you were at least 260 in 1998 and DID look like Arnold. Don't forget he was 6'5" and HUGE that year!
Then his lies continued to entangle him. He talked about injuries and that being the reason to start taking the steroids. Yet then he goes on to say that AFTER he started taking steroids, his injuries increased and he wasn't sure why he stayed on them. Yes, Mark you've always had bat speed as we all know you hit 49 HRs as a rookie, but there's still a tremendous leap from 49 to 70 - 40% man!
Just some miscellaneous comments/questions...
He never talked to any players about steroids ever?
Just because it makes your body feel good doesn't make it OK.
Tony LaRussa (dont' forget Tony managed the Bash Brothers in Oakland with Mark and Canseco as well as Mark in St. Louis) didn't know he and Canseco were taking steroids?
I did appreciate how he explained the behind-the-scenes negotiations regarding the congressional hearing back in 2005...apparently he negotiated with the congressmen that he wouldn't talk about the past. And he almost had me...not that I would vote for him in his HOF bid or he was really trying to get me anyway, but then he messed it all up by saying the steroids didn't help him at all and his numbers would have ended the same anyway. He sounded just all too much like Roger Clemens.
Pete Carroll also blew it and this should be separate post, but I don't have too much to say on this. So we're supposed to believe (again!) that a college coach living the dream in THE BEST setup in all of NCAA football (c'mon how hard is it to recruit a kid from Chicago to go play football in front of the USC cheerleaders in southern CA?) to go coach in Seattle for the NFL Seahawks totally out of the blue when his name wasn't on anyone's radar? And it had nothing to do with the pending allegations involving prized USC RBs Reggie Bush and more recently Joe McKnight?
The Score radio station in Chicago does a bit on Thu afternoons called "Who you crappin?" These two guys will lead the way this week; no question!
That would’ve been my favorite follow up question – so are you saying performance enhancing drugs did not really enhance your performance?! Well done Marc, too bad Bob didn’t ask it. Maybe when Mark McGwire meets the media next time somebody will ask him.
ReplyDeleteIf what Mark said about the congressional behind-the-scenes is true, I’m disappointed with Congress. I suspect if immunity would have been granted, the hearings would have been a whole lot more productive. I can’t believe they didn’t offer immunity? Those senators negotiated quite the deal? In return for saying nothing or opting not to discuss the past we’ll get nothing achieved today. That blows the integrity of the hearings – not that it had any before.
I liked what Tom Verducci said afterward regarding Mark’s concern for going to jail too. Canseco wrote a detailed book about steroids and nobody has tried to incarcerate him. I can’t believe they didn’t offer immunity.
If Sammy Sosa ever has to admit he took steroids, I hope he doesn’t follow the McGwire example of admission. Sam was never really broke down, so the health excuse wouldn’t even be applicable. But please just say, “Chicks dig the long ball, it was addictive fun and I thought steroids would help my performance.”
One possible redeeming result of the McGwire’s admission might be that other baseball players now come forth and confess their steroid usage. Doubt it...but maybe.