McGwire admits steroid use

[Machado]

saw this on espn.com:


Mark McGwire finally came clean Monday, admitting he used steroids when he broke baseball's home run record in 1998.

McGwire said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Monday that he used steroids on and off for nearly a decade."I wish I had never touched steroids," McGwire said in a statement. "It was foolish and it was a mistake. I truly apologize. Looking back, I wish I had never played during the steroid era."

McGwire also used human growth hormone, a person close to McGwire said, speaking on condition of anonymity because McGwire didn't include that detail in his statement.

McGwire's decision to admit using steroids was prompted by his decision to become hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, his final big league team. Tony La Russa, McGwire's manager in Oakland and St. Louis, has been among McGwire's biggest supporters and thinks returning to the field can restore the former slugger's reputation.

"I never knew when, but I always knew this day would come," McGwire said. "It's time for me to talk about the past and to confirm what people have suspected."

He became the second major baseball star in less than a year to admit using illegal steroids, following the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez last February.

Others have been tainted but have denied knowingly using illegal drugs, including Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and David Ortiz.

Bonds has been indicted on charges he made false statements to a federal grand jury and obstructed justice. Clemens is under investigation by a federal grand jury trying to determine whether he lied to a congressional committee.

"I'm sure people will wonder if I could have hit all those home runs had I never taken steroids," McGwire said. "I had good years when I didn't take any, and I had bad years when I didn't take any. I had good years when I took steroids, and I had bad years when I took steroids. But no matter what, I shouldn't have done it and for that I'm truly sorry."

Big Mac's reputation has been in tatters since March 17, 2005, when he refused to answer questions at a Congressional hearing. Instead, he repeatedly said "I'm not here to talk about the past" when asked whether he took illegal steroids when he hit a then-record 70 home runs in 1998 or at any other time.

"After all this time, I want to come clean," he said. "I was not in a position to do that five years ago in my congressional testimony, but now I feel an obligation to discuss this and to answer questions about it. I'll do that, and then I just want to help my team."

The person close to McGwire said McGwire made the decision not to answer questions at that hearing on the advice of his lawyers.

McGwire disappeared from the public eye following his retirement as a player following the 2001 season. When the Cardinals hired the 47-year-old as coach on Oct. 26, they said he would address questions before spring training, and Monday's statement broke his silence.

"I remember trying steroids very briefly in the 1989/1990 offseason and then after I was injured in 1993, I used steroids again," McGwire said in his statement. "I used them on occasion throughout the '90s, including during the 1998 season."

McGwire said he took steroids to get back on the field, sounding much like the Yankees' Andy Pettitte two years ago when he admitted using HGH.

"During the mid-'90s, I went on the DL seven times and missed 228 games over five years," McGwire said in the statement. "I experienced a lot of injuries, including a ribcage strain, a torn left heel muscle, a stress fracture of the left heel, and a torn right heel muscle. It was definitely a miserable bunch of years, and I told myself that steroids could help me recover faster. I thought they would help me heal and prevent injuries, too."

Since the congressional hearing, baseball owners and players toughened their drug program twice, increasing the penalty for a first steroids offense from 10 days to 50 games in November 2005 and strengthening the power of the independent administrator in April 2008, following the publication of the Mitchell Report.

"Baseball is really different now -- it's been cleaned up," McGwire said. "The commissioner and the players' association implemented testing and they cracked down, and I'm glad they did."

[doctordestructo]

Him? No way...

[Machado]

Him? No way...

I know. I'm shocked that Mark actually had something to say
that was not double-talk.

[doctordestructo]

All kidding aside, the only reason he did this now so he won't have to answer roids questions every day while serving as the Cardinals hitting coach.

Wishful thinking though

[thejuggernaut]

It's ridiculous he even has to speak up about it.

[bane]

It's ridiculous he even has to speak up about it.

Why? Because we already know anyway, or because he's done playing? If he'd have spoken up about it in the first place, like Petite did for example, it'd already have been behind him. He never did, so the questions remain.

[thejuggernaut]

It's ridiculous he even has to speak up about it.

Why? Because we already know anyway, or because he's done playing? If he'd have spoken up about it in the first place, like Petite did for example, it'd already have been behind him. He never did, so the questions remain.

It's ridiculous that it ever became an issue.

[bane]

All kidding aside, the only reason he did this now so he won't have to answer roids questions every day while serving as the Cardinals hitting coach.

That one kind of baffled me. How do you hire a guy that struck out as much as he did as your hitting coach? He could hit the fuck out of it when he got ahold of one, but he wasn't exactly Mr. Batting Average. As an Astros fan, I applaud it, but I've gotta say, that one doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Mac is no Tony Gwynn.

[Machado]

All kidding aside, the only reason he did this now so he won't have to answer roids questions every day while serving as the Cardinals hitting coach.

That one kind of baffled me. How do you hire a guy that struck out as much as he did as your hitting coach? He could hit the fuck out of it when he got ahold of one, but he wasn't exactly Mr. Batting Average. As an Astros fan, I applaud it, but I've gotta say, that one doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Mac is no Tony Gwynn.

My opinion is this:
Tony threw Mac a bone to allow him the opportunity to come clean with his steroid use.
Now that he has done this, I believe Mac will keep this job for 1 season at the most.
After the 2010 season, he will move onto living a life in obscurity.

[Heenan Snuka]

this coming 1 year after Larussa fell asleep drunk at the wheel in spring training, and was pulled over and charged with a DUI

[Crazy Levi]

OK - does this mean he's allowed in the Hall of Fame now?

Holy fuck this whole thing is stupid.

[Machado]

OK - does this mean he's allowed in the Hall of Fame now?

Holy fuck this whole thing is stupid.

Mac factored into the equation that led to this story
being what it is today.

[SeminiferousButtNoid]

It's ridiculous he even has to speak up about it.

Why? Because we already know anyway, or because he's done playing? If he'd have spoken up about it in the first place, like Petite did for example, it'd already have been behind him. He never did, so the questions remain.

It's ridiculous that it ever became an issue.

I think cheating is a pretty big issue.

[bane]

It's ridiculous he even has to speak up about it.

Why? Because we already know anyway, or because he's done playing? If he'd have spoken up about it in the first place, like Petite did for example, it'd already have been behind him. He never did, so the questions remain.

It's ridiculous that it ever became an issue.

Huh? Really? He broke one of baseball's most hallowed records while using steroids. How is that not an issue?

[Crazy Levi]

I think cheating is a pretty big issue.

Goddammit. We've been over this a million times.

Here's a primer.

1. It's impossible to prove taking steroids makes you a better ballplayer.

2. It's impossible to prove that player X did NOT use steroids, and it's going to be impossible to prove that many players (who won't admit it) did use Steroids.

3. This shit wasn't even AGAINST THE RULES when many of them were using it.


You can't prove its cheating. You can't prove who didn't do it or who didn't. And since it wasn't even against the rules, how exactly was it "cheating" any way?

And all that aside, since everyone was on it anyway, what's the point in getting all high and mighty about it? If Clemens was juicing, he was pitching against a generation of players who were also juicing. How is that "cheating?"

Enjoy your Hall of Fame stacked with players like Kenny Rogers and Andy Stankewitcz. Maybe someone will open one that actually has all the best players in it.

[Crazy Levi]

Huh? Really? He broke one of baseball's most hallowed records while using steroids. How is that not an issue?

Against pitchers and fielders who were ALSO on steroids. In front of paying customers, broadcasters, team owners, and team managers who more or less condoned it.

It's not an issue.

[poizond13]

I think cheating is a pretty big issue.

[UtahRatt]

*

[Mizzou Misfit]

How do you hire a guy that struck out as much as he did as your hitting coach?

Because LaRussa is a fucking moron. Just how the hell Mac is going to help anyone on that team is beyond me. If he fucks with Albert's swing, I'm gonna jump out of the stands and kick him in the balls.

[thejuggernaut]

Why? Because we already know anyway, or because he's done playing? If he'd have spoken up about it in the first place, like Petite did for example, it'd already have been behind him. He never did, so the questions remain.

It's ridiculous that it ever became an issue.

Huh? Really? He broke one of baseball's most hallowed records while using steroids. How is that not an issue?

For the love of christ, ENOUGH with the hallowed records nonsense.

Baseball has ALWAYS been tainted, and it stopped being a game 20 years ago.

Astroturf and media demands necessitated PDDs

It's a business and the only people crying about tradition or the people who are still stuck in yesteryear and believe it's still "The National Passtime"

If it upsets you THAT much I'd suggest you write your local politicians and demand they do a probe of the NFL.

[bane]

I never said I was upset. I'm not remotely upset. Apparently you guys have beaten this subject into the ground here before, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever commented on the subject. I said it was an issue, and it is. Personally, I don't think Mac or anyone else from his era should be prosecuted, hounded, or kept out of the HOA for it because clearly a LOT of guys were juicing at the time, but I do think it's something that should be policed better. Steroid use can fuck people up. If media attention forces the league and the player's union to try and clean it up, that's a good thing.

[whammybar]

So did he perjure himself at the Congressional hearings?

[bane]

So did he perjure himself at the Congressional hearings?

I don't think so. As I recall he just refused to say anything.

[SeminiferousButtNoid]

Goddammit. We've been over this a million times.

That's what OJ said in all his interviews after he was found innocent.

Here's a primer.

LOL, thanks, Professor of Sport Science.

1. It's impossible to prove taking steroids makes you a better ballplayer.

Interesting. So then there really isn't any reason to take them, right?

2. It's impossible to prove that player X did NOT use steroids, and it's going to be impossible to prove that many players (who won't admit it) did use Steroids.

Yes comrade, I agree. It is all lies and false propaganda spread by the capitalist pigs and their scientists.

3. This shit wasn't even AGAINST THE RULES when many of them were using it.

Wrong. The use of anabolic steroids was banned but the penalties were increased later as a result of the increased media exposure of the BALCO scandal.

You can't prove its cheating. You can't prove who didn't do it or who didn't. And since it wasn't even against the rules, how exactly was it "cheating" any way?

You sound like itwalks daring everybody to prove he is a racist after his posting of his dislike for blacks is "substantiable" was deleted from the boards. Are you going to tell me that gaining 30 pounds of muscle has no effect on how much power you have behind the bat? Or maybe you can explain to me how Sammy Sosa went from averaging 22 homers per year for the 9 seasons prior to 1998 home run race and then all of a sudden he hits 66 in 1998. Maybe he just ate a lot of spinach and played a lot of RBI Baseball.

And all that aside, since everyone was on it anyway, what's the point in getting all high and mighty about it?

No not everyone was or is on it. The estimates average about 25%-35% during the steroid era 1985-2002. And you know nothing about steroid use and it's effects. People that use steroids have massive muscular gains and aren't 170lbs. Do you think Greg Maddux, Walt Weiss and hundreds of other players were juicing weighing in at a buck 75?

If Clemens was juicing, he was pitching against a generation of players who were also juicing. How is that "cheating?"

Because, you fucking moron, not everybody was juicing. Why the hell do you think anabolic steroids have been banned from every sport in the known world? Because it gives them an artificial advantage that other players don't have.

Enjoy your Hall of Fame stacked with players like Kenny Rogers and Andy Stankewitcz. Maybe someone will open one that actually has all the best players in it.

This is exactly the kind of mentality of people in MLB. Look the other way and cover it up because of the way it makes them look. So steroids invalidates player's accomplishment? The answer to that is too fucking bad. If they can take Ben Johnson's Gold Medal away, they sure as hell can put an asterisk next to Barry Bond's name.

The players, coaches, and administrations dishonored the game and the fans by cheating. They have no one to blame but themselves.

[UtahRatt]

So did he perjure himself at the Congressional hearings?

To me that's a bigger issue then juicing. He didn't man up on the podium.

I'm split on the steroid era issue, fact is everyone did it. It was an era that took more then talent and hard work to compete, it was widely abused, accessible and quietly accepted by teams/league so if you wasn't using you was for the most part disadvantaged.

If any of us was on a farm team fighting for a spot and taking steroids was an option that gave us the chance to make millions of dollars I'd be willing to bet 99% of us would.

I blame the league, teams and baseball over all more then I do the players, the players were the pawns in the big picture.

[Machado]

Just wait for the day when Mark will have to speak in front
of reporters and the tv cameras for the very 1st time.

I can see the water-works will appear before he blurts out
his 1st sentence.

[nycyankee]

THIS IS SHOCKING!!!

[Machado]

McGwire is going to be interviewed
by Bob Costas on MLB Network tonight at 7 ET

[bane]

Just wait for the day when Mark will have to speak in front
of reporters and the tv cameras for the very 1st time.

I can see the water-works will appear before he blurts out
his 1st sentence.

I kind of see Mac as a victim of all this shit. He was trying to stay competitive on a team full of juicers in Oakland and it just rolled form there. The chase just sort of happened and the league used him and Sosa to recover from the strike while it was going on. It's not like he went out and asked for all that hype. He was just playing ball. I'm sure he just wants it all to go away now so he can get on with his life.

[hairmetalsux]

...This shit wasn't even AGAINST THE RULES when many of them were using it...

Not that I haven't broken a law or two myself in my time, but steriods were against the law when he used them.

Whether or not it matters that dude used steriods, who cares? It was worth it seeing him cry like a little girl in front of congress saying "(sniff) I'm not here to talk about the past (sniff)." And no, he never lied, but he did show everybody his big fat vagina.

The only reason he came out is he's a hitting coach now so he's got to bring it up in the off season so they're not hounding him before and after games during the season.

Priceless stuff.