One reputation is in tatters, another could be

ESPN ^ | Mar. 17, 2005 | Jayson Stark

[phoenix0468]

Once, he was compared to Babe Ruth.

Thursday, he was compared to Enron.

That's not what you call a great day on Capitol Hill. But that's the kind of day it was for a fallen living legend named Mark McGwire.

People are never going to look at him the same now. Not after a day of dodging questions the way he once dodged fastballs steaming toward his eyebrows.

Legally, of course, McGwire didn't have to answer those questions. Remember that. The men who wrote the Constitution handed him that right. So in a way, all he did was exercise his fundamental right to avoid ensconcing himself in a whole mess of trouble.

But a lot of good that will do Not So Big Mac with millions of people who once loved him, cheered him, froze their existences those four times a night when he walked toward home plate.

[phoenix0468]

So, congress wants to focus on Baseball as the scandal of steroid using pro athletes. I think Baseball and the number of players implicated are the tip of the iceburg when it comes to the use of steroids. The juice is probably more prevalently used in Football, Track and Field, and Weightlifting. Two of those sports are Olympic Sports. The congressmen were chastising the Baseball Commisioner and the Players Union leader to be more like the Olympic Committee. From what I have read, the Olympic Committee is just as corrupt in their leniency towards performance enhancing drugs than Baseball ever possibly could be. I do not condone these players use of steroids or other perfomance enhancers, but if Congress is going to clean up athletes use of steroids, I think they would be much more successful in catching abusers under other rocks. All professional athletes have a responsibility to their teams and to their fans to be in the best physical condition they possibly can. And the great majority of professional athletes use some kind of nutural or synthetic supplements. As Mr. McGwire stated, the focus should be postitive now, in getting these athletes to be role models in a way that will entice youths to enhance their physiques through hard work and non-synthetic or illegal supplementation. I am sure there are many athletes pro and amateur who are so naturally gifted with physical attributes that they have no need for supplements. With good nutrition and a proper regimen of training, they can obtain a similar level of ability as those who use steroids. I say similar, because I realize that steroids give an athlete that little edge in recovery and strength. But there are some, and I think at the elite pro level more than a few, athletes who could prevail over those users.

[rocksblues]

Of course espn will not ever make these type of comments on the Barry "the hitting machine" Bonds. What a joke!!!!!!!!!!!

[skaterboy]

He pretty much admitted it yesterday but we all knew

Barry Bonds having another knee surgery so he seems to be falling apart

It all comes out in the end

Selig and Fehr are true dirtbags

[phoenix0468]

That's because Barry never "knew" he was using steroids. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. It is a joke, and a bad one at that.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I wasn't too impressed with the statements that I saw McGuire make in front of Congress (I saw it on C-Span while channel surfing). He had no opinion on anything ("I don't know, I'm a retired player."). His brilliant claim is that he brain-dumped everything after he left the game.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

True enough. If McGuire had never used steroids, he would have just said so. The way he "answered" the questions tells me all I need.

[phoenix0468]

"Selig and Fehr are true dirtbags"

Yes they are, they are peas in a pod. But what surprises me is how the UAOC can turn a blind eye with so many obvious users in their midst. There are reports of the USOC outright throwing some samples away so they don't have to deal with the issue at times.

[KidGlock]

Steroids.

Big deal.

First they took away ephedra, then andro. And by doing so they put hundreds of thousands of athletes on the illegal side of the fence.

Now we are supposed to get excited when they judge people for steroids?

By their standards, I am a criminal now.

[Thebaddog]

You can take the whole decade and throw out all the records. All of them.

[misterrob]

The problem I have with all of it is that Congress, which lacks any true authority here, has decided to haul a bunch of guys into a hearing and then ask them to incriminate themselves as well as other people. If McGuire mentions a name, he's doing it without proof and without giving the other party the right to refute the statement. Secondly, it's not the panel's business as to what he did in the past and they are asking him to place himself in some difficulty by asking him to testify against himself which is his constitutitional right not to.

Maybe he did use roids....maybe he didn't. He was certainly big enough to hit home runs without them and roids don't make you a better hitter. And maybe baseball decided to change the baseball in order to boost home run totals, and maybe stadiums are built with short fences to produce home runss and maybe they lowered the mound to take boost offense and maybe they have expanded the league to the point where the pitching is just too watered down.....

[ex-snook]

One of the matters that needs development is the claim that steroids are bad for your health. But all I see are healthy specimens who seem to have had no detrimental effect. What Congress has to do is to present some kind of witness that has been damaged by steroids. Right now they are 0 for 4. And that's sad.

[537cant be wrong]

i think the name lyle alzado might shake your theory.
just might be tough to ask him though since they killed him.

[Maceman]

Reminds me of the All-Drug Olympics

[Redgirl]

I can't believe Sosa used a freaking interpreter! I bet Mark was wishing he had one too. LOL Me no speaka English.

[Michael.SF.]

"One Reputation is in Tatters, Another could be"

Oh, baseball, I thought it was about the Clinton's.

[phoenix0468]

Unfortunately I don't keep a list, but I have heard and read stories of the ill effects of steroids most of my life. They cause man boobs, they cause heart problems, they cause premature arthritis. These are just some of them. Others include stroke, liver disease, and of course the psychological issues during use. 'Roid rage is a well known effect of steroids. But, you are correct in your observation of these men. These men have been taking very "clean" steroids. What that means is, there are levels of "the juice" that are obtainable. Some are derived from animals, and they are the ones that are commonly used. Others are derived from humans, and they are much more costly and harder to synthesize. Which brings up another issue. The synthesized "juice" is not as good as the natural stuff like GHB and HGH. So, although these athletes may not be at as high a level of risk as poorer athletes, they are setting the standard of use. Therefore, regardless of the safety of the drug, they are setting the example.

[CFC__VRWC]

What Congress has to do is to present some kind of witness that has been damaged by steroids. Right now they are 0 for 4. And that's sad.

Wait a few years and then take another look at some of these players who've been using. You'll see plenty of evidence then.

[phoenix0468]

I remember seeing that and almost dying of asphyxiation from laughing so hard.

[freedom4me]

Does anyone have "before" and "after" pictures of McGwire and Sosa? If so, please post them. The pics don't lie.

[jeremiah]

I didn't watch the hearings, and wouldn't have if I had the chance. Now I would have been protesting the use of Congressional time on this piffle if there was half a chance to do so.

If I were ANYONE compelled to come before Congress and tell my tale, I would cite the 5th amendment on every question except for my name. Who in the H do these people think they are, digging so deeply into such an important issue?? You would think they had nothing to do.