Posted on 03/17/2005 12:17:34 PM PST by Cagey
WASHINGTON (AP) - Retired slugger Mark McGwire Thursday told a congressional panel investigating drugs in baseball that he would not "participate in naming names" of players who used steroids. McGwire did not say in his opening statement to the House Government Reform Committee whether he used steroids.
Two current players, Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro, said they never used steroids. That duo and McGwire were accused of using performance-enhancing drugs by Jose Canseco in a best-selling book that helped prompt the hearing.
In a tense scene, Canseco sat at the same table as the other players as he told the lawmakers that he could not fully answer their questions because of concerns his testimony could be used against him.
Choking back tears, his voice cracking, McGwire said he knows that steroid use can be dangerous and will do whatever he can to discourage young athletes from using them.
"What I will not do, however, is participate in naming names and implicating my friends and teammates," said McGwire, who ranks sixth in major league history with 583 homers.
Violate the no-steroid clause four or five times and we'll slap your wrist. Then so many Freepers blame the Congressmen for asking MLB to get a bit tougher. Afterall, Libertarians hate any possible assault on their right to do drugs.
No.
And neither were steroids at the time these players are alleged to have taken them.
Are steak & eggs illegal or in any way in violation of MLB rules?
I misread in my previous post, obviously. Yes, they are and were illegal. No, they were not a violation of MLB rules at the time.
Therefore these ballplayers who used steroids were in the exact same category as ballplayers who use "uppers" - a phenomenon that's been well-known since, at least, Jim Bouton's Ball Four.
In other words, they were breaking the law by using controlled substances. (As is any ballplayer who picks up a marijuana joint.)
But, they were NOT "cheating" at the game of baseball.
No kidding. What a waste of taxpayers money.
This Watson gal from California who keeps talking about Ahnold sounds like she wants to sound like Barbara Jordan. Who, if she was still alive, would be laughing at these fools.
What do they have hearings on next? Illegal blow drying of persian cats at cat shows?
What's really funny is when they bring up "cheating". LOL! Cheating is taking the money from social security, putting IOU's in their place then spending the damn money on other things.
This is very amusing. Don't these people have anything important to do? Wait, scratch that, maybe I'm wrong. maybe it's BETTER for them to sit around and waste time. At least these bozos are not writing some new law that defies the US Constitution while they are busy measuring the muscle mass of people I could not give a hoot about.
If he had to name names he would be there all day naming every baseball and football player and most other athletes as well.
Wrong, but don't let me stop you from being an amateur lawyer. Only the full House can do that , not the committee, but then again don't let the facts get in the way of your "opinion".
Because baseball from the MLB offices, down to the team owners and managers have been AWOL on the issue of rampant drug abuse within it's own system. Even when fines are levied on the players, they're given the equivalent to a slap on the wrist, while those of us like you and I (the fans) would be thrown in jail, with no possibility of parole.
Canseco is only interested in selling a damned book.
Is the government making you pee in a cup?
They're not making baseball players pee in a cup, if that's what you're inferring.
Well, the drug tests do.
How about drug testing ALL federal employees, including Congress, and I will bet the results are far greater than the 1% baseball shows. How about a zero tolerance for Congress alone?
If MLB had been more than lax with their OWN policies, we wouldn't be talking about this issue today. I don't like it as much as the next guy, but today just illustrated the incompetancy of MLB from the top down.
It does make them look bad, but judging from their history on the matter, they frankly don't give a sh**.
I'll bet ESPN employees have a higher than 1% use rate, why no hearings on that?
This was a waste of time and money, for the benefit of face time for congressmen. Nothing more and nothing less.
What harsh penalties was Selig pushing for? Quite frankly, Daryl Strawberry is on his 3rd or 4th chance.
Given the way ESPN has defended the criminal element in baseball, you're probably right.
And they'd lose the PR war. These Congressmen are johnny come lately grandstanders.
Amen, amen, amen, and amen......
Wait!!! The next congressional hearing, I understand, is about Heinz ketchup rolling down the slope faster than Hunts ketchup!!!!
The un-funny thing about this circus is that these wizards are getting paid big bucks from taxpayers.
I will repeat your statement - WHAT A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY......
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