In an announcement right up there with "Man Walks on Moon" in terms of shock-value, Mark McGwire yesterday told us what we already knew. He used steroids, human growth hormones, equine supplements (!) and God-knows-what else during the last ten years of his major league career. Mister Magoo squinting at McGwire's 1987 rookie card and his 2002 Topps offering could have told you something was up.
Let me by the first to say that I had a hell of a time watching McGwire and Sammy Sosa smash dingers in 1998. As a hopeless baseball geek, it was hard not to get excited about history being made right before my very eyes. Add to the fact that McGwire and Sosa seemed like genuinely nice people who were having fun playing a little boy's game, and it was impossible for me not to get sucked in.
Each paid the proper homage to Roger Maris, his family, and his legacy. They smiled at each other and at fans. In short, they did all the right things. But as we know today, they did them in the wrong way.
By the letter of the baseball law, I know that the substances taken by McGwire were not explicitly banned by Major League Baseball. Neither does MLB ban rape, murder, jaywalking, or mail fraud. Let's put it this way---if you have to go behind closed doors to do something, it's probably something you shouldn't be doing. And you most certainly can't feign ignorance once the shit hits the fan.
This is also proving to be a lesson in contrition. McGwire will likely be (for the most part) forgiven by the public. He still won't get into the Hall of Fame, but his name will not be mud for the rest of his life. Also included in the group of Forgiven are A-Rod, Andy Pettite, and Jason Giambi. What do they have in common? They 'fessed up! They offered a mea culpa!
What do Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Manny Ramirez have in common? They still act as though we're rock-stupid. Therefore, they remain persona non grata in MLB circles. Plus, they're all pricks---so there!!
