McGwire comes clean

[fiasco!]

Too little, too late?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4816607&campaign=rss&source=twitter&ex_cid=Twitter_espn_4816607

NEW YORK -- 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."

Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press

Cardinal Nation weeps.

[Jigga]

Eat it, Justin! Make excuses for your boy now!

We are all Cardinals...even those of us that cheated.

[DelayedPenalty]

SHOCKER!

[TFoA]

Big Mac was on the juice...in other news, the sun is hot.

But seriously, this is WAY overdue. He should've admitted to it on Capitol Hill, maybe he wouldn't have gotten such an "eyeroll" reaction then since that's what he's probably going to get now.

[Gary]

A little too late for sure. The fact that in 1998 McGwire and Sosa brought baseball back to a standpoint with their historic bout to 61 was great, but the fact we know they cheated makes it feel like a tainted glory 12 years later.

[RedCedar11]

Wow. NO ONE saw THIS coming! XD

[CDixonDesign]

He admitted to it. Big Deal. To me, it's just considered changing the sheets in the bed he has made for himself...

[koizim]

A little too late for sure. The fact that in 1998 McGwire and Sosa brought baseball back to a standpoint with their historic bout to 61 was great, but the fact we know they cheated makes it feel like a tainted glory 12 years later.

Regardless, I think it restored people's interest after the strike in 1994.

I'm glad McGwire admitted to his steroid use. I mean, yeah, it was pretty damned obvious to everyone with eyes (except for, apparently, Bud Selig and Tony LaRussa) that the guy was juicing, but better late than never, I suppose. Hopefully, the other big name players of the steroid era will come out and do the same.

[jc...]

"In other news....water is wet, and fire is hot."

[STL FANATIC]

Hey I was wrong. It happens. There wasn't factual proof, and the circumstantial evidence could be explained by other facts, so I still don't think I was crazy. Naive and optimistic, certainly, but not without logic. But that matters not now.

I'm disappointed. Still happy to have him back as our hitting coach though.

Additionally, I don't think McGwire cares whatsoever about "the bed he made". Not in a "he's a jerk and doesn't care manner", but McGwire's made it pretty clear he doesn't care how the media or the public feel about him. He was perfectly content to live his private life. I think now that he's getting back into the game he knew he had to address it, but I doubt as if he cares about the outsiders opinions anymore than he did before.

[Saintsfan]

Do you know what, I am gonna give Mac credit on this one. He didn't have to admit to this and yet he did. That doesn't take away from the fact that his achievements have been tarnished, but at least he stood up and admitted it.

[Starchild]

Do you know what, I am gonna give Mac credit on this one. He didn't have to admit to this and yet he did. That doesn't take away from the fact that his achievements have been tarnished, but at least he stood up and admitted it.

I feel the same way. I don't think it's too little too late at all. Later than we all would've liked, but the point is, he finally admitted what we already knew. The only way baseball can truly recover and move on from the Steroid Era is to have all the top players admit their steroid use. Otherwise, it's more of the same. Periods of silence before the next name is leaked (a la A-Rod) and the whole fiasco begins again. If guys like Bonds and Clemens would just get it over with, baseball would be better off and everyone can just move on. Pettitte and A-Rod admit their use, there's a bit of a storm around it, but now it's barely an issue. Sure, winning a World Series factors into that, but really, all the hoopla was about whether they did or didn't... once they admitted it, everyone was able to move on (minus the initial few weeks). McGwire may not get into the Hall, but he's got to be given credit for standing up and doing the right thing. He can now move on totally and hopefully have a productive second career as a hitting coach for St. Louis. Bonds/Clemens have gone the same denial route and it's been PR hell for them... I think their denial is arguably more detrimental to their respective legacies than the actual steroid use. IMO, people don't hold as much of a grudge against the steroid users as much as they do the users who deny it. So again, kudos to McGwire - finally did the right thing.

[Wasatch]

Too little, too late for what? For the public to accept him? Eh, that?ll happen in time! Hopefully this will start improving his image with the public, and hopefully he?ll get into the Hall someday! He?s a likeable guy in my eyes!

And for the record, Congress better stay the hell out of this and concentrate on rebuilding our country! STAY OUT OF BASEBALL, AND STAY OUT OF SPORTS!!!

[BBTV]

As long as there are special laws that apply specifically to pro sports, Congress has the right to be at least a little bit involved. Take away anti trust, and whatever else there is, and then they should stay out, all though it could be argued that pro sports have so much of an influence over American culture that there simply needs to be some kind of government regulation in the best interests of society. Not saying I agree or disagree with that, just that it's a possible reason for congressional involvement.

[Davey]

Barry Bonds... your up next !

[NoHoJoe]

Big Mac should have kept his BIG mouth shut!!!!!

Thank You, Bud Selig!

Thank You, Henry Waxman!!

Thank You, Jose Canseco!!!

Thank You, Selena Roberts!!!!

And Yes....CONGRESS SHOULD NOT MEDDLE IN THIS SITUATION ABOUT STEROIDS AND SPORTS!!!

[Eye]

Big Mac should have kept his mouth shut!!!!!

Thank You, Bud Selig!

Thank You, Henry Waxman!

Thank You Jose Canseco!!!

Tahnk You Selena Roberts!

So should you.

[BaltimoreFan]

I give McGwire credit. Yes he should have done it much sooner, but at the same time he could have continued to deny it also (like Bonds will most likely do).

[koizim]

Hey I was wrong. It happens. There wasn't factual proof, and the circumstantial evidence could be explained by other facts, so I still don't think I was crazy. Naive and optimistic an incredibly biased homer, who's blinded by my own love of my team, certainly, but not without logic. But that matters not now.

Fixed that for ya.

[Cujo]

McGwire comes off as extremely desperate to make the Hall. He saw his numbers and probably fugures this is the only chance he has of making it in.

And again, Jose Canseco is spot on. The guy is still batting 1.000! Palmeiro, A-Rod, McGwire... Every name he's named has been found to be a cheat.