McGwire comes clean

[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.

Fixed that for ya.

No you didn't. You screwed up my post. I went ahead and fixed your mistake, though.

Lord knows I put myself out there as being a homer, but when I'm consistent on issue the way I have been with steroids, that doesn't come into play. If there's not legitimate factual evidence that someone used steroids, then I'm not going to pretend I know they did.

I don't like Sammy Sosa, but I hold the same view on him that I held on McGwire--until someone takes the time to prove otherwise, or until he admits it, I'm not going to sit here and condemn him. Pete Rose? Yep, I wanted to believe him (although I probably should have read the case against him in that case). Mike Vick? Yep, until he was found guilty.

That's how I am. Insult me for being naive or whatever you want. But don't continue to insinuate I'm lying about my character/personality just because I'm also a homer.

The fact that some of you have no problem judging with just some of the evidence is fine, but I've never been able to, with anything. And frankly, it's a little damn offensive people continue to dismiss it as something else.

[Wasatch]

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.

He had to come out and do this anyway, he?s the new Batting Coach for the Cardinals and he can no longer avoid the media.

[STL FANATIC]

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.

What makes you think he's desperate to make the Hall? The fact that every time he's been asked about it he said he doesn't give a darn? The fact that he's had the same numbers for 4 years and only now decided to say anything? The fact that he obviously had say something before he started his tenure as hitting coach in STL and waited until AFTER the voting for the HOF was over? The fact that most of the writers who demanded he come clean before they voted for him are now saying he doesn't have a chance to get in because he's now a proven user?

Yeah, this probably has everything to do with him wanted to get into the HOF here.

See, this is where being a homer and therefore a staunch McGwire supporter DOES come into play. But I really don't think this is a move to get into the HOF. While I'm sure he'd be honored, I really think McGwire is long past caring about that.

I think this has everything to do with McGwire trying to put this behind him so he can begin his tenure as Cardinals hitting coach without a circus.

[STL FANATIC]

I haven't even read this whole thing yet, but I'm assuming there's some good stuff in here. This is from Bernie Miklasz, the lead columnist as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

http://www.stltoday.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=691135&sid=124892ff241ca9ccf1d1059dd9fcad00

I just spent 20, 22 minutes on the phone with the guy and he's pretty messed up. As confessionals go, he isn't exactly hanging back. He's literally crying and sobbing as he's answering questions. And he isn't holding back.

He confirmed to me that he also used HGH.

Over the last 18 hours or so, McGwire has called the following people to tell them straight up about what he did and to apologize for his actions.

His son, Matthew.

His parents.

Pat Maris.

Don Hooton.

Tony La Russa.

Bud Selig.

He said that all were very gracious in their reaction, and that they gave him forgiveness, and that he would always be grateful for that.

OK, why didn't he spill his guts before Congress? McGwire said he planned to disclose his steroid use, but McGwire and his attorneys asked for immunity for himself and those close to him, and members of the committee wouldn't guarantee that he and the others would be protected from some sort of prosecution. So he said his lawyers strongly advised him to clam up.

"I took the hit," McGwire said. "One thing I was not going to do was lie. And to sit there and take the beating that I took, and to have to say 'I'm not here to talk about the past,' and I have Don Hooton and all of the other families who had lost loved ones to steroid use sitting behind me ... it was tearing my heart out. But I would do anything to protect my family. So that's how that went down. And for five years I've had to hold this in an not talk about it. And I think anybody who was in my shoes for those 48 hours would have done the same thing."

Why now?

"I knew some way, some how, some time, some day this time would come. When the opportunity came to become the hitting coach of the Cardinals -- and I'm so excited and I can't wait to get started -- I knew I had to do something. I had to come out. I had to do this. I did not want my past to be a distraction to the ballclub. I wanted to come forward. I want to come clean. I want to get this behind me and move on. I wanted to start my second career as hitting coach and that's all I want to concentrate on.

"I knew one day I would have a forum. I didn't know what type of forum it would be in. But you know what? Things work out. And by accepting the job, it started the forum. And here I am."

What about the people who will never forgive him?

"It's understandable. It's something that I totally regret, and everybody is going to have their own opinions. I'm just being honest and I'm coming clean about what did and what I got caught up in. I can't say enough how sorry I am."

-B

[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 certainly, but not without logic. But that matters not now.

Fixed that for ya.

No you didn't. You screwed up my post. I went ahead and fixed your mistake, though.

Lord knows I put myself out there as being a homer, but when I'm consistent on issue the way I have been with steroids, that doesn't come into play. If there's not legitimate factual evidence that someone used steroids, then I'm not going to pretend I know they did.

I don't like Sammy Sosa, but I hold the same view on him that I held on McGwire--until someone takes the time to prove otherwise, or until he admits it, I'm not going to sit here and condemn him. Pete Rose? Yep, I wanted to believe him (although I probably should have read the case against him in that case). Mike Vick? Yep, until he was found guilty.

That's how I am. Insult me for being naive or whatever you want. But don't continue to insinuate I'm lying about my character/personality just because I'm also a homer.

The fact that some of you have no problem judging with just some of the evidence is fine, but I've never been able to, with anything. And frankly, it's a little damn offensive people continue to dismiss it as something else.

First off, 'fixed that for ya' is obviously a joke. I assumed you knew that.

Second of all, the fact that your name is STL FANATIC and you're saying that you never though McGwire used steroids when, let's be honest here, Ray Charles could see that, can send some "homer-istic" messages. Now that I know that you believe whatever anyone says, no matter how much evidence there is against him or her, I see that you aren't a homer, but rather very naive (obviously an exaggeration, but you get the drift).

It is just baffling to me that someone like you who can make well-informed opinions, could be that naive.

[The_Admiral]

I don't see eye-to-eye with STL Fanatic very often, but I applaud his reversal of the loathsome "fixed that for ya" board gag. That crap was exhausted and exhausting when Usenet was a thing.

[Jigga]

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.

You weren't just wrong, you were blind. Blinded by your Cardinal colored glasses to the point you stuck your head in the sand if you honestly believed this dude wasn't juiced. That's worse than being wrong. It's sheer lunacy.

Nevertheless, I'm glad Big Mac did this, but he needs to sit down with some well respected baseball journalist like Costas or whatever and answer some really tough questions. Like A-Roid showed before, you don't really get to control this. You get to admit it the way you want to admit it, but after that you lose control of the story. It's not your story anymore. I'm not saying it's right, but the vociferous, bottom-feeding sensationalists require you to do something to get in front of the story as much as you can. Time to take your medicine, Big Mac.

[STL FANATIC]

he needs to sit down with some well respected baseball journalist like Costas

Jigga, turn on MLB Network in 10 minutes. He's doing EXACTLY that.

This is reportedly going to be on MLB.com for free, too, for anybody who doesn't get MLB Network.

[The_Admiral]

Blinded by your Cardinal colored glasses to the point you stuck your head in the sand

mixed metaphor

[Waffles]

Watching Big Mac and Costas right now...Yikes. His admission is becoming just as pathetic and hard to believe than his lies were.

[Jigga]

Blinded by your Cardinal colored glasses to the point you stuck your head in the sand

mixed metaphor

And your point?

[Cujo]

McGwire: I'm sorry. I totally regret everything I've ever done. *sniffle sniffle*

Translation: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE FOR ME IN 2011!

[STL FANATIC]

McGwire: I'm sorry. I totally regret everything I've ever done. *sniffle sniffle*

Translation: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE FOR ME IN 2011!

That's bologna. That has nothing to do with this. And I can't believe you're watching this and just see a guy trying to get into the Hall of Fame.

[Jigga]

McGwire: I'm sorry. I totally regret everything I've ever done. *sniffle sniffle*

Translation: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE FOR ME IN 2011!

That's bologna. That has nothing to do with this. And I can't believe you're watching this and just see a guy trying to get into the Hall of Fame.

Consider the source, dude. Would you expect anything less?

[ninersdd]

Maybe a certain "white" guy will come out a say he did them next.

[Waffles]

I'm losing more and more sympathy with every "low dosage" and "eye-hand coordination".

[JayJaxon]

I'm glad McGwire did this. He obviously wanted to right this wrong in his life, and now that he has, I'm sure his shoulders feel much lighter.

Bonds, you're on deck!

[Sodboy13]

I'm glad McGwire did this. He obviously wanted to right this wrong in his life, and now that he has, I'm sure his shoulders feel much lighter.

They felt a lot lighter when he dropped somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 pounds during his first year of retirement.

This isn't an apology; it's a conditional admission, full of the same weaselly excuses we've been hearing for the past full decade. It's on a parallel with the standard "I'm sorry if anyone was offended" speech.

[STL FANATIC]

People can and will see what they want to see, obviously.

Wherever you stand, McGwire hasn't approached this with a "what will give me the best PR" attitude. I think he's been honest in expressing his thoughts and desire to be given a second chance in a new stage of his career.

[Waffles]

Wherever you stand, McGwire hasn't approached this with a "what will give me the best PR" attitude. I think he's been honest in expressing his thoughts and desire to be given a second chance in a new stage of his career.

Funny you should mention PR, because his constant use of talking points and his repetition of phrases tells me he'll be plenty familiar with the concept of coaching by Spring Training.