Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Good and Bad of Mark McGwire's Steroid Admission


Mark McGwire used steroids. He said so. All that does is validate all those suspicions we've had for years.

So, what does this all mean? Is this good or bad? Does it really even matter?

To be honest, it doesn't matter. McGwire's admission is relatively meaningless since he's been out of baseball for nearly a decade. Meaningless since he can't and won't be punished for any of this. Meaningless since baseball won't take away his statistics or records. In the realm of the ability to settle this matter ... it falls short.

I will say that I'm glad that he admitted this. I'm in the camp that all these roid users should come out and admit they've done wrong. Just as I said, baseball can't really do anything to you unless you outright lie to authorities (and even that is a tough rap to pin as well). "Apparently" the weight of all these secrets is harmful to your health. Get it out there!

Of course, that won't happen ... especially for those like McGwire who have already retired. Look at the backlash that Big Mac has taken over the past 36 hours. Has Pete Rose's situation gotten any better once he admitted he bet on baseball? Nope. So why would anyone come out and put themselves through that public ridicule?

I'm fine with baseball keeping these inflated statistics. You can't know how many of McGwire's home runs were off pitchers who were also using steroids. Cheating or not, they got away with it. But I'm also fine with not allowing these people into the Hall of Fame. If Rose can't get in there despite none of his playing statistics were helped by his gambling, then these steroid users ... admitted or not ... shouldn't get in there. That's more effective than any asterick.

The sad fact in this is that ... and I know everyone hates to hear this ... but steroids works. Remember that McGwire was broken down in the early-to-mid-1990s. He couldn't stay on the field due to injuries and when he was playing his stats were horrible. In the years he admitted to using steroids, he became a legend. He went from Rob Deer to Babe Ruth. He was given endoresment deals, huge salaries and became larger than the game. That summer of 1998 will be remembered by everyone despite the participants both being linked to steroids.

It's like selling your soul to the devil, only that the devil really can't come to collect.

2 comments:

paulhuebner2002 said...

Nice artical. Im all for McGwire and Pete in the Hall. I would also like to add, that McGwire and Sosa saved baseball. Ticket sales were down. No one was coming to the game because of the strike season in '95. The Padres were giving away free "nose bleeds" tickets all season long the next two years after because no one would come. The strike hurt baseball. Once McGwire was banging out the homeruns, here come the fans. Who cares that he took Steroids. Obviously fans still today don't care, because even after Manny was busted and a 50 game suspension, he was still voted in to play in the All-star game. Yeah, he didn't play, but no one really cares. Everyone wants to see the "LONGBALL" and amazed on who can hit it the farthest. And one thing that really erks me, WHO is to say that no one in the past took steriods or a form or it? Steriods have been around forever, people were taking it in the 50's and 60's. The 75/76 Steelers admitted to taking them during their superbowl championships. Are we going to astrik that or take away the trophies? NOPE. paulhuebner2002@hotmail.com

Sportz Assassin said...

I see what you're saying, but the fact of the matter is that baseball's life blood is both its history and the sanctity of the statistics. Those numbers are entrenched in our fabric ... unlike any other sport (how many TDs did Dan Marino throw? How many points did Kareem score? How many goals did Gretzky score?). That's part of the reason no one cares what football players do with steroids (not to mention that it's common knowledge that players are shot up with all kinds of things to keep them on the field).

Baseball wants you to believe that what happened in 1927 and 1997 are equal. They want you to think that. So anything that inflates those numbers are deemed horrible.

I'm the first to say that this is just some rose-colored glasses that baseball wears. There is no possible way that anyone can really believe that. Babe Ruth played in an all-white era. Mickey Mantle played when there weren't many hispanic players. The 1960s featured a raised mound and extremely low run totals. Despite what baseball thinks, it is impossible to link it all together.

That's baseball's fault. The Steroid Era was filled with cheaters which ... in a way ... makes the playing field a bit even. However, it isn't even when held up against the sport's history.

You're right -- McGwire and Sosa saved baseball. And don't tell me that the higher ups weren't hip to what was going on. Why would they care? No one could prove anything and baseball was back.

But just like going to a concert and the performer is lip synching, what you are seeing may not be authentic.