Mark McGwire- Steroid Use

[weathergirl91]

WASHINGTON - Lined up shoulder to shoulder, some of baseball's biggest stars told Congress Thursday that steroids are a problem for the sport but denied that use is widespread. Mark McGwire, whose prodigious home runs helped fuel a surge in baseball's popularity, refused to say whether he took the drugs.

On a day of extraordinary drama, the House Government Reform Committee (news - web sites) attacked baseball's new steroid policy, then questioned five current and former players, all of them wearing dark suits and ties instead of uniforms and caps.

Under oath, Jose Canseco — whose best-selling book helped prompt the hearing — said anew that he had used steroids as a player. Current stars Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro said they haven't. McGwire repeatedly declined to respond directly, saying his lawyers advised him not to answer certain questions.

"If a player answers, 'No,' he simply will not be believed," said McGwire. "If he answers, 'Yes,' he risks public scorn and endless government investigations."

SOURCE: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...p/bbo_steroids

[QuinntheEskimo]

another case where a legislative body is sticking their nose somewhere it doesnt belong...

with the strength of the MLB players union- what is this congressional hearing hoping to accomplish? 2 year suspensions for first time offenders- yeah riiiiight- Donald Fehr would let that happen! Do they want to hang someone out and make an example out of them? It's all stupid and a waste of time. It appears to me that congress is taking a reactive approach to the problem- when in fact they should place the task on the owners shoulders and make them take a proactive stance to the steroid problem!

Watching this on TV today drove me nutso- these self righteous people (doctors/ congressman) forcing their beliefs on everybody else (they ahve nothing better to discuss at this point in their lives?) The mlb players were playing within the confines of the existing rules. They're barking up the wrong tree!

[Marleybone]

They should be going after all sports, not just baseball. When they asked McGwire how he knew steroids were bad all he would have had to say was 2 words. Lyle Alzado.

[speedbump]

However, the other leagues have substance abuse policies in effect.

I agree that MLB should police it's own sport without the help of the government. The players were acting within the existing contract which was turn a blind eye. Unfortuneatly, it took the government to apply the pressure. It's a double edged sword.

There are eighth and ninth grade kids purposely failing a grade in order to pack on pounds and gain speed that one year will give them. That way they will be a better prospect for colleges or even the pro's. Now we hear of regular reports of steriods at the high school level?

Sadly, I can't fault these kids for gaining any edge they can. Why? Because we as a society have placed the importance of professional athletics ahead of education. College is the new minor leagues.

We all laughed in amazement when Bush mentioned steroid abuse in his Stae of the Union speech two years ago, but look where we're at now. Had it been such an important issue like Bud Selig said it was, it would've been put on the front burner after the speech. It wasn't.

So here I am flip flopping on who should have their noses in the pot. I don't think anyone in baseball is truely genuine about their concerns. That's just my opinion. I doubt any of the players, coaches and owners could give a squirt of pee about the nations youth. So yeah, I'm glad they were brought to D.C, so the rest of the world can see what a bunch of crying, overpaid weenies these people are.

[DJeterFan]

So yeah, I'm glad they were brought to D.C, so the rest of the world can see what a bunch of crying, overpaid weenies these people are.

Agreed.

McGwire is a punk, Canseco is a punk, Selig is a punk, etc. I can go on and on.

I want those cheaters to be called out and I want the sport to be clean. Cheaters are crap, and when you're setting records because you're shooting yourself up it ruins the entire game. Pathetic.

[joeguy]

you would think that after the big steroid scare in the WWF, they would think twice about using them, superstar Graham's ankle is mush, the bones have dissolved away and he needs a crutch to get around, from steroid use over the years, and some of the wrestlers have died from heart attacks cause to the over muscle build up

[Teppo]

What was up with Schilling? I admire greatly his work with cahrities for ALS and skin cancer but, why did he bring that up during his "testimony". Really pathetic Curt.