The good news (if it can be called that) is that track and field diva Marion Jones finally came clean and admitted to using steroids. In a tearful admission on Friday, the Olympic runner apologized to the public and admitted to lying to federal investigators about taking the drug. Jones will face prison time and has already turned in her five Olympic medals to the USOC.
The bad news is not many people believe her apology act, including USA Today columnist, Jon Saraceno, and Detroit Free Press sports reporter Mitch Albom on Sunday's Sportwriters program on ESPN. They don’t buy her explanation that she was duped into taking steroids by her ex-husband and coach. I did not hear her full admission from Friday, but from what I gather from Albom and Saraceno that her apology was filled with little white lies, intended to make her look the victim. But you can bet Jones is not a victim and will continue her “I was wronged” story for as long as she can.
The sad thing is, who can you believe anymore? You can’t trust anyone who says they didn’t take performance-enhancing drugs because there will always be a seed of doubt about whether that person is telling the truth. The next time someone does deny using steroids, will we automatically assume he/she is lying? Or will the truly innocent be considered guilty by association?
Showing posts with label steroids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steroids. Show all posts
Monday, October 08, 2007
Monday, April 30, 2007
MLB Steroids Scandal Heats Up
Major League Baseball’s steroids storyline may be about to explode.
Kirk Radomski, a 37-year-old former employee of the New York Mets, pleaded guilty in federal court last Friday to charges he distributed performance-enhancing drugs to dozens of MLB players between 1995 and 2005, according to MLB.com. He will be sentenced in September, but could face up to 25 years in prison and fines of $500,000. “During my past employment in Major League Baseball, I developed contacts with Major League Baseball players throughout the country to whom I subsequently distributed anabolic steroids and athletic performance-enhancing drugs,” Radomski said in his plea agreement.
While Radomski did not provide names in his plea agreement, he has agreed to cooperate with federal investigators. That spells bad news for MLB. Because Radomski was never a player and is no longer associated with any of the teams, you can bet he will have few reservations about sharing his little black book of names. When he does, you can bet this entire drug scandal will be blown wide open.
Kirk Radomski, a 37-year-old former employee of the New York Mets, pleaded guilty in federal court last Friday to charges he distributed performance-enhancing drugs to dozens of MLB players between 1995 and 2005, according to MLB.com. He will be sentenced in September, but could face up to 25 years in prison and fines of $500,000. “During my past employment in Major League Baseball, I developed contacts with Major League Baseball players throughout the country to whom I subsequently distributed anabolic steroids and athletic performance-enhancing drugs,” Radomski said in his plea agreement.
While Radomski did not provide names in his plea agreement, he has agreed to cooperate with federal investigators. That spells bad news for MLB. Because Radomski was never a player and is no longer associated with any of the teams, you can bet he will have few reservations about sharing his little black book of names. When he does, you can bet this entire drug scandal will be blown wide open.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Ripken, Gwynn Get the Call; McGuire Snubbed
It comes as no surprise that Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn were selected to baseball’s Hall of Fame yesterday. Both players received as close to unanimous votes that anyone can get. Ripken received 98.5 percent of the total 545 ballots while Gwynn received 97.6 percent. Both are lifetime players with their respective teams: Ripken with the Baltimore Orioles and Gwynn with the San Diego Padres.
What is also not surprising is the 23.5 percent vote that slugger Mark McGuire received, significantly less than the 75 percent of the vote that he needed to be selected. The baseball writers have spoken, and their message to McGuire – and other players suspected of steroid use –is loud and clear. If I were a voting member of the Baseball Writers of America, I would have voted the same way. It isn’t that the suspicion of steroid use continues to surround the Cardinal slugger. It is that he insists on keeping quiet about it. McGuire is caught between a rock and a hard place. He has to know that no matter what he does, his chances of entering the Hall are slim.
What is also not surprising is the 23.5 percent vote that slugger Mark McGuire received, significantly less than the 75 percent of the vote that he needed to be selected. The baseball writers have spoken, and their message to McGuire – and other players suspected of steroid use –is loud and clear. If I were a voting member of the Baseball Writers of America, I would have voted the same way. It isn’t that the suspicion of steroid use continues to surround the Cardinal slugger. It is that he insists on keeping quiet about it. McGuire is caught between a rock and a hard place. He has to know that no matter what he does, his chances of entering the Hall are slim.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)