Mark McGwire sank deeper into his post-baseball grave Tuesday, day two of his media-sweeping mea culpa for using steroids over the course of his Major League Baseball career.
Sunday night must have been brutal for McGwire, knowing what the next day would entail. Thinking about phone call confessions he would make to family members, non-profit leaders, the widow of Roger Maris and former manager and close friend Tony La Russa had to have been plenty to keep McGwire tossing and turning.
Monday afternoon and evening must have been even worse for the repentant former player, not knowing when the onslaught of media pressure and public confessionals would end.
“All I can say is I’m sorry, and it’s been one of the toughest days of my life, and I totally regret everything I’ve done,” McGwire told Bob Costas on MLB Network, the last in a gauntlet of interviews conducted Monday.
Despite opening up to several reporters and, in turn, the world, McGwire was subjected to continued criticism and questioning Tuesday. Columnists, radio personalities and former athletes across the country continue to add kindle to the burning stake. I refuse to be a part of this mob. I’m laying down my pitchfork.
Critics are attacking Big Mac for his continued assertion that steroids had nothing to do with his offensive production but were taken to improve his health. He said he regrets his steroid use, not necessarily because he deceived people but because it tarnished a career he thinks could have been equally achieved without pills or injections. The media village has erupted with fury.
They had no effect? None? You mean to say you smashed those stratospheric bombs and earned those ham-hocks you call forearms just by blowing Bazooka bubbles?
I balked at his explanation just like everyone else, but I am not ready to cast the confession off as a half-hearted apology. I chalk these comments up to the ignorance of all ballplayers. This is the mindset of athletes: anything is possible because of their God-given gifts. They do not need help. They do stupid things believing there will be no consequences. They think life is a cushioned playground.
These are the reasons why Jay Williams went joyriding without a helmet and waved goodbye to an NBA career; why Gilbert Arenas joked about aiming a firearm at his teammate and waved goodbye to a chunk of his $111 million contract; why Tiger Woods putted 18 holes behind his wife’s back and waved goodbye to a five-year marriage; why college star Len Bias snorted coke in celebration after draft night and waved goodbye to the rest of his life.
In these moments the invincible shed blood and realize their mortality. For some athletes, like Williams following his motorcycle spill, the reality check is instant. For McGwire, it has taken nearly five years to fess up to cheating, something the public has believed all along.
“I wanted to come clean since 2005,” said McGwire, referring to his infamous congressional court appearance that year. “I didn’t know where, when or how. I’ve just been holding this in.”
It is time to stop haranguing McGwire because the last two days of scrutiny have added to years of anguish.
To answer his critics, it is clear why it took the home run titan so long to finally reveal what we’ve all expected. It probably took until Sunday for McGwire to comprehend the truth himself.
Assistant sports editor Hunter Atkins is a Medill junior. He can be reached at [email protected].
