McGwire

Vinny's post about the execrable (see, you don't have to be Bill Livingston to use SAT words for no apparent reason) Barry Bonds and his cohorts prompts me to point the finger at the guy I think may be the worst villain of them all: Mark McGwire.

If Mark McGwire didn't use steroids in his quest for the home run record, he's a genuine American hero. He's honored the legacy of Roger Maris, and done great good for the community. About all I can fault him for is his repeated violation of the "no crying in baseball" rule. (By the way, I'm going to post later on about the whole guys crying phenomenon, which makes me ill).

On the other hand, if McGwire did use steroids, then the way he sidled up to the Maris family during his quest is beyond creepy. In fact, it was about as cynical a move as you'll ever see.

Of course, McGwire had a chance to clear all this up when he testified before Congress. Instead, he opted for a Clintonesque approach, combining the inevitable tears with a non-denial denial of steroid use. When asked during his testimony whether he was asserting his Fifth Amendment rights, McGwire responded, "I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm here to be positive about this subject."

I'm here to be positive on this subject too, Big Mac. I'm positive you'll never end up on a stamp, unlike the real holder of the single season home run record, Roger Maris.