Things You Can't Ignore

Mark McGwire brought a LOT of attention to baseball when it was losing it's spot as America's favorite sport. No one can forget the race Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa had going to the homerun champs. Baseball seemed to get it's glory days back. Everyone tuned in to watch the Cubs and Cardinals it didn't matter who they were playing.

Then McGwire won the race and retired. Sosa was caught using a corked bat - during regular play. Allegations of steroid use started swirling even before McGwire left the stage.

During the 1990's the use of PED's were not regulated in major league baseball. That being said, a player could use them and not be concerned about having to pee into a cup. However, they are a form a cheating. Anytime you use a manufactured drug to enhance your performance - you are cheating.

Congress became involved at the dawn of the 21st Century. McGwire was called to testify before a congressional hearing. He was arrogant and refused to answer direct questions with direct answers. I'm assuming that he thought if he just stayed away from the spot light it would all go away. Well it didn't.

Every time his name has appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot - he gets maybe a dozen votes. Not good for a man that had a career of a lifetime.

Now he is the batting coach in St. Louis. I have said it before and will again - I'm waiting to see how it all plays out. In my opinion this is a mistake. But, I'm not an insider and will have to wait and see. He did come clean and admit to using the drugs.

The next step, in my opion should be - strip him of the homeruns that he hit in the seasons he admits to using PED's. We will never know if he really could've been the "Big Mac" that we knew as the homerun king. And in Pete Rose fashion, he should be banned from the Hall of Fame as a player.

Long days and pleasant nights