Mark McGwire, infamous member of the bash brothers, claims he did NOT use steroids to increase strength (story)... Riiiight. Everyday we hear (well, try to hear) the disclaimers that close out drug commercials. These announced side effects typically include migraines, hemorrhages, blood clots, four-hour erections, and other highly undesirable manifestations (the last one mentioned may be exempt from the "undesirable" category), which is why an auctioneer spits out the 15 side effects before you can say restless leg syndrome. Imagine if functional strength gain that assists in adding 0s to your paycheck was a "side effect," pharmaceutical companies would fly in James Earl Jones to read off that disclaimer. My point is, strength gain is NOT a side effect, it is a main effect, precisely why Big Mac kept a syringe handy at every batting practice. McGwire claiming that he didn't use steroids to gain strength is like Smokey saying he didn't use Marijuana to get high, or Amy Winehouse saying she didn't use crack to get high, or Hugh Hefner saying he didn't use Viagra to get...well you understand. Do I care that he used 'roids? No. Do I think 'roids are enough to make someone a great baseball player? No. But do I think McGwire used 'roids to increase strength? (That was a rhetorical question.) I'm just saying, be a man and own up to it so that you don't lose that which makes you a man. I'm not talking about material credentials, no homerun crown and no amount of muscle mass could ever compensate for lacking integrity. The aforementioned statement echoes a fitting quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, "A little integrity is better than any career".On a side note, it now appears that Slammin' Sammy and Big Mac were playing with each others' needles.
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