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La Russa surprised by McGwire testimony; congressman wants Big Mac's Name Off Highway
Mark McGwire's feel-good summer of 1998 seems like a long time ago.
Mark McGwire took more hits a day after his congressional testimony, with the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency calling his evasions tantamount to an admission of steroid use.
A congressman at Thursday's hearing wants McGwire's name removed from a highway. Even McGwire's former manager, Tony La Russa, was surprised by McGwire's repeated refusals to deny using steroids.
"I think it would have been a lot better for him to say, `I did it and I'm sorry,"' former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent said.
McGwire has denied using illegal performance-enhancing drugs but refused to do so under oath Thursday when he appeared before the House Government Reform Committee, citing advice from his lawyer. McGwire repeatedly said he would not discuss his past.
"What I saw and heard was a confession," WADA chairman Richard Pound said Friday during a symposium at Saint Louis University on doping in sports.
Committee member Christopher Shays, a Connecticut Republican, put it bluntly Friday: "Is there any doubt in your mind that Mark McGwire took drugs?"
La Russa, who managed McGwire on both the Oakland Athletics and the Cardinals, said he believes McGwire's denials.
"In my opinion, being under oath wouldn't have changed what he said," La Russa said at spring training in Jupiter, Fla. "I think he was overcoached. Mostly, I think it was a missed opportunity to explain that if you use substances like creatine and over-the-counter stuff that's not illegal, you can get the benefits of a hard-core weight training program. And that was never discussed. You can get bigger and stronger doing this legally, and I didn't hear that."
La Russa was hoping for more during the testimony.
"He's made a statement where he's denied it, and I thought it was a great time to make that same statement," La Russa said. "I think he was kind of coached into saying this one thing, 'I'm here about the future, not about the past.' I was surprised he didn't repeat what he said earlier. I think it would have helped his cause."
La Russa admits that he's biased toward McGwire because of their friendship.
"It's impossible to separate myself from what I know of how hard he worked and how he developed," La Russa said. "Could I have an opinion if I was just a fan? Yeah, he looked uncomfortable the whole time. But then, I saw him uncomfortable in 1998 when people asked him questions and he was just shy and wanted to hide from them."
U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, a Missouri Democrat, wants McGwire's name stripped off the 5-mile stretch of Interstate-70 that was named after Big Mac following his 70-homer season in 1998.
"It would take an act by the state legislature, but I don't think he deserves a name on the highway if he can't be forthcoming about his involvement with this issue," Clay told The Associated Press on Friday.
Gov. Mel Carnahan signed legislation in 1999 officially naming a section from the city's western edge to the Illinois border, "Mark McGwire Highway."
The chairman of the state Senate Transportation Committee said McGwire's name will remain, as far as he's concerned.
"Mark McGwire was a hero of baseball in St. Louis," state Sen. Jon Dolan said. "He remains so and must deal with the choices he's made. But nothing he did would change my mind about what we do or don't name highways."
Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Frank Thomas told the committee Thursday they did not use illegal steroids. McGwire has previously denied steroid use, but under oath repeatedly sidestepped questions by saying he wouldn't discuss his past.
"It was disappointing because I didn't think he took the opportunity to make clear to his fans and the rest of America that he was not under the influence of steroids when he set those home run records in 1998," Clay said. "He does not come clean. He's not forthcoming. His fans and the public want to know, where do you stand on this, Mark McGwire?"
New York Yankees slugger Jason Giambi, who was excused from testifying because of his involvement in the ongoing federal investigation into illegal steroid distribution, said he left a phone message for McGwire, but had not heard back.
"I know that had to be incredibly hard for him," Giambi said. "He was emotional up there.
"Mark, he is an incredible guy. A lot of people out there love him and I think will continue to. I definitely feel for Mark, no doubt about it."
Boston pitcher David Wells accepts McGwire's denial last month of steroid use.
"I'm sure a lot of people are going to have a big question mark against Mark," Wells said, "but I believe him until proven otherwise."
Source: AP
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