Seeing Mark McGwire’s mea culpa with Bob Costas, I must confess to mixed emotions. On one hand, I do think it is good he has admitted to his use of steroids and Human Growth Hormone, and sincerely apologized for it. On the other, I’m not accepting of his reasons for using the performance enhancing substances. Nor do I buy his notion they were more about mind over matter. It’s clear McGwire’s career almost ended because of injury. Then, a much bulked up McGwire, had five of the greatest seasons in baseball history. It was like magic. That doesn’t happen without performance enhancing substances.
While they can’t make a bad hitter a good one, it’s clear performance enhancing substances do help injured players get healthy, and make top hitters fly off the charts in terms of power.
We saw it with McGwire and Barry Bonds - and many other hitters during the so-called steroids era.
I haven’t voted for McGwire for the Hall of Fame to this point. I am not sure what kind of bearing his admission will have on my voting in the future. It won’t hurt the possibility I will vote for him, but I’m not sure it will help, either. I don’t have to make that decision for nearly another year. Best to see how it plays out before making any definitive decisions.

Random Thoughts

- Has to be just a matter of time until Richard Hamilton or Tayshaun Prince - or perhaps both - are traded.

- Charles Woodson has been a wonder for the Packers, not only this season, but since he signed with Green Bay at a time when his career appeared to be on the downside. Good for him for receiving the AP Defensive Player of the Year award. It is deserved based on his regular season. But did he ever get scorched on wild card weekend by Kurt Warner and the Cardinals. The timing of the announcement wasn’t necessarily the best in that regard.