Mark McGwire apologizes about steroid usage

Did Mark McGwire owe us an apology? Do we have to accept it?

To be totally honest, the answer to both is no.

The reason McGwire offered up an apology is simple in nature: he is the new hitting instructor for the St. Louis Cardinals. It's may seem almost like it was lip service. If you look at his "apology" from a business standpoint, McGwire had to bare his soul so his steroid use would not be a distraction during spring training. I'm in so far, although I really never thought an admission would ever happen.

We first heard this story, a story we all pretty much suspected, early yesterday afternoon through a press release, depending on where you live.

On the MLB Network, Bob Costas was afforded an interview with McGwire. And it was more telling than the statement.

When Costas asked why the use, McGwire responded that he "did it [for] health purposes". McGwire did spend stints on the DL from '93 to '96. In '96, McGwire contemplated retirtement until he has a conversation with his father who advised him to"stick it out".

So far, I'm buying it, Mark. I cannot condemn a man for wanting to play. Sure, the manner in which McGwire went about it is wrong, but he believes that why he started using PEDs. McGwire referred to the pressure of performing for his teammates and fans. It's logical. I'm actually repecting this a bit so far.

Then, I slammed on the brakes. I hear something that makes no sense to me and throws a bigger a shadow over the issue.

Costas asks McGwire a number of times if he (McGwire) felt that despite steroid usage, if the records he broke and the numbers he put up were legit. Wait for it.....McGwire stated that he did. He actually said "absolutely".

Absolutely? You're seriously going to stand by your "record(s)"?

McGwire took steroids in order to heal quicker to get back on the field. So, let's think logically. Go with me on this point. Even if you don't believe that steroids make you stronger, but you believe they heal you faster, you wouldn't have been able to play as many games without them. Therefore, you don't get as many at-bats. And, you don't get as many "anything" except time on the DL and games lost to injury. To say you would have the same numbers is beyond inaccurate. It's impossible. It's simple math, and McGwire fails on that part. If you're not playing, you're not adding to your numbers.

McGwire has insisted that he wanted to confess of his usage during the 2005 hearings before Congress. He was advised by his attorney(ies) not to come clean" since a deal for immunity was not reached. McGwire, instead, skirted the issue and was forever labelled a user despite not saying a thing about using. It was his non-confession, that looked more like a confession, that had the majority of us thinking even more that he had used.

The former chairman of the House Government Reform Committee, former Rep. Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican, was aware of McGwire's dilemma. Davis met with McGwire for three hours the day before the hearings were to begin. McGwire admitted his usage to Davis and wanted to get this off his shoulders and out in the public. There would could have been legal issues had McGwire confessed with no immunity deal in place. McGwire's attorney asked for immunity for his client, but none was granted. So, McGwire took as what was perceived as the "low road" by, in a roundabout way, taking the Fifth.

So we now know why McGwire was willing to be played as the fool. He did it in order to avoid jail time. He did it in order to avoid hurting his family. I get that. It almost makes you wish you hadn't viewed him so harshly during those hearings. If this is true, McGwire did succeed. So, as I look at it, it's even.

Many will ask with this admission if this could open the doors to the Hall of Fame. McGwire insists that his admission is not to be associated with trying to get in. It won't change the fact that McGwire has never received more than 25% of the votes needed to enter. We may see some gravitate to his side in the next vote, but if Big Mac were to get in, I think it would be the Veteran's Committee that gives him the nod, not the voters. If you're familiar with how the Veteran's Committee works, you know the road is even longer for McGwire. While many fans still feel he should be there, the road will be extremely long for him. It may be a foregone conclusion that he will never see the halls of Cooperstown.

I could care less if McGwire gets in, in all honesty. I personally don't think he should. It's not that I'm hating on Mark McGwire either. Many will bring up current members and say "this guy did this", and "this guy did that". But that's the beauty of the Hall. It expands across generations. There will always be differences of opinion on who should and who shouldn't be in. We just have to let it run it's course on McGwire's possible inclusion.

The continued apologies may turn some more people to McGwire's side. After all, with every teary admission of wrong, the forgiving nation we live in will choose either to accept or reject that apology.

McGwire can't really be looking to restore his name, can he?

No, he can't because that benefit left long ago. No passes will be issued.