Earlier this week Mark McGwire tearfully announced that he had indeed used steroids throughout his career, finally confirming what many have long suspected. I, Scruffy, was rather non-plussed, I remember the summer of '98, and how much I enjoyed the home run chase. (Though I was, admittedly a Sosa-man.) However, my love of the game came not from the chase alone, but from watching Ken Burns' epic documentary with my brother, playing "home-run-derby" in the driveway of our home, rereading "The Boys of Summer" and just generally reveling in the awesomeness of sport.
As cool as it was to watch those dingers fly, I tired of it quickly, and turned my attention thereafter to teams...first the Mets (since they were in contention) and then, back to the Twins when I moved to Minnesota. I learned to love the hard-nosed scrappy play--free from those titanic blasts, but full of the grit, determination and pluck which appeals to anyone who roots for underdogs. As more was said about steroids I cared less and less about homeruns and the men who hit them--I had Torii, I had Johan, I had Joe and Justin and Cuddy...what did I care what happened to Barry, Mark and Sammy?
So McGwire admitted it...and? I still love baseball, and I always will regardless of anything stated in an embarrassed press release by an erstwhile "hero" of the game. But I'm not alone in this, so what does Stinky think? Well...why don't we ask her? Stinky?
(Stinky takes over): True, I wasn't really shocked when McGwire admitted to using steroids. It's like Joan Rivers admitting she's had plastic surgery. But, it did make me sad. It made me sad for the players who never used steroids, who might have gotten more recognition had it not been for guys like McGwire, and for great players like Joe Mauer, who will now have to feel like their sudden ability to hit for power will put their honesty and integrity into question. And it also made me feel a little sad for McGwire himself, who honestly didn't seem to realize that what he'd done was cheating.
Back to Scruffy.
In a fit of late night awesomeness, Stinky and I have been enjoying some popcorn, humming some Sondheim and some hulu when we came across the following clip from our oft quoted (and occasionally plagiarized) friend Stephen Colbert. (We edited it to the germane part)
And just when you'd given up on the sport of Baseball altogether, you remember this guy. Honus Wagner: Professional Badass. Everyone knows it...even Stephen Colbert. It shall go down in the annals of history.
G'night everyone.
P.S. Dear Joe Mauer, since I gave you a shoutout can you give me a contract extension in return? Please...? We're waiting.
