Brotherly Love

In the court of public opinion, Mark McGwire was found guilty of steroid use and cheating a long time ago.

There was the discovery McGwire was taking androstenedione during his record break season of 1998 when he hit 70 home runs. The controversy that followed was the validity of his records, and whether the drug later just referred to as "andro" really was a steroid. Turns out, technically it's not. And, andro was allowed by Major League Baseball at the time.

We found out a few years later that McGwire was in fact taking performance enhancing drugs, or at least, he was suspected of it. While it hadn't exactly been proven, McGwire testified under oath at a 2005 Congressional hearing probing into Major League Baseball's steroid problem. McGwire's body language oozed guilt, his facial expressions defined guilt, and his answers to questions lacked any substance, giving the impression that he was immensely guilty of performance enhancing drug use.

After that episode that murdered his already dwindling reputation, we find out this news today: McGwire's own brother Jay is writing a book detailing Mac's steroid use. It's name? "The McGwire Family Secret: The Truth About Steroids, A Slugger and Ultimate Redemption".

What a cosmic slap in the face: profiting off his brother's downfall.

"Mark is a man I think most would like to forgive because his reason wasn't nefarious--it was for survival," the proposal on his website states. "My bringing the truth to the surface about Mark is out of love. I want to live in truth to see the light, to come to repentance so he can live in freedom."

I'm sure Mark feels very loved right now.

Jay has successfully slung his brother through the mud one more time. He has only given further confirmation to something most of us already assumed. And it's not like McGwire hasn't already suffered consequences from his actions. While Mark was living quietly away from the limelight, as people were starting to forget about the man whose hall of fame votes are dwindling year by year, Jay has to bring this upon his former superstar brother. The two haven't even spoken for years. This is how Jay plans to reconcile with Mark? Publicly embarrass him again?

I'm not saying Mark McGwire is truly a victim here. McGwire deserves the flack he has taken for cheating the game of baseball and taking performance enhancing drugs. For those who will say "well, everyone was on steroids," that might be true. But that doesn't mean McGwire doesn't deserve blame. The fact is, he was breaking records. And in a sport where records are sacred, players who break them deceitfully should pay the price for their actions.

But who would have thought that the guy to finally out him would be his own brother?

That's some kind of brotherly love.