Simmons defends McGwire, rips Ann Killion

I wonder if he feels he has to make the lame jokes, almost to keep his readers that read him only for humor and not thought interested. (Bad sentence my bad).

 

The problem, of course, is ... the character clause is sooooo subjectively applied that it's worthless at this point.

If Ty Cobb -- who might or might not have murdered a man -- and who almost certainly bet on his own team while he was playing -- is in the Hall of Fame despite the character clause, then how can you say that McGwire or anyone else should be kept out for steroids?

Gaylord Perry cheated, and even wrote a book admitting it, and has spent most of his post-playing days gloryifying the legend of his cheating ... yet he's also in the Hall.

Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, at one time, were banned for life from organized baseball ... yet they're in the Hall.

So don't argue that the character clause is the principal reason you're keeping McGwire or anyone else out of the Hall. You'll have to do better than that. (And with McGwire, anyway, that's not a hard case to make.)

 

I look at it this way... if a sportswriter used drugs or got busted for a DUI, how would that person feel if it came out years later on the verge of a big career-defining moment? I'm sure some writers have done some things they're not proud of that might be criticizing Mac.

I'm not defending McGwire, by the way. Just pointing out the obvious about players before Mac like Cobb, Mantle and their carousing and drinking ways.

 

Bill might be able to find an over-the-counter to lower his womanly voice about eight octaves.

 

How dare you slander him anonymously on a message board!

Come, my minions, sweep the leg!

Sweep the leg!

 

Maybe he can ask Jeff Garcia where to get it.

 

"Get him a body bag, YEEAAAHHH!!!"

 

Hi, Bill!

He's bound to check in on a thread about himself at some point.

EDIT - I may as well comment on the column while I'm here.

Other than HR's, what did Mark McGwire do? An absolute one-dimensonial player if there ever was one. Sure we all went ga-ga over a home run, but these were being done in an era of expansion and shrinking stadiums (one 5,280 feet up and another around 1,000 feet above sea level). 0 MVPs.

If the press took a year to debate Cy Young's worthiness, I think Mark McGwire can sit back and wait while his worthiness is debated. He had an opportunity to discuss how clean he was and he chose to be a coward. Last I checked his records/stats are there to be seen, he just doesn't have a plaque. If I were a voter I wouldn't vote for him until I was 100% sure he did not use steroids. There is no innocent until proven guilty standard for HOFs.

Just me.

As for Simmons being typical Simmons, every time he makes a point, he follows it up with a ridiculous one. Made a Bash Brother poster, was a redhead.

Also, interesting that he mentions the journalists that are willing to go on a radio show for $50 and a sandwich. For some reason he chose to leave out, "plug a book."

 

Good point about the "what about the children?" crowd.
As to the rest, eh.

 

Ann, I'm glad you're such a thoughtful mom. Seriously, that's great. But a vote for McGwire isn't exactly an endorsement of drug use. And anyway, part of our country's problem is the shortsighted way we "protect" our kids from life's harsh realities.
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Something that stupid eradicates the efficacy of an entire column.

In fact, I didn't read past this graph.

She is not protecting her kids from "life's harsh realities" (as if Simmons would know what a single one of those is).

She is teaching them the importance of operated under your own moral code, and no one else's.

Fool.

 

As long as the rich never have to face the justice system that 95 percent of us face, it is incumbent on writers to become judge and jury, if they are informed.

 

IF I didn't get caught cheating on that Psych final senior year, I would have had a 3.7 GPA.

Instead, I was expelled from school.

Ridiculous seamhead rationalization will get Bonds in every time.

This country has lost its honor.