By Marc Isenberg
Yankee Jason Giambi faces a 50-game suspension for telling the truth about steroids.
Last
month Giambi told USA Today, "I was wrong for doing that stuff. What we
should have done a long time ago was stand up — players, ownership,
everybody — and said: 'We made a mistake.'"
Not a shocking revelation by Giambi, but it was nice to
hear someone involved in the whole steroid controversy speak directly in the
light of day, rather than hear from alleged uses in staged
Congressional hearings or in leaked grand jury testimony. Most gave
Giambi an attaboy for his admission, but not MLB. To them this was
their Al Capone moment.
Selig
has "ordered Giambi to meet with Sen. George Mitchell,, the chairman of
baseball's steroid investigation, within two weeks and said he would
defer imposing discipline until then."
MLB can't catch guys red
handed so they take after the only "alleged" truthteller. Selig wants Giambi to
literally take one for the team -- actually the owners. Giambi can talk to
Senator George Mitchell in a confidential forum with full immunity.
Anyone want to bet money that the testimony gets leaked?
What kind of messed up world do we live in when the
truth has more consequences than outright lies and deception. In the
bizarro world of Major League Baseball, the truth can lead to 50-game
suspensions. (And in the military, the truth can kill. The military
recently discharged 58 gay (not that it matters) Arabic language
experts under "Don't ask, don't tell.")
David Zirin wrote on Giambi two weeks ago, but it's even more relevant today now that Selig has made his strong-arm tactics known. Some highlights:
[Giambi's] statement last week constitutes the most honest and interesting talk in two years--ever since the anabolic institution of Major League Baseball was born again as straight-edge.
Tim Keown, in a moment of sanity, wrote on ESPN.com, "If Major League Baseball attempts to get punitive with Jason Giambi for his tacit but not explicit admission that he used steroids, it will constitute a new level of hypocrisy. And if baseball's investigation gives the Yankees the shield they need to attempt to void Giambi's contract, it will constitute a new new level of hypocrisy... Baseball, the entity that closed its eyes and counted its money for years and years while extolling the virtues of the artificial long ball, is now threatening to come down hard on the one guy who might provide a sliver of salvation to the whole episode."
Often I am asked why athletes don't speak out more on issues of the day. Here is another example of how the athletic industrial complex hammers those who step out of the shadow of cliches, who actually have something to say.
Jason Giambi, our "failed to mention that I've also been popping amphetamines like tic-tacs" hero. Ah well, Americans loves us some flawed heroes.
Posted by: Miguel | June 08, 2007 at 10:52 AM
Isn't the timing of this convenient? Can they get Giambi to sing before Bonds gets to 756? Maybe there is some hope.
Posted by: Miami Yacht Charters | June 11, 2007 at 09:10 PM