McGwire Admits to Steroids…and We’re Shocked?

So Mark McGwire finally admitted to what 99.9% of Americans already knew. He used steroids. As a Cardinal fan, and a Mark McGwire fan (still), all I can say is “thanks.” Thanks for finally admitting what we all knew.

Look, what McGwire did was undoubtedly wrong. He cheated, plain and simple. Was he the only one that cheated in his generation? Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock over the last few years, there is no question that he was not.

To make matters worse for Big Mac, his embarrassing testimony in front of Congress in 2005 was like watching a car wreck. It was terrible, but you couldn’t help but keep watching. But in a desperate attempt to salvage his reputation, he listened to lawyers. Ask Tiger Woods how listening to lawyers works these days.

McGwire did today what he should have done before he was even asked to testify in front of Congress. Americans are forgiving people, especially to their sports legends. Look at Kobe Bryant, Darryl Strawberry, Magic Johnson, Andy Petite, Alex Rodriguez and Chipper Jones to name a few. All have had personal failings that became public, but all have returned from those embarrassing and difficult moments to rehabilitate their reputations and regain their glory. Why? Because at some point each came clean with their indiscretions and were honest about what they had done. Their roads back weren’t always short and smooth, but the road back always started with some sort of admission of wrong doing.

To put that into perspective, look at the stars that followed McGwire’s path of silence and denials. Tiger Woods and Roger Clemens have ruined their respective reputations. Tiger, the best golfer ever, has vanished after it became known he had multiple affairs. He’s lost several sponsors and is taking an indefinite break from the game he loves. Clemens, one of the best pitchers of his generation, has become a flat out joke after denying he used steroids in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary.

Had McGwire come clean years ago, he very well could have saved his tarnished image and could even be in the Hall of Fame. But he didn’t. He chose to keep quiet, dodge and weave and it finally caught up to the slugger today. Now he has one more hurdle to climb and that time is coming in the very near future. He has to face the media.

McGwire will start as the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals next month when pitchers and catchers report for spring training. Before he dons the “Birds on the Bat” and the red number 25, he has to face the media and answer the tough and embarrassing questions.

As a PR executive I would give him this advice. Sit there, as long as you have to, and admit everything. He needs to tell HIS story, the one that until today, none of us knew (as a fact). McGwire needs to tell why he did it, and tell when he did it. Describe how he hid it and why he hid it. Explain his guilt of not coming clean, and how painful it was to admit to his family, and in particular his son, that he had indeed used steroids. He needs to admit his shame and the regret he has for letting down teammates, fans, himself and most of all his family. Then, as painful as it will be, he needs to answer every question from every reporter. Sit there until they have asked every question and he’s answered every one of them.

Matter of fact, McGwire needs to do the very opposite of what he’s done the last 5 years. Be open, be honest and be contrite. He’s not going to take a bigger hit on his public image. That was ruined the day he appeared before Congress. However, McGwire CAN start putting this story to rest, but he has to come clean on all fronts and put everything on the table. Leave no stone unturned and clean out the closet.

Look, Big Mac needs to just realize that he only admitted what many of us suspected anyhow. Many fans just wanted him to admit it so they could finally move on, and frankly so he could move on too. I’m actually relieved that this is out there.

When the rubber meets the road, Mark McGwire, later in his career, was a disciplined hitter that knew the strike zone and waited on his pitch. He was patient and very seldom did he swing at a bad pitch. The steroids may have helped his power, but it didn’t help his approach to hitting which is exactly why the Cardinals hired him. McGwire has privately helped several MLB hitters behind the scenes and all of them have experienced some form of success as a result.

Mark McGwire is going to be burned at the stake today. Those in the media that scalded him for not being open and honest about his “alleged” steroid use yesterday, are going to be the ones that are scalding him for being open and honest about his steroid use today.

When the sun comes up tomorrow, Mark McGwire begins the long road to repairing his reputation. The best way for that to be done is to continue to lay all of his cards on the table. The first and hardest step was completed today, and frankly, I’m glad it’s out. I’m thrilled that McGwire is coming back to baseball. I’m also happy that he’s had this burden lifted. Welcome back Big Mac, now let’s play ball.