Can I Get a Big Mac With Those Lies?

Mark McGwire is one the greatest hitters that the beautiful game of baseball has ever witnessed. That's not up for debate. Juiced or not, McGwire is 8th on baseball's all time home run list with 583 dingers.

Big Mac put a hurtin' on baseballs for 16 years, Tony LaRussa was his manager for 15 of those years. With the relationships that many coaches and players have in sports, would it be safe to assume that they were more than just co-workers?

Would it be out of question to point the finger at LaRussa and call him out?

LaRussa has been less than truthful with the media and MLBPA regarding McGwire's steroid use. He claims that Monday was the first that he's heard that Big Mac was juicing during a span that covered the tail-end of the '80's to the early 2000's.

The public was well aware that McGwire's blossoming physique, and quick at that, was not natural. His horse-leg like arms didn't come from pumping iron.

The stats are there for McGwire to get in the Hall of Fame. But will the votes be? McGwire was on just 23.6 percent of ballots this time around.

Did he come "clean" to gain sympathy from the baseball writers who hold his HOF destiny in their hands? Does McGwire think that simply saying he screwed up is enough to make them forget—or does he remember insulting their intelligence for well over a decade?

McGwire didn't talk to me directly, so you won't find quotes here. He did state something to the effect that he's sorry, it was stupid and foolish. That's not news to people who know and follow our past-time.

Big Mac laments playing in the "Steroid Era," an era that he defined. How ironic.

Ever since he came into the league, bat-a-blazing, in 1987, he was known for his power. He drilled 49 home runs in rookie season—lanky body and all. He's fancied the long-ball all of his life, and he claims that's it's a God-given talent—he was endowed with super-hero like power to crush baseballs for a reason. So, why'd he waste his talent by flirting with disaster?

Why on Earth would someone who already has a talent for round-trippers dabble with performance enhancing drugs?

It's hard to believe that after all the controversy and supposed soul searching that the truth still has yet to come out.

McGwire claims that he didn't juice to cheat, rather to keep him healthy and injury free? That backfired. McGwire had tendon problems that were well documented in the '90's — a condition that is linked to steroid use!

The damage has been done.

There's no turning back now.

How about Tony LaRussa stops playing baseball fans for fools and takes it on the chin like McGwire has?

Admit, that for 15 years, you were aware that McGwire and Canseco were juicing—that would help put an end to debates, and guys like myself wouldn't have to write about it.