04/23/24
July 02, 2002
Roid Rage?: Sammy Sosa says that if the Players' Association starts requiring steroid testing, he'll be "the first in line." So why not, asks the SI reporter, volunteer to give a urine sample now? What do you have to hide? Sosa's response is, uh, let's say it was "testy."
posted by Prince Valium to baseball at 02:24 PM - 10 comments
(Note to young sportswriters: Always make your steroid question your last question.) Heh. I'm not sure if Sammy is using steroids, but he could well be using Andro or Creatin. You just don't bulk up 50 pounds, mostly in muscle, without some chemical augmentation. Good link Prince Valium, and even better alliterative lead-in.
posted by insomnyuk at 02:52 PM on July 02, 2002
It seems to me that Reilly was being an ass and trying to provoke a reaction from Sammy. What did he expect Sosa to do?
posted by gyc at 08:07 PM on July 02, 2002
That was a set-up. It's one thing to ask him, "Well, why wait." It's another to give him the number and a cup...
posted by Conquistador at 09:57 PM on July 02, 2002
It was a valid tactic by the interviewer. I think it exposed Sosa's hypocracy. You don't need to wait for the player's association to give the green light before getting tested. And I've heard that most baseball players who are cheating have moved on from steroids. They are far too easily detected. These days it's things like Human Growth Hormone. No wonder so many so many players can state (truthfully) that they aren't using steroids.
posted by salmacis at 04:17 AM on July 03, 2002
A good journalist shouldn't be afraid to ask a provocative question that might piss off a source. The main reason Chicago's local sports media is against Reilly's question is because they have to play kiss-ass with local star athletes to avoid losing access to them.
posted by rcade at 07:43 AM on July 03, 2002
Actually insomnyuk, it is reasonable for a professional athlete to add 50 lbs, mostly muscle to his frame in 13 years. Especially between the ages of 20 and 33. His explanation of eating better and working out more is valid, especially from somebody who came from a poor background in the Dominican Republic. Now don't get me wrong...if you (we) are going to speculate, with no evidence other than the visual appearance and statistical anomalies, which players are on roids, Sammy would be at the top of my list. But this tactic was chickenshit in my opinion. Bret Boone would also be at the top of my list, apropos of nothing.
posted by vito90 at 08:52 AM on July 03, 2002
What a dick that Reilly guy is. Sure, it makes for entertaining reading, but he didn't need to be such an ass in his interaction with Sosa. Does anyone really believe that he was trying to offer Sammy a chance to prove his innocence? What the reporter did was tantamount to an accusation, and even though I think I could pass a drug screen right now I'd probably get pretty upset with anyone who asked me to take one.
posted by Samsonov14 at 01:05 PM on July 03, 2002
Sorry about that. I get pretty emotional when I'm all coked up.
posted by Samsonov14 at 02:53 PM on July 03, 2002
I'm going to have to change my position here and empathize with Sammy. I see it now as righteous indignation, really. Innocent until proven guilty.
posted by insomnyuk at 09:43 PM on July 03, 2002
Well, the Chicago press didn't think much of Reilly's interview style, and there's been a lot of teeth-gnashing among the media, too.