Busted Athlete Actually Takes Responsibility for Steroid Use

[QuikSand]

After so many threads about the various athletes who, when busted for breaking doping or steroid rules, start poinitng the finger in every possible other direction (a practicae that i personally despise, possibly even more than the actual offense) I guess i'm duty bound to give relative thanks to the exception to the rule:

hxxp://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=2782&line=196216&spln=1

Although he didn't say what he used, Guillermo Mota admitted to violating baseball's drug policy after being handed down a 50-game suspension on Wednesday.

"I have no one to blame but myself," Mota said in a statement. "I take full responsibility for my actions and accept MLB's suspension. I used extremely poor judgment and deserve to be held accountable." Mota indicated that he expected to resume pitching as soon as the suspension ends next season.

I guess I haven't decided exactly where to place Mota on the continuum of "good guy / bad guy" but I can guarantee you that in my book, he's not quite as far gone as the finger-wagging, shoulder-shrugging standard that we have come to expect in these circumstances (cf. Shawne Merriman, Floyd Landis, Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds, and seemingly countless others).

[wade moore]

I'm with you here.

It's still wrong for sure to take steroids, but it puts you a step up if you can fess up to it in my book.

I'm also much more willing to "forgive" him in his future athletic ventures, vs. a guy like Landis and Bonds who I will just always assume any success is from steroids.

[Kodos]

Well, that's a little refreshing.

[larrymcg421]

I think this can only mean that he was the guy that injected everyone else.

[QuikSand]

Well, that's a little refreshing.

That's probably the best way to put it, in my book.

[Suburban Rhythm]

I guess I haven't decided exactly where to place Mota on the continuum of "good guy / bad guy" but I can guarantee you that in my book, he's not quite as far gone as the finger-wagging, shoulder-shrugging standard that we have come to expect in these circumstances (cf. Shawne Merriman, Floyd Landis, Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds, and seemingly countless others).
What are you talking about? Shawne Merriman took responsibility! Remember, he told us he was--

"Regardless of what happens, I've said from day one that I don't think I did anything wrong, but at the same time, if they found that I did something wrong, I'll take full responsibility for it. I'm not running from anything. Just as my lawyer said, it wasn't nothing intentional. Whatever happens, I just hope it happens for the best."


--right before he filed an appeal saying he didn't do anything! :p

[Ksyrup]

Technically, he hasn't admitted to what he was suspended for. The official release did not say what he was suspended for, unlike previous releases of this nature. There is no official confirmation that he was suspended for a performance-enhancing substance. Under MLB's policy, he could be suspended 50 games for having tested positive for, well, mota!

To me, unless and until this is clarified, his "apology" is no more refreshing than Giambi's was. In both cases, there is no clarification of what they are apologizing for.

[JPhillips]

Now serving a 50 game suspension....

Guillermo Mota

Mota

Mota

[JediKooter]

So it takes someone to point out to Merriman that he did something wrong? Wow, I'm not the smartest man in the universe, but, I can pretty much tell from the start when I've done something wrong and don't need someone to tell me.

If Merriman is struggling that bad with the right/wrong issue we all have dealt with since kindergarden, something tells me that this won't be the last suspension for Merriman.

[JeffW]

So it takes someone to point out to Merriman that he did something wrong? Wow, I'm not the smartest man in the universe, but, I can pretty much tell from the start when I've done something wrong and don't need someone to tell me.

If Merriman is struggling that bad with the right/wrong issue we all have dealt with since kindergarden, something tells me that this won't be the last suspension for Merriman.

Edit: Added quote for context.

I don't know why everyone gets so worked up about steroids in sports. If you could take steroids and thereby make millions of dollars playing professional sports, would you? I would in a heartbeat and I don't think I'd feel any particular moral obligation to admit I did if I were caught--What would I have done wrong other than try to maximize my personal utility?

Also, everyone assumes he's guilty, but for Nandrolone there is a definite possibility of a false positive.

[st.cronin]

I don't know why everyone gets so worked up about steroids in sports. If you could take steroids and thereby make millions of dollars playing professional sports, would you?

Would you break the law to get a promotion? I wouldn't.

[Ksyrup]

Also, everyone assumes he's guilty, but for Nandrolone there is a definite possibility of a false positive.

Everyone assumes he's guilty because he admitted responsibility. For what, we only have unconfirmed reports (which I'm now even more certain was a plan to lessen this story), but it is supposed to be some form of steroid. So yeah, I think we can rely on his admission to support an "assumption of guilt."

My guess is he agreed to drop his appeal in exchange for MLB making a generic suspension announcement without details, so that he could give a Giambi Apology. That way, the whole story has a far better chance of blowing over than if he challenged the test, the specifics were released, and he had to come up with something to say after he lost the appeal. And, thanks to his vague apology, he's actually getting kudos for nothing! Win/win for him and the league, methinks.

[lighthousekeeper]

Would you break the law to get a promotion? I wouldn't.

We're not talking about a simple promotion - we're talking about millions of dollars, loads of hot chicks, and a chance to play games for a living.

[Kodos]

Now serving a 50 game suspension....

Guillermo Mota

Mota

Mota


Echo

Echo

Echo

[Leonidas]

I don't know why everyone gets so worked up about steroids in sports. If you could take steroids and thereby make millions of dollars playing professional sports, would you? I would in a heartbeat and I don't think I'd feel any particular moral obligation to admit I did if I were caught--What would I have done wrong other than try to maximize my personal utility?

Also, everyone assumes he's guilty, but for Nandrolone there is a definite possibility of a false positive.

Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught. ~J.C. Watts

The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out. ~Thomas Babington Macaulay

The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right. ~William Safire

Try not to become a man of success but rather try to become a man of value. ~Albert Einstein

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence. ~Author Unknown


Quality means doing it right when no one is looking. ~Henry Ford

http://www.quotegarden.com/integrity.html

[JeffW]

Everyone assumes he's guilty because he admitted responsibility. For what, we only have unconfirmed reports (which I'm now even more certain was a plan to lessen this story), but it is supposed to be some form of steroid. So yeah, I think we can rely on his admission to support an "assumption of guilt."


He only admitted to taking a supplement that wasn't on the NFL's specific approved list. He tested positive for Nandrolone, which is a natural occuring steroid that is the subject of several false positives in Olympic testing in the last few years. He's dropping the appeal because he doesn't want to miss both the games against Denver and because it's almost impossible to get these suspensions overturned.

[JeffW]

http://www.quotegarden.com/integrity.html

Platitudes prove nothing. The fact is, I doubt many people would turn down a multi-million dollar career if the only thing they had to do was take steroids. If not for millions, then for billions or trillions. We're all whores, some have higher prices.

[Ksyrup]

He only admitted to taking a supplement that wasn't on the NFL's specific approved list. He tested positive for Nandrolone, which is a natural occuring steroid that is the subject of several false positives in Olympic testing in the last few years. He's dropping the appeal because he doesn't want to miss both the games against Denver and because it's almost impossible to get these suspensions overturned.

I thought this thread was about Mota, who took some sort of responsibility?

Crossed wires here...

[JeffW]

I thought this thread was about Mota, who took some sort of responsibility?

Crossed wires here...

I should have quoted--I was replying to the post right before mine about Merriman.

[Leonidas]

Platitudes prove nothing. The fact is, I doubt many people would turn down a multi-million dollar career if the only thing they had to do was take steroids. If not for millions, then for billions or trillions. We're all whores, some have higher prices.I'm sure you are the best person in the world to speak on behalf of yourself, but do not presume to have the ability speak so freely for others.

[JeffW]

I'm sure you are the best person in the world to speak on behalf of yourself, but do not presume to have the ability speak so freely for others.

Okay, here's 1 Billion dollars. All you have to do is take steroids in violation of the NFL substance abuse policy. You turn it down?

[Leonidas]

Okay, here's 1 Billion dollars. All you have to do is take steroids in violation of the NFL substance abuse policy. You turn it down?Yes. If it's a matter of having to make the decision that achieving my own personal best is secondary to blind success merely for success' sake and not because I truly deserved it, then yes I turn it down.

I face this at work every day. I could be the biggest ass kisser in the world (I certainly know how to do it) and sacrifice the quality time I spend with my family all to impress my boss while never really accomplishing anything other than impressing him. I can do as much in an 8 hour day and see my family at night as the next annointed guy on the career ladder stretches into a 12 hour day trying to impress the boss. I've probably achieved the highest position I'll get in this career, and I'm good with that. I could do better, but for what? I make decent money, enough to provide everything my family needs. And I sleep well at night and provide quality time to my children. On my deathbed I'll go down easy knowing I did things the right way and didn't cut corners to make someone else who deep down I loathed happy.

Read some Thoreau man, it might rub off.

[Eaglesfan27]

Jeff, I also think you have to factor in the fact that we don't know the long term risk of these newer steroids and that you are likely shortening your life. I wouldn't give up years of my life just for the money and trappings that come with it when I'm very happy with my life now.

[Ksyrup]

Not to mention, at least some of the guys doing this are already millionaires, so it's not like they're being tempted by millions while eating out of garbage cans. Or even feeding Latrell Sprewell's family.

[dawgfan]

Matt Lawton was also refreshingly honest about his steroid use and bust when questioned about it at the beginning of this season.