[MLB] Giambi excused from testifying in Congress

[Steffan]

Jason Giambi, Frank Thomas, and Rafael Palmerio were all looking to be excused from testifying before Congress about steroid use in baseball. Only Giambi was excused from the hearings. Bud Selig, Rob Manfred, Sandy Alderson, Donald Fehr, Jose Canseco, and Curt Schilling will comply with their subponenas. Its still uknown if Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, and Rafael Palmerio will comply with their subponenas or not.

Source: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2014024

[....]

Why is congress even doing this if they aren't going to have the balls to supeaona the known offenders? Giambi and Bonds not asked to testify. Unbelieveable.

[AppleDave Veteran]

You want to know why congress is conducting these investigations? They want you to think they care about America's past-time, but they dont.

[Ayepecks]

So... I don't really want to make a whole new topic, so let's just talk about the congressional hearing here.

What'd everyone think? Canseco is a stinkin' lying coward. I'm not sure what to think of Big Mac... I never thought I'd say it, but I think he did take steroids. I don't think it's an obvious thing now (though some people will claim it is) just because he chose the fifth, but still... it doesn't look good.

I think Sosa was a bit timit, too... he may have just not liked the situation, but it sure seemed like he was lying or either really embarassed about something.

[bigbluepride35]

The whole thing was a JOKE!!! The committee didn't uncover anyhting new at all. It was a big show put on to make people think they really care when all they want is to get their names out there to their constituents. I mean half of Sosa's answers were "I don't know" or "that's not up to me." They let Giambi, who's the one person who admitted anything, be excused. All they accomplished today was making McGwire look AWFUL and making themselves look awful because they didn't ask any worthwhile questions or get substantial answers whn they tried. It was a joke. And as sorry as I feel for those families who lost kids to steroids, what are you retarded? These parents are saying they knew nothing about theyre kids' usage until it was too late? You didnt realize your sons gaining 20 lbs of muscle mass as something possibly unnatural? I mean I'm not excusing the players in ANY way but i hate scapegoat-ism. The players didnt give the kids the drugs. If anyhting go after their coaches/trainers and look at yourselves. We've known the negative effects of steroids for a LONG time. It's not like anything learned today or said was really anything new. O and Bud Selig's an *ss. You want to make a stand? Call the people you should. Not players who either probably haven't used them (Schilling) or players who are already done. Name one of thsoe guys there today who's a star today and suspected?

[christracy]

So... I don't really want to make a whole new topic, so let's just talk about the congressional hearing here.

What'd everyone think? Canseco is a stinkin' lying coward. I'm not sure what to think of Big Mac... I never thought I'd say it, but I think he did take steroids. I don't think it's an obvious thing now (though some people will claim it is) just because he chose the fifth, but still... it doesn't look good.

I think Sosa was a bit timit, too... he may have just not liked the situation, but it sure seemed like he was lying or either really embarassed about something.

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canseco: a rat plain and simple. he was the equivalent to a scab in labor union circles. he looked pretty ignorant when he was reading his statement but thats beside the point. i think he blow the lid off the whole thing and thats all.

mcgqwire: coward/hiding. not wanting to talk about the past? then why the hell did he show up then? it was obvious his as well as everyone's past was gonna come up. as far as im concerned he is just as guilty as canseco unless he can come out and say definitively he did or didn't do it. its a simple question and he wont give a simple answer to it because he wants to talk aobut the present and future which is a load of ****.

sosa: hid behind the second language barrier very well. do i think he did? no idea but do i assume he didnt? no way. he's just being a slick willie and acting like he doesnt have the cognitive skills to comprehend.

schilling: policitan about the whole thing. very diplomatic in his answers, not betraying his union but not letting the users get away without some degree of ridicule.

thomas: he said nothing other than his statement.

palmerio: defiant but i think he said what he wanted to say but he was much like schilling in his middle of the road stance.

as a whole i think that it wasnt a sham but it wasnt as hard hitting as we'd like. too bad that they werent or cant be forced to tell the truth as if they did or took steroids but so is the law. mcgwire made out the worse in the whole thing. the constant, "don't want to talk about the past" and "want to be positive" were just cop outs and not anything like what he persona has been in the past.

[Ayepecks]

McGwire showed up because he had to. He was ordered by congress.

I was very impressed with Schilling. He wasn't a jerk about anything, but he obviously thought some of the questions were utterly stupid. He didn't compromise his integrity, he defended his fellow players, and best of all -- he called Canseco out. Sweet.

And, bigblue, I agree with you completely... congress just wanted to be on TV is what it came down to. The same questions were asked numerous times, and the other amount of the time they were saying how they grew up watching baseball when their favorite player was [insert name here]... yadayadayada... so what?! Everyone grows up watching baseball in America, for the most part.

I found it absolutely amazing that they kept trying to get McGwire to state something, too. While I would have liked for him to, they did not need to push that subject at ALL. Can you say "publicity craving"? That was NOT what the hearing was supposed to focus on, but numerous members made it their place to try and get him to come out and admit or deny anything.

I also thought it was amazing some of the questions they asked to the wrong people... people that would have no information at all on the matter. Such as in the first panel when they asked the MLB Medical-whatever about the legal logistics of the situation. Hello?! He's not a lawyer! Then when he responded honestly they got mad. Well what the heck did you expect? ASK SOME GOOD QUESTIONS! That'd be like me asking congress a trig question -- they're politicians, it would be asinine.