Where's The Brotherly Love??

I fully understand that I am an idealist and as such I can sometimes be accused of being a bit naive. I may look at situations and see the issues that most of us miss, but I assure you, I ignore nothing.

Last week I made the best case I possibly could for Mark McGwire's Hall-of-Fame vote. It's not easy with all of the speculation surrounding him, but instead of denying that he took steroids (because I have no idea if he did or didn't) I tried to analyze what is and is not a legitimate reason for voting someone into the Hall-of-Fame. I pointed out that we are not criminal investigators and even though we think we may know everything about a steroid user, I don't think we've even scratched the surface.

As much as I love baseball, I am willing to let a one or two time steroid user off the hook; even if that steroid user is a legend or a potential "Hall-of-Famer." Most of us writing about sports will never understand what it's like to compete at that level and I don't think anyone who doesn't has the right to call any of them cheaters. Sometimes professional athletes resort to drastic measures and make mistakes. They're not perfect just like we aren't perfect, and I don't think its right to hold them to such impossible standards.

That aside, I think I did a pretty good job. I may not have changed anyone's minds about the slugger but at least I made my case and I got my point across.

What more could a writer ask for?

This morning, however, I wake up at a crisp 7:45AM to a SportsCenter report that Mark McGwire's brother, Jay, is trying to publish a book about Mark's alleged steroid/HGH use. Needless to say, the brothers are not on speaking terms.

It's times like this, I am glad I do not have a brother. Sisters are better anyway. (She's mine!)

My family comes from a town which has been aptly named "The City of Brotherly Love." Growing up, I was always taught it was unforgivable to do something negative to your family. We fight just like every family fights but it has never resulted in anything beyond a week or two of the cold shoulder.

Jay McGwire should be absolutely ashamed of himself for so many reasons right now, I don't think there is enough room on the MLBlogosphere for me to write it all.

First of all, he is following in Jose Canseco's footsteps as a whistle-blower (they're not worthy of being called 'authors') who just wants some money. So they publish a collection of pages bound together (they're not worthy of being called 'books' either) that basically point fingers in every direction until someone end up getting a phone call from congress.

Second of all, the fingers are all pointed directly at his brother Mark.

I understand, Jay, that you might be a little bit jealous of your bigger bro. After all, he had a career and no one even heard of you until this morning. I know I didn't. But that's no reason to play the blame game and basically destroy what was left of your brother's image.

I don't know the degree of validity Jay McGwire's accusations have and I don't care. If they are proven true, I don't really have a leg to stand on when I argue for his Hall-of-Fame vote other than '1998 saved baseball,' but that isn't much. If they are proven false then it confirms that people will do absolutely anything for a quick buck, even if it means tarnishing the reputation of your own brother,

Either way, Jay McGwire committed a crime that even some of the worst serial killers wouldn't do.