With MLB Network and Bob Costas leading a special report and sit-down interview, and with a timely special report on ESPN, former home run king Mark McGwire was all over TV on Monday night in the aftermath of his admission that he used steroids during his career.Unfortunately for McGwire, the fairly friendly interview (with Costas throwing necessary but soft questions), did little to make the former player seem eminently more appealing or likeable through an hour of time with Costas.
At the same time, ESPN's brief special report, with Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic behind the "SportsCenter" desk, packed an informative punch into 15 minutes. Most notably, ESPN focused on McGwire's comments that he has long wanted to get the steroid admission off his chest. Its reports (thanks to T.J. Quinn) put that in context by pointing out that any legal implications for McGwire ended in 2006 -- so he has had three years since to get the pressing issue public.
During the first half of the sit-down with Costas, a sensible and strong interviewer, McGwire came off less likable or revealing than WWE boss Vince McMahon, with whom Costas had conducted an infamously contentious set of interviews in 2001 and 2002 part of his "Inside Sports" series on HBO.
In fact, one of the most striking aspects of the interview was the deferential, soft tone Costas took with McGwire -- again, in stark contrast to the things he did with McMahon in part on a strikingly similar topic (drugs) in regard to pro wrestling.
For example, McGwire seemed silly, saying his family never asked, ever, during his career about drug use. Really? Nobody ever? He said his wife, mom, dad and 20-year-old son did not know until he told them Sunday. Just hard to believe.
He was asked if he ever talked about steroids in the locker room as a player.
"I hid it," McGwire said. "I never talked about it. If I ever did, which I don't remember, I walked the other way."
There was also this, proving he just did not get the implications of his actions ...
Costas: "Do you view your accomplishments as authentic?"
McGwire: "Authentic in what way?"
How could he not know what Costas meant? Plus, McGwire consistently said he took steroids only to help with injuries and that his hand-eye coordination and God-given talent were the keys to his success.
Perhaps McGwire's most honest comments were that he was shy, and he was clearly uncomfortable at times with Costas, who was painfully kind and soft in the interview.
Costas: "How much does the Hall of Fame matter to you?"
McGwire: "First of all, I'm not doing this for the Hall of Fame. I'm doing this for me."
McGwire had some nice talking points, such as that, to lean on during the interview, but he remained steadfast to some illogical things. Again, he consistently tried to disconnect performance from taking performance-enhancing drugs, and he bristled at one point when Costas asked about him begin in exile after his retirement.
McGwire: "I was not in exile. I retired. I moved on with my life. Baseball was just another chapter in my life. Now I'm excited to start another chapter as a hitting coach.
"I'm asking for a second chance. I hope to get it. I have a whole Roledex of things I want to teach hitters. It's been a passion of mine and it came to a head this last October when Tony sent me a text and asked me to be the hitting coach."
Still, McGwire's admission Monday, perhaps as a potential one-time-only effort do quell the furor that will follow the St. Louis Cardinals with him as their hitting coach, did not work well.
Even Costas, who returned to MLB Network after the interview, took the former hitter to task and lashed out with his own doubts ("nobody, nobody hits 70 home runs who is not juiced"). While he should've done more of that, tactfully, in the interview, his doubt was the common threat for many who heard the interview.
Both MLB Network's Tom Verducci and Ken Rosenthal agreed.
"This shoud've been a great day for Mark McGwire, but he blew it," Rosenthal said. "People are not going to believe there's no link between taking performance enhancing drugs and performance. I have a really hard time believing the average fan is going to watch this and say ... let's start anew."