"Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Rafael Palmeiro and I am a professional baseball player. I'll be brief in my remarks today. Let me start by telling you this: I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that. Never."
And now this.....
Palmeiro Tests Positive
cnnsi.com-Rafael Palmeiro, who last month became the fourth member of baseball's 3,000-hit, 500-home run club, has been suspended for violating baseball's drug-testing plan, SI.com's Tom Verducci has confirmed.
In a prepared statement, Palmeiro said he could not explain how the steroids got into his body. "I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period," he said.
Yeah right. Don't believe a word he says. He's just the latest in an endless string of big league ball players busted juicing up and then trying to twist the facts by claiming they didn't know what they were taking (the 'Barry Bonds Defense').
Back in February Jason Giambi issued a bizarre apology, yet refused to indicate exactly what he was apologizing for. Even Sen. John "I Voted For It Before I Voted Against It" Kerry was impressed with Jason. Then Giambi's NY Yankee teammate Gary Sheffield admits to using a "testosterone cream" he got from Barry Bonds to help his knee heal up. Turns out it was steroids, what a shocker. But guess what? He didn't know what it was at the time.
And then of course we have the big fish, Barry Bonds, homerun champ and admitted steroid user. You guessed it, he didn't know what they were at the time.
It seems the only guy to come straight with the American public has been Jose Canseco. Yes I know he ratted out teammates and yes I know he had a book to sell, but at least he faced the situation like a man. And he didn't need to test positive to finally fess up. (Note: He actually fingered Palmeiro as a fellow cheater in his book "Juiced").
Maybe Jose Canseco isn't the greedy, moronic rat some thought he was. Maybe just a greedy rat.