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Explain your reasoning and what you would do if McGwire showed up....
From bernie's bits...
From bernie's bits...
Bernie Bits: Will McGwire attend Busch farewell bash?
By Bernie Miklasz
Of the Post-Dispatch
08/12/2005
The Cardinals are inviting at least 100 former players to take part in festivities in the final weekend of regular season baseball at Busch Stadium, Sept. 30-Oct. 2.
The team would like Mark McGwire to attend, but there's been no answer from Big Mac.
McGwire previously declined to return to Busch to tear down the No. 25 banner as part of the final-season countdown.
McGwire lives with his wife and children in Southern California, and he's maintained a low-key profile in his retirement. But McGwire has been even more withdrawn during baseball's raging controversy over steroids and in the aftermath of accusations that he used them. McGwire further damaged his image in March with his weak performance while testifying before a congressional subcommittee.
Manager Tony La Russa staunchly defended McGwire after Jose Canseco leveled steroids allegations against McGwire in the book "Juiced." La Russa was disappointed when McGwire failed to defend himself when questioned by Congress.
But La Russa and McGwire remain friendly. La Russa and general manager Walt Jocketty dined with McGwire when the Cardinals visited Los Angeles in the final weekend of July. La Russa didn't pressure McGwire to return to Busch for the final weekend.
"It was good to see him," La Russa told Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold. "It was a group of friends getting together for dinner. He was interested in how well the Cardinals were doing. The topic of him coming to remove the number or visiting Busch for the going away weekend didn't come up because it was just friends getting together for dinner."
If McGwire opts to come back, it will be interesting to see how he'll be received by Cardinals fans who applauded him during his 70-homer season in 1998.
Earlier this week while hosting a show on KMOX radio, I asked fans how they'd respond to McGwire if he visited Busch. I was surprised by the anti-McGwire hostility from some callers who openly announced their intentions to boo him as loudly as possible. McGwire did, however, receive supportive calls from fans.
Chances are that if McGwire makes that final appearance at Busch Stadium - the scenes of his greatest baseball triumphs - 1998 will seem light years away.
Would fans cut McGwire some slack by choosing to remember the good times, including McGwire's charitable deeds on behalf of abused children?
Or after being stained by steroid suspicions, is he now a villain?
It's amazing how things can change.
By Bernie Miklasz
Of the Post-Dispatch
08/12/2005
The Cardinals are inviting at least 100 former players to take part in festivities in the final weekend of regular season baseball at Busch Stadium, Sept. 30-Oct. 2.
The team would like Mark McGwire to attend, but there's been no answer from Big Mac.
McGwire previously declined to return to Busch to tear down the No. 25 banner as part of the final-season countdown.
McGwire lives with his wife and children in Southern California, and he's maintained a low-key profile in his retirement. But McGwire has been even more withdrawn during baseball's raging controversy over steroids and in the aftermath of accusations that he used them. McGwire further damaged his image in March with his weak performance while testifying before a congressional subcommittee.
Manager Tony La Russa staunchly defended McGwire after Jose Canseco leveled steroids allegations against McGwire in the book "Juiced." La Russa was disappointed when McGwire failed to defend himself when questioned by Congress.
But La Russa and McGwire remain friendly. La Russa and general manager Walt Jocketty dined with McGwire when the Cardinals visited Los Angeles in the final weekend of July. La Russa didn't pressure McGwire to return to Busch for the final weekend.
"It was good to see him," La Russa told Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold. "It was a group of friends getting together for dinner. He was interested in how well the Cardinals were doing. The topic of him coming to remove the number or visiting Busch for the going away weekend didn't come up because it was just friends getting together for dinner."
If McGwire opts to come back, it will be interesting to see how he'll be received by Cardinals fans who applauded him during his 70-homer season in 1998.
Earlier this week while hosting a show on KMOX radio, I asked fans how they'd respond to McGwire if he visited Busch. I was surprised by the anti-McGwire hostility from some callers who openly announced their intentions to boo him as loudly as possible. McGwire did, however, receive supportive calls from fans.
Chances are that if McGwire makes that final appearance at Busch Stadium - the scenes of his greatest baseball triumphs - 1998 will seem light years away.
Would fans cut McGwire some slack by choosing to remember the good times, including McGwire's charitable deeds on behalf of abused children?
Or after being stained by steroid suspicions, is he now a villain?
It's amazing how things can change.
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