Rafael Palmeiro: Steroids Using Liar

While my inclination was to take Rafael Palmeiro at his word that he did not intentionally take steroids but rather tested positive because of careless use of supplements, I agree with Steven Taylor that this morning’s revelations that the drug in question was Stanozolol, a hard-core steroid not found in anything you’d find at GNC, pretty much ends his credibility on the subject. It’s a shame. Palmeiro is almost universally thought of as a “good guy” and the fact that he doesn’t look like a bodybuilder made it easy to dismiss allegations from the likes of Jose Canseco.

A shame.

FILED UNDER: Sports,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Larry says:

    James, you’ve hit it right on the head. When the story first broke yesterday, I was still ready to defend Raffy to the bitter end. I was looking for any possible reason as to how he could have failed the test.

    With today’s news, my hopes are dashed and Palmeiro has fallen far in my view. What an utter and total shame.

  2. ALS says:

    Haven’t we learned? It’s always the ones “who doth protest too much” that are lying.

    Remember: “I did NOT have sex with that woman…”

    I was suspicious of him with the way he pointed a finger at the congressmen and insisted that he “NEVER” used steroids. Been suspicious ever since.

    I’m so disgusted how athletes continue to let the fans (i.e. the people who have made them millionaires) down time after time.

  3. So when will be be prosecuted for lying to Congress?

  4. Well, Winstrol certainly isn’t in over-the-counter supplements. It is in creams that can be absorbed through the skin and pills, not just injectable, so I wouldn’t rush to an irrevocable conclusion just yet. The circumstances surrounding his arbitration sound intriguing, but it would be up to him to disprove your implications by revealing details, certainly.

  5. I was suspicious of him with the way he pointed a finger at the congressmen and insisted that he “NEVER” used steroids. Been suspicious ever since.

    Well, that’s sort of an asinine way to suspect guilt, now isn’t it?

  6. ICallMasICM says:

    I hate to say I told you so….well not really.

  7. ALS says:

    Well, that’s sort of an asinine way to suspect guilt, now isn’t it?

    Call it a gut feeling or woman’s intuition… Watching his testimony, and the overly-animated way he professed his innocence, I just suspected he was full of it.

    And given the fact that he has popped hot, looks like my suspicions of guilt were correct.

    I’m just a regular citizen, bub. I can “suspect” all I want. I’m not a prosecutor using it as a basis to bring charges, so get over yourself.

  8. Anderson says:

    Obviously, Palmeiro’s steroid use can only be explained by Intelligent Design.

  9. Bill from INDC says:

    I’m just a regular citizen, bub. I can “suspect” all I want. I’m not a prosecutor using it as a basis to bring charges, so get over yourself.

    Right. I certainly was hoping that you weren’t some sort of Federal prosecutor. But even as a citizen, I humorously picture you sitting in front of your television, watching someone deny a crime vigorously, shouting “I bet he did it! Anyone that vigorously denies MUST be guilty! I can SMELL it!”

  10. ALS says:

    But even as a citizen, I humorously picture you sitting in front of your television, watching someone deny a crime vigorously, shouting “I bet he did it! Anyone that vigorously denies MUST be guilty! I can SMELL it!”

    I’m sorry, Bill, have we met?

    Actually, after watching about 30 minutes of it on C-SPAN, I mused to my husband: “They’re all on the juice. This “testimony” is a joke. Hand me the remote.”

  11. Mike says:

    Enough already, throw out any rights these players have (they are obviously above the law anyway) and test them all in a live TV lineup!!! This will generate billions of TV revenue to help fight the spead of steroids throughout the country and rid the game of cheaters once and for all!!!

  12. aleksander says:

    I played pro soccer for severla years here in the states, canada and europe. One of my soccer trips took me to the beautiful city of Baltimore. I took an early morning run through the streets of downtown and was fortunate enough to run by one of the nicest ballparks I have ever seen. It was great to see all the plaques of homeruns that landed on the ground from the likes of Ripken, Anderson, and what was one of my hero’s Rafa Palmeiro. It was disturbing to see him infront of congress pointing at senators telling them “I have never used steroids”. I started to think is this his secret to playing consistently over all these years. I do not think a ten day suspension is sufficient for this crime. More than likely he has been cheating for years. What is ten days going to do other than having him empty his pockets for loose change to pay the fine. If these players have nothing to hide they should be tested at random before every game. If you test positive they should be banned for years and even life. Is Rafael Palmeiro going to be in the Hall Fame one day as I envisioned. I hope not as for now I have to tell my son that one of his hero’s is nothing but a liar, a cheater, and a disgrace to the beautiful game of baseball.