Schilling on Giambi and the Steroid Scandal

"I'd like to see all those guys that are making this same mistake caught,
and come clean. The ones we all know have done it but are awaiting
the last piece of the puzzle, public admittance."

12.4.04 -- Boston Dirt Dogs Exclusive: Many of you wrote in about the comments Curt Schilling made before last night's SI Sportsman of the Year party regarding the Jason Giambi steroid situation. On several Boston television news outlets, Curt called Giambi a "stand-up guy" for coming forward about his steroid use and said he was "proud of him" and hoped he would now be able to turn his life around. As you know, Giambi lied to the world and his confession was only exposed via his federal grand jury testimony, which was given two months prior to his public denials.

"I was traveling all day yesterday," Schilling said. "I had no idea what had 'come out.' I was told he came clean yesterday by the media member asking me the question.

"I found out this morning (Friday) that that was not the case at all. Jason is a friend of mine, and I know him well enough to know he's a good person, with a HUGE heart. He made a mistake. I pray he doesn't pay for that mistake with his life considering the repercussions of using steroids. I hope he can move forward and re-establish himself as the great player he was prior to all this.

"Hey, we all make mistakes, some bigger some smaller, but the bottom line is we all screw up. I don't think any less of him as a man or a friend now, the same way I didn't think those things about Ken (Caminiti) when he went public with his problems. Does it hurt the game? Sure it does and for that I feel horrible, but as a player and a friend I want to see Jason get healthy and get his life back first. Then I'd like to see all those guys that are making this same mistake caught, and come clean. The ones we all know have done it but are awaiting the last piece of the puzzle, public admittance.

"As a player I will side with the union on any program that supports a more stringent policy, but at the same time is done within the framework of our constitutional rights. I don't want someone knocking on my door Christmas morning asking me to pee in a cup, but I am all for something stricter, something that will assure the players we are all on a level playing field, and the fans that the game they are watching is pure on the field and off."

Cheating: Our National Pastime | A member of the Nation responds to Curt

Victor Conte said on ABC's 20/20 last night that "the baseball (steroid testing) program is a joke. More than 50% of the players are using steroids, and 80% of them are using stimulants before games." Jose Canseco said on WEEI's Big Show Thursday that his forthcoming book "Juice" (now due out in April) "will turn the baseball world on its ass"... but "you have to read the book" to get ANY info out of the former Bash Brother.