ESPN's Long Gone Summer 30 for 30 - McGwire vs Sosa

[QueenCityGator]

I was a teenager back then and remembered watching the games if they were on national TV. I won't forget being so excited to receive my weekly Sports Illustrated which covered the race.

I enjoyed the show. It wasn't too "dramatic" because it seemed inevitable that the record would be broken that year, plus McGwire and Sosa were friends and not enemies. They saved the steroid talk to the end, which I think was wise so that it did not cloud over the joy most fans experienced during that season. It was funny to see even back then that the Marlins were a laughingstock.

Name and town if you wish to opine.

 

[Gatordiddy]

I was a teenager back then and remembered watching the games if they were on national TV. I won't forget being so excited to receive my weekly Sports Illustrated which covered the race.

I enjoyed the show. It wasn't too "dramatic" because it seemed inevitable that the record would be broken that year, plus McGwire and Sosa were friends and not enemies. They saved the steroid talk to the end, which I think was wise so that it did not cloud over the joy most fans experienced during that season. It was funny to see even back then that the Marlins were a laughingstock.

Name and town if you wish to opine.

I had read where the guy who caught the 70th HR ball was offered a signed jersey and a bat in exchange for the ball. He countered... and I want to meet McGwire. McGwire declined.
Guy sold the ball for $3 million... f*ck McGwire, Sosa and Bonds*

Yes... that is an asterisk above Bonds name... you know why.

And I'll just leave the latest photo of Sosa right here.

'roids are a hell of a drug

 

[Double Gator Dad]

So we won’t watch the Lance Armstrong 30 for 30 because he was a cheater but we will watch the Sosa and McGwire 30 for 30 even though they were cheaters?..........yeah, that makes sense

 

[Double Gator Dad]

I was a teenager back then and remembered watching the games if they were on national TV. I won't forget being so excited to receive my weekly Sports Illustrated which covered the race.

I enjoyed the show. It wasn't too "dramatic" because it seemed inevitable that the record would be broken that year, plus McGwire and Sosa were friends and not enemies. They saved the steroid talk to the end, which I think was wise so that it did not cloud over the joy most fans experienced during that season. It was funny to see even back then that the Marlins were a laughingstock.

Name and town if you wish to opine.

I moved away from the “Queen City” two years ago.
I feel for you buddy

 

[QueenCityGator]

So we won’t watch the Lance Armstrong 30 for 30 because he was a cheater but we will watch the Sosa and McGwire 30 for 30 even though they were cheaters?..........yeah, that makes sense

That summer was unforgettable for many sports fans. Lance was just someone who dated Sheryl Crow and appeared in Dodgeball.

 

[QueenCityGator]

I had read where the guy who caught the 70th HR ball was offered a signed jersey and a bat in exchange for the ball. He countered... and I want to meet McGwire. McGwire declined.
Guy sold the ball for $3 million... f*ck McGwire, Sosa and Bonds*

Yes... that is an asterisk above Bonds name... you know why.

And I'll just leave the latest photo of Sosa right here.

'roids are a hell of a drug

Michael Jackson syndrome

 

[Gatordiddy]

Michael Jackson syndrome

haha...yeah, but I guess Sammy still has his nose, so there's that.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

That summer was unforgettable for many sports fans. Lance was just someone who dated Sheryl Crow and appeared in Dodgeball.

It was one summer when everyone knew they were juiced up and that it was all phony and most people pretended like it was real.

I chose not to denigrate the real homerun leaders (Aaron and Maris) for some pretend stars complements of science.

You were young and impressionable so I wouldn’t expect you to see it for what it really was

 

[Gatormac2112]

I was a big Mcgwire fan, followed him from his rookie season, through his troubled years in the early 90’s when he couldnt hit the broad side of a barn, to his resurgence in the mid to late 90’s.

Gatormac2112 was my nickname back long before Gatorchatter and even before our days at Gatorsports. It was a combination of my 3 most favorite things: Gator + Mac + 2112, the Gators, Big Mac and Rush.

I was stupid to have been excited in 1998 and should have known it too good to be true. I havent watched a baseball game since McGwires shameful exit, and I used to watch every night. I just cant bring myself to care after being fooled like that.

 

[maheo30]

It was one summer when everyone knew they were juiced up and that it was all phony and most people pretended like it was real.

I chose not to denigrate the real homerun leaders (Aaron and Maris) for some pretend stars complements of science.

You were young and impressionable so I wouldn’t expect you to see it for what it really was

Same here. I didn't get caught up in it because I knew it was as fake as can be. And there is little doubt that June 3, 2003 wasn't the first time Sosa had used a corked bat. He was a cheater through and through.

 

[MJMGator]

You friggin purists kill me. That was a great HR race and I give no fcks if they were shooting up between each at bat. One of the funnest baseball seasons and only a liar would say otherwise.

 

[QueenCityGator]

You friggin purists kill me. That was a great HR race and I give no fcks if they were shooting up between each at bat. One of the funnest baseball seasons and only a liar would say otherwise.

Agree, it’s not like steroids turned them from crappy to great players. Only difference steroids made was adding a few extra feet to their home runs.

 

[soflagator]

Thread title should be changed to just “Mark”.

 

[Gatorbait25]

Never really cared for either player . Both were great sluggers but not hitters . Barry , Griffey and tony were were all superior hitters and far more
talented in my opinion.

 

[Pablos Tunnel]

I had read where the guy who caught the 70th HR ball was offered a signed jersey and a bat in exchange for the ball. He countered... and I want to meet McGwire. McGwire declined.
Guy sold the ball for $3 million... f*ck McGwire, Sosa and Bonds*

Yes... that is an asterisk above Bonds name... you know why.

And I'll just leave the latest photo of Sosa right here.

'roids are a hell of a drug

agree....scumbags

 

[divits]

Agree, it’s not like steroids turned them from crappy to great players. Only difference steroids made was adding a few extra feet to their home runs.

Yeah, I don't think you know how steroids work.

 

[PCGatorAlum]

Agree, it’s not like steroids turned them from crappy to great players. Only difference steroids made was adding a few extra feet to their home runs.

Well that few extra feet would have kept McGwire from hitting his 70th

 

[maheo30]

Agree, it’s not like steroids turned them from crappy to great players. Only difference steroids made was adding a few extra feet to their home runs.

I assume you are just talking about McGwire and Sosa. As I said though, I highly doubt June 3, 2003 was the only time Sosa used a corked bat. His stats are complete garbage.

As for steroid usage giving players huge stat boosts, former Orioles outfielder Brady Anderson says hello. When was he on roids? Take a guess? There are a number of examples where players never hit over 20 homeruns. Suddenly, they hit 45-50 for a couple of years and then drop back to their norms. Ken Caminiti admitted to using roids in 1996. Notice the stat boost. He returned to normal after that too.

 

[divits]

The effects of steroids are evident and wide ranging. They can effect all aspects of an athlete's performance from recovery, to oxygenation to hairstyles and sexual identity.

 

[Bushmaster]

I think Maguire hit over 40 homers as a rookie.

Bonds stature took a drastic change from Pittsburgh to SF. Due was juicing big time. I think most of these guys were juicing as well.