Ryan Braun issues his statements (split from previous thread)

[MNBrew]

Eventually he will have to actually talk about this. But the letter is a decent start. Like people have already mentioned MLB could easily refute several of his claims if he is indeed lying again. I really want to believe him, I am just not sure yet.

 

The apology sure is long winded though and I understand why he didn't want to just hold a press conference. At this point it is easier for him to articulate in writing what he is feeling. If he just held a press conference I don't know that he could have gotten the point across that he wanted too. Braun won't be able to hide from the media forever and it would be in his best interest to do it before Day #1 of spring training

^^This, esp. the 2nd paragraph, 2nd & 3rd sentences.

 

I'm guessing that's why it was a written statement. I'm about 10 times more effective expressing myself accurately & concisely in writing than via spoken word. Especially given that that stuff has to be difficult for Braun to own up to, and knowing he'll eventually still get grilled by the media & fans, I could see why it'd be so much easier to get the first word out in the most effective & efficient way possible rather than facing that much more directly the risk of potentially even greater vulnerability, awkwardness, and hostility of a press conference.

 

As much skepticism as is out there now about him, keep in mind that Braun's been thoroughly and publicly shamed, discredited, & humiliated -- to use TH's verbiage the day after the suspension was announced, "annihilated." Braun will still face incredible heat -- and probably justly so. But this gives the media & populace something to chew on -- perhaps taking a wee bit of the edge off -- instead of chewing directly on Braun himself, so to speak, all over again right away.

 

I think his letter to Brewers fans (a la Mark A.'s letters) was also a very wise move.

[mothershipconnection]

But, but, but he OWES us! More, now, with speech, crying, trembling, and Roy Firestone. We need to see his bottom lip quiver. He needs to grovel, and also soil himself. He needs to forfeit all Brewers wins since 2007, reset his career stats to 0, and return all of his lifetime earnings; save for the money he uses to pay for a parade for Matt Kemp and the 2011 Diamondbacks.

 

The only option for Braun is to go to the gates of Bud Selig's house and ask for permission to commit seppuku with a broken baseball bat in Selig's garden while Buster Olney watches. That's what a real man of honor would do, and exactly what every other professional athlete who ever used steroids did. Why should Braun get away with doing less?

[Hitman_Hart]

Eventually he will have to actually talk about this.

 

I would hope that Attanasio would force that, but I don't know. I could very easily see a scenario where Braun disappears until Spring Training, and then gets questioned, and then says "I have made my statement, and don't really have anything else to add."

 

I'd like to be outraged by all the lingering questions I have for Braun, but really, I'm more resigned that he's incapable or unwilling to be fully truthful.

 

 

I think this is the biggest issue here. I don't mean to single you out, but a lot have expressed sentiments similar to this, and the reality is there isn't anything Braun can do or say that will alter the perception of him being a perpetual liar.

 

At this point you either believe him, or you don't.

[502 to Right]

He's not a politician. He doesn't have to answer questions about this if he doesn't want to. From this point forward he can refuse to answer any more questions about PED's and there is nothing anyone can do about it. It's not like his contract can be voided because he refuses to answer questions.

 

In fact, if I was Braun that's exactly what I'd do. Since I'm pretty sure that full disclosure would be far worse than not answering any more questions about this.

[rondoman]

Eventually he will have to actually talk about this. But the letter is a decent start. Like people have already mentioned MLB could easily refute several of his claims if he is indeed lying again. I really want to believe him, I am just not sure yet.

 

The apology sure is long winded though and I understand why he didn't want to just hold a press conference. At this point it is easier for him to articulate in writing what he is feeling. If he just held a press conference I don't know that he could have gotten the point across that he wanted too. Braun won't be able to hide from the media forever and it would be in his best interest to do it before Day #1 of spring training

^^This, esp. the 2nd paragraph, 2nd & 3rd sentences.

 

I'm guessing that's why it was a written statement. I'm about 10 times more effective expressing myself accurately & concisely in writing than via spoken word. Especially given that that stuff has to be difficult for Braun to own up to, and knowing he'll eventually still get grilled by the media & fans, I could see why it'd be so much easier to get the first word out in the most effective & efficient way possible rather than facing that much more directly the risk of potentially even greater vulnerability, awkwardness, and hostility of a press conference.

 

As much skepticism as is out there now about him, keep in mind that Braun's been thoroughly and publicly shamed, discredited, & humiliated -- to use TH's verbiage the day after the suspension was announced, "annihilated." Braun will still face incredible heat -- and probably justly so. But this gives the media & populace something to chew on -- perhaps taking a wee bit of the edge off -- instead of chewing directly on Braun himself, so to speak, all over again right away.

 

I think his letter to Brewers fans (a la Mark A.'s letters) was also a very wise move.

 

Yea like Braun wrote most or any of that himself lmao.

[Fear The Chorizo]

There's more holes than swiss cheese in his statement, but that was probably done craftily so as to not screw himself if/when anything else surfaces. The statement itself only discusses what led to his failed test in 2011 - no denials or admissions of prior PED use, no specifics of who the "3rd party" was that supposedly linked him to Bosch and Biogenesis, etc.

 

He has to realize that if he does have any skeletons in his closet, they are bound to surface now...I've heard all the rumors about scouts or MLB staffers mentioning they've heard he was a notorious juicer and all that stuff - to me he wouldn't have been included by the same baseball writers who now loathe him as one of the games' young stars of the post steroid era a few years back if the college PED rumors were that well known in baseball circles.

 

The proof will be in the pudding - he was tested a ton in 2012 and still put up big #'s...nagging injuries derailed his 2013 season, which has to be the concern longterm as a Brewer fan. If he used PEDs to recover from nagging injuries (something I'd guess a ton of big leaguers still do, and I'm sure Braun did more than in a few instances during 2011, is he going to be able to stay healthy enough to be a quality MLB player for the next 5-6 seasons?

[The stache]

But, but, but he OWES us! More, now, with speech, crying, trembling, and Roy Firestone. We need to see his bottom lip quiver. He needs to grovel, and also soil himself. He needs to forfeit all Brewers wins since 2007, reset his career stats to 0, and return all of his lifetime earnings; save for the money he uses to pay for a parade for Matt Kemp and the 2011 Diamondbacks.

 

The only option for Braun is to go to the gates of Bud Selig's house and ask for permission to commit seppuku with a broken baseball bat in Selig's garden while Buster Olney watches. That's what a real man of honor would do, and exactly what every other professional athlete who ever used steroids did. Why should Braun get away with doing less?

 

[The stache]

Oh good grief, now Bob Costas is pontificating on MLB Network's Braves-Cardinals game. Now my night is complete.

[JimH5]

Eventually he will have to actually talk about this.

 

I would hope that Attanasio would force that, but I don't know. I could very easily see a scenario where Braun disappears until Spring Training, and then gets questioned, and then says "I have made my statement, and don't really have anything else to add."

 

I'd like to be outraged by all the lingering questions I have for Braun, but really, I'm more resigned that he's incapable or unwilling to be fully truthful.

 

 

I think this is the biggest issue here. I don't mean to single you out, but a lot have expressed sentiments similar to this, and the reality is there isn't anything Braun can do or say that will alter the perception of him being a perpetual liar.

 

At this point you either believe him, or you don't.

 

You and others make fine points. I don't think he's a perpetual liar. I just remain unfulfilled by the documents that have been released tonight. There's so much more to the story, and right now, it seems to me that he is still being very guarded in the way he is handling this.

 

I'm not trying to project my own standards of fandom on anyone else, but if he wants to earn me back as a fan, then he needs to let his guard down and answer questions.

 

I don't need to see him weeping, but it might help if he opened himself up to the media.

[502 to Right]

You know what Ryan Braun can do to regain my support? Piss in a cup every day for the rest of his playing career and still put up a .900+ OPS.

 

Talk is meaningless at this point.

[The stache]

 

I don't need to see him weeping, but it might help if he opened himself up to the media.

 

I totally agree.

[NeedMoreFans]

This may have been mentioned before, so apologies if I'm repeating.

 

Yes, there is a lot to the story he left out. However, he included enough info that if there is something untruthful in his statement, a lot of people can come out and call him out on it. If he used PEDs longer than he claims, someone (other than the guy filing the lawsuit) will point that out. He has lied a lot in this whole saga, and I understand why people are skeptical, but just wait it out for a few days/weeks to see if even more details emerge that he missed out on before passing judgement.

[jerichoholicninja]

Seems like a pretty weak "apology" but I don't know if I could care any less. It doesn't matter what Braun does or says nothing will change people's opinion of him. The media will continue to berate him. The fans here that support him will continue to support him and those that don't will still hate him.

 

Can we all just move on to something else now? This story has just been spinning in a circle since Braun was suspended.

[burnzy24]

I'm not trying to project my own standards of fandom on anyone else, but if he wants to earn me back as a fan, then he needs to let his guard down and answer questions.

 

I don't need to see him weeping, but it might help if he opened himself up to the media.

 

 

Just a thought, but has any of the other suspended players sat down for an interview? I have only heard of some issuing statements. If not, it may be a sign that MLB is still controlling what the players can say and how they can say it until after the A-Rod saga has ended. If Braun did sit down for an interview, he might be asked a question about something MLB doesn't want him answering quite yet.

[502 to Right]

If he used PEDs longer than he claims, someone (other than the guy filing the lawsuit) will point that out.

 

So who came out of the woodwork in 2012 to call him out for lying? He said he was 100% innocent.

[JimH5]

I'm not trying to project my own standards of fandom on anyone else, but if he wants to earn me back as a fan, then he needs to let his guard down and answer questions.

 

I don't need to see him weeping, but it might help if he opened himself up to the media.

 

 

Just a thought, but has any of the other suspended players sat down for an interview? I have only heard of some issuing statements. If not, it may be a sign that MLB is still controlling what the players can say and how they can say it until after the A-Rod saga has ended. If Braun did sit down for an interview, he might be asked a question about something MLB doesn't want him answering quite yet.

 

I guess it's possible--but I think Braun's case is done, and he should be free to discuss his own case and rightly deflect anything that would impact another player's case.

 

I don't think any others have faced live questions, though Braun's case is pretty unique in that he has been very public in his defense. Trenni's tweet, cited earlier on here tonight was right on the mark. He should be as public in his admission.

[SoupTown]

What else can he say verbally? The statement covers all angles

 

Did you use outside of the scenario you described? No

Did you use in the scenario you described? Yes

 

Did you use in college? No

 

Why did your profess your innocence? It was a really bad mistake on my part to think I somehow did nothing wrong. I now know I did wrong.

 

We can go on and on. But any possible question that one can raise is covered in the statement.

[jimmyjeromehardy7]

General question to all the doubters out there - So until Braun apologies to everything you speculate that he may have been doing, he is still lying in your eyes. Just want to make sure I understand your position correctly. Thanks.

[502 to Right]

General question to all the doubters out there - So until Braun apologies to everything you speculate that he may have been doing, he is still lying in your eyes. Just want to make sure I understand your position correctly. Thanks.

 

 

I don't trust a single word the guy says. So to answer your question: yes. If you want to believe him that's your business.

[ilikewisco]

General question to all the doubters out there - So until Braun apologies to everything you speculate that he may have been doing, he is still lying in your eyes. Just want to make sure I understand your position correctly. Thanks.

 

All I care about is what he does at the plate next year. If he's back to his MVP self, that is good enough for me to take him at his word. If not, I'll always feel he wasn't completely truthful about his use. If he is putting up big numbers and there is no more rumors every other month, he has convinced me. Until then I will still be skeptical.

 

Edit: I would feel this way if he made this statement in a live presser or to my face. He's obviously a good liar.

[SRB]

I've noticed that the reason people give for why they are "angry" at Ryan Braun changes so that they are perpetually angry at Ryan Braun. First it's because he was being "selfish," except he was taking banned substances in 2011 (when he had a guaranteed lifetime contract that he would earn sitting on the bench, mind you) to stay on the field and help the Brewers make the postseason. Nevermind that, then it became because he lied and refused to take responsibility for his actions. Now he did that, so it's because he didn't give a live press conference or look you in the eyes or something? Come on, it's becoming comical.

 

Braun owes you absolutely nothing (and owes even less the the media).

[ilikewisco]

I've noticed that the reason people give for why they are "angry" at Ryan Braun changes so that they are perpetually angry at Ryan Braun.

 

And some people just need new angles to defend him when their original stance proves wrong.

[jerichoholicninja]

Braun owes you absolutely nothing (and owes even less the the media).

 

Couldn't agree more. He's serving his punishment. Time to move on.

[rondoman]

SRB you don't and most likely never will get it.

 

You're the guy who thought Braun was innocent AFTER he accepted his suspension now that was truly comical.

[SRB]

SRB you don't and most likely never will get it.

 

You're the guy who thought Braun was innocent AFTER he accepted his suspension now that was truly comical.

 

I never said I believed he was innocent. I said I wouldn't claim to know either way until there was actual evidence on the table (such as an explicit statement like the one he made today), because a coerced suspension is not evidence of anything.

 

I think the way A-Rod is being treated pretty much proved/proves my point. Clearly A-Rod believes there is insufficient evidence that he took anything illegal, so assuming Braun had been in the same situation and had not actually taken anything, do you think he would want to be in the position A-Rod is in right now? A-Rod is nearing the end of his career and has earned hundreds of millions of dollars, he can't afford to take a stand against MLB. Braun couldn't, so he accepted a suspension without even seeing the evidence they had on him - but it's the coercive threat of MLB that made him do that, not his actual guilt.

 

Sorry that I don't "get it" though, and that I am primarily interested in watching baseball and rooting for the franchise player for the Milwaukee Brewers, rather than getting caught up in a manufactured moral controversy about "cheating" (which curiously doesn't exist for the NFL/Packers or any other sport...) coming straight from ESPN.