Ryan Braun issues his statements (split from previous thread)

[BruisedCrew]

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.

 

The most unique thing about Braun's case, as compared to the other suspended players, and any other athlete that I know of for that matter, is that it leaked out that he had a positive drug test. From there on, he was FORCED to either make a public defense or throw in the towel and give up his appeal. And, when he won his appeal, he had to be adamant that he never used PEDs or people would have interpreted it as admitting that he was caught and won his appeal only on a technicality. If you don't believe me, go back and look and some message board threads that began as soon as ESPN reported the positive test. the masses certainly didn't need to wait to hear any facts before proclaiming Braun a cheater and a liar.

 

Take away that leak, and Braun's case would be a lot more like the other suspended players, the main difference being that he's a bigger name. Nobody seems to be so outraged (in fact most people probably don't know) that Melky Cabrera tried to appeal his positive test by creating a phony website to support a claim that he didn't know what he was taking. And I don't hear the lynch mob out after Jhonny Peralta, who said publicly that he never took PEDs and that anyone who said otherwise was lying. I haven't seen any of them holding press conferences to explain their behavior.

 

I completely agree with the posters who say that those wanting more of an apology from Braun will never be satisfied, and that they are looking for reasons to justify their outrage. If Braun had made a public statement, they would have blasted him for looking insincere. Maybe Braun and his camp are learning a lesson from the Tiger Woods episode. For how many weeks was Woods the target of public scorn and ridicule, and his public statement of apology didn't help him. It just gave the news outlets more film footage to mock him with. But, you know what, after he went through the grinder of playing in his first tournaments the frenzy died off. It's not because people forgive and forget, it's that they get bored and move on to something else.

 

How Braun is perceived 1, 2, and 10 years from now is going to be shaped by what he does on and off the field from this day forward, not whether he made his apology in writing or in person.

[Crew2323]

There seems to be a lot of people playing the role of "God" here. Who are we to judge whether one's apology is sincere enough or heartfelt enough? Who can really look into his heart and determine whether his apology is genuine? I know I can't. And yet many here are acting like they can.

 

And who here has always immediately and "appropriately" apologized when you messed up? And who determines whether your apology is appropriate? Have there ever been instances when it took you some time to come to grips with what you've done, and then after coming to grips you apologized? It happens to me far too often. Does that mean my apologies aren't sincere or genuine? No. Admitting guilt is one of the most difficult things for anyone to do. Too many here and in the media are holding an individual they don't personally know to a higher standard than to that which they hold themselves.

 

A question that I have for those that are most vociferous in their disapproval of Braun is this: Have you ever lied or cheated in your life? Before you say "Well, he's getting paid millions, he's a celebrity, his lie was public" just think about it. Have you ever, even the slightest bit, lied or cheated to make yourself look better to your friends, family, coworkers, or boss? Have you ever lied or cheated even in the slightest bit to get a dollar, two dollar, five dollar raise? If you are actually honest with yourself and answer yes to any of those questions, then what makes you think you wouldn't do the same when millions of dollars are on the line? Those who are most vociferous in their anger toward Braun give the impression that they have never lied or cheated in their lives. But as the saying goes, "Let anyone who is without sin be the first to cast the stone." After all, it's always easier to focus on the speck in the eye of another than it is to deal with the plank that is in our own eye. It always makes us feel better about ourselves when the "mighty" fall.

 

Ryan Braun messed up, and messed up bad. He's taking his medicine. But what did he do to make some of you take it so personally? He didn't personally hurt me. I'm deeply disappointed, but he really didn't affect my life by what he did. Sure, it brought shame and embarrassment as a Brewer fan, but so what. I'm not about to pile on or act all high and mighty and wag my finger at him because I know I'm just as capable of doing the same thing he did. I'm just not in the position to do it. And yet, that hasn't stopped me from lying and cheating far too many times in my own life. Thank God the people in my life aren't as unforgiving toward me as some are toward Braun.

[BruisedCrew]

Come on, Olney.

 

Buster Olney‏@Buster_ESPN1h

@trenni @AdamMcCalvy Or cheated in the first place, and appealed when he knew he cheated, and then held a victory dance when he won.

 

seriously, is Buster in a writers Union? The Grievance process is there TO BE USED BY UNION MEMBERS! He appealed because AT THAT TIME he thought the sample process was faulty and caused the spike and he grieved THE PROCESS, not whether or not he cheated.

 

I wonder what Buster would do if he was stopped fro drunk driving and given a citation because his blood alcohol registered over the legal limit. Would he consider asking a lawyer friend to look into it for him and, if there was a possibility that his citation would be thrown out because the breathalyzer was malfunctioning, or the officer administered the test incorrectly, would he decline to pursue that option? Would he then go to court and tell the judge that he has driven drunk many times in the past, so he should be punished for those offenses too?

[torts]

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.

 

The most unique thing about Braun's case, as compared to the other suspended players, and any other athlete that I know of for that matter, is that it leaked out that he had a positive drug test. From there on, he was FORCED to either make a public defense or throw in the towel and give up his appeal. And, when he won his appeal, he had to be adamant that he never used PEDs or people would have interpreted it as admitting that he was caught and won his appeal only on a technicality. If you don't believe me, go back and look and some message board threads that began as soon as ESPN reported the positive test. the masses certainly didn't need to wait to hear any facts before proclaiming Braun a cheater and a liar.

 

Take away that leak, and Braun's case would be a lot more like the other suspended players, the main difference being that he's a bigger name. Nobody seems to be so outraged (in fact most people probably don't know) that Melky Cabrera tried to appeal his positive test by creating a phony website to support a claim that he didn't know what he was taking. And I don't hear the lynch mob out after Jhonny Peralta, who said publicly that he never took PEDs and that anyone who said otherwise was lying. I haven't seen any of them holding press conferences to explain their behavior.

 

I completely agree with the posters who say that those wanting more of an apology from Braun will never be satisfied, and that they are looking for reasons to justify their outrage. If Braun had made a public statement, they would have blasted him for looking insincere. Maybe Braun and his camp are learning a lesson from the Tiger Woods episode. For how many weeks was Woods the target of public scorn and ridicule, and his public statement of apology didn't help him. It just gave the news outlets more film footage to mock him with. But, you know what, after he went through the grinder of playing in his first tournaments the frenzy died off. It's not because people forgive and forget, it's that they get bored and move on to something else.

 

How Braun is perceived 1, 2, and 10 years from now is going to be shaped by what he does on and off the field from this day forward, not whether he made his apology in writing or in person.

 

well said for your 2nd post on the forum

[JimH5]

How Braun is perceived 1, 2, and 10 years from now is going to be shaped by what he does on and off the field from this day forward, not whether he made his apology in writing or in person.

 

That's true. But we're not years away from his admission. We're less than a day. So isn't any reaction at this point appropriate?

 

I'm most bothered by the posters who have forgiven Braun, and insist that everyone else must, and we better do it right now, otherwise we're haters.

[FVBrewerFan]

I don't think this statements will change anyone's mind. Those that think none of this is big deal have already forgiven him, or nver had much of a problem with any of this to begin with. Likewise, those that are upset haven't been given what they're looking for.

 

He needed /needs to have a full blown press conference and face tough questions. Sure, will never change everyone's opinion either. Hard to say, since it hasn't happened. It is interesting that he was more than willing to hold a press conference when he was proclaiming his innocence.

 

Look, I try really hard not to get involved in this "off the field" stuff. However, Braun's actions already had had an effect on the field, and will next season as well. I won't ever completely get over it, but at least I could move on from this fiasco if he came out in public and answered the tought questions, didn't couch his statements, and let it all out there.

 

Do you feel you earned/ should keep your MVP award? Did you suggest to others that the collector was anti-semitic? Was this the only time you ever used PEDs? Are you more upset that you used them, or got caught? I could go on, but these are some of the questions I want him to be asked. It's not just the answers that are important to me, it's how he answers them.

 

This written apology seems very corporate to me, and really doesn't mean anything. Either Braun really isn't sorry for any of this, or he his agent is using the worst PR people on the face of the earth.

[BruisedCrew]

How Braun is perceived 1, 2, and 10 years from now is going to be shaped by what he does on and off the field from this day forward, not whether he made his apology in writing or in person.

 

That's true. But we're not years away from his admission. We're less than a day. So isn't any reaction at this point appropriate?

 

I'm most bothered by the posters who have forgiven Braun, and insist that everyone else must, and we better do it right now, otherwise we're haters.

 

I hope you aren't reading what I've said as meaning that I have forgiven Braun. I have not forgiven him, and certainly am not presumptuous enough to tell others that they should forgive him. I just don't think my reaction to the whole situation would be different if he had made a face to face public statement. Like I said, I don't think that did Tiger Woods any good, and I doubt if Braun could have pulled it off any better.

 

But, if you are advising Braun what to do, you have to take a long term view. There is no point in subjecting yourself to more flogging than necessary today if it isn't going to make a difference to anyone once the immediate furor dies down.

[JimH5]

But, if you are advising Braun what to do, you have to take a long term view. There is no point in subjecting yourself to more flogging than necessary today if it isn't going to make a difference to anyone once the immediate furor dies down.

 

That's true, but only if he does things in the long term that satisfy those of us who remain unsatisfied. If he goes before cameras and the media, at least he will shut us up when we complain that he didn't do it before cameras and the media.

 

Too many times, we've seen a written statement followed up with "I'm not here to talk about the past." That stuff doesn't work for me. I'm not willing to forgive and forget if there are still too many loose ends hanging.

 

Again, I think his statements yesterday were a good start to getting me back on his side. But they didn't seal the deal. He's got to face questions some time.

[burnzy24]

I'm most bothered by the posters who have forgiven Braun, and insist that everyone else must, and we better do it right now, otherwise we're haters.

 

I can't speak for anyone else but I completely understand if you haven't forgiven Braun. It is reasonable to feel burned by what he did and to want more answers to questions that you might have. What has caused me to chime in is the holier-than-thou attitude taken by many here (not you). Posts like "he is continuing to lie. We all know it." and "once a liar always a liar" is just like the garbage that comes out of the media and reflects poorly on us as fans. Don't stoop to the levels of Onley and Passan people, we are better than that.

[bani1717]

There seems to be a lot of people playing the role of "God" here. Who are we to judge whether one's apology is sincere enough or heartfelt enough? Who can really look into his heart and determine whether his apology is genuine? I know I can't. And yet many here are acting like they can.

 

And who here has always immediately and "appropriately" apologized when you messed up? And who determines whether your apology is appropriate? Have there ever been instances when it took you some time to come to grips with what you've done, and then after coming to grips you apologized? It happens to me far too often. Does that mean my apologies aren't sincere or genuine? No. Admitting guilt is one of the most difficult things for anyone to do. Too many here and in the media are holding an individual they don't personally know to a higher standard than to that which they hold themselves.

 

A question that I have for those that are most vociferous in their disapproval of Braun is this: Have you ever lied or cheated in your life? Before you say "Well, he's getting paid millions, he's a celebrity, his lie was public" just think about it. Have you ever, even the slightest bit, lied or cheated to make yourself look better to your friends, family, coworkers, or boss? Have you ever lied or cheated even in the slightest bit to get a dollar, two dollar, five dollar raise? If you are actually honest with yourself and answer yes to any of those questions, then what makes you think you wouldn't do the same when millions of dollars are on the line? Those who are most vociferous in their anger toward Braun give the impression that they have never lied or cheated in their lives. But as the saying goes, "Let anyone who is without sin be the first to cast the stone." After all, it's always easier to focus on the speck in the eye of another than it is to deal with the plank that is in our own eye. It always makes us feel better about ourselves when the "mighty" fall.

 

Ryan Braun messed up, and messed up bad. He's taking his medicine. But what did he do to make some of you take it so personally? He didn't personally hurt me. I'm deeply disappointed, but he really didn't affect my life by what he did. Sure, it brought shame and embarrassment as a Brewer fan, but so what. I'm not about to pile on or act all high and mighty and wag my finger at him because I know I'm just as capable of doing the same thing he did. I'm just not in the position to do it. And yet, that hasn't stopped me from lying and cheating far too many times in my own life. Thank God the people in my life aren't as unforgiving toward me as some are toward Braun.

 

I agree with you. I believe that in some way or another, absolutely every single person on this earth is a lying/cheating/stealing/you name it immoral, hypocritical scumbag (myself included). That does not excuse Ryan's actions, or make them right. It does not mean that I will believe everything he says now. But I am going to do my best to not hold a grudge against him (for a variety of reasons).

 

And I am certainly not going to complain about the way in which he issued his apology, what he did or didn't say, etc. He messed up, he apologized, it's time for me to move on. I have a hard time faulting him for anything in his statement because I do not have all the information he does, and I certainly have never been in a situation anywhere remotely close to what he's been in for the past couple years.

 

Am I curious to know more? Of course. But he certainly doesn't owe it to me or anyone else, and if he would prefer to keep quiet and hurt himself PR-wise, then so be it. Some people's opinions aren't going to change anyway.

[BruisedCrew]

But, if you are advising Braun what to do, you have to take a long term view. There is no point in subjecting yourself to more flogging than necessary today if it isn't going to make a difference to anyone once the immediate furor dies down.

 

That's true, but only if he does things in the long term that satisfy those of us who remain unsatisfied. If he goes before cameras and the media, at least he will shut us up when we complain that he didn't do it before cameras and the media.

 

Too many times, we've seen a written statement followed up with "I'm not here to talk about the past." That stuff doesn't work for me. I'm not willing to forgive and forget if there are still too many loose ends hanging.

 

Again, I think his statements yesterday were a good start to getting me back on his side. But they didn't seal the deal. He's got to face questions some time.

 

I suspect that if Braun went before the cameras or the media, then a lot of people would be complaining that he didn't look sincere, or that he looked too rehearsed (again, see Tiger Woods), or something else. Or that he didn't fully answer questions like "Have you used PED's before 2011?", "Did you tell players Laurenzi was anti-Semitic?", "Are you still cheating on your girlfriend?", etc.

 

He cannot possibly answer some of these questions in a way that is going to satisfy people. If he just flatly says "No", people aren't going to believe him anyway.

[NeedMoreFans]

I don't think I'm saying I have forgiven Braun and insist that everyone else does as well. I just don't like the attitude that because he lied last year he is automatically lying right now as well. I think this whole thing needs to play out a little longer than a day to be able to truly know if he is lying right now. I'm not saying he's telling the truth, either, because he may very well be lying...but I don't know that, and there is no way for anyone to know that. I'm glad he released a statement, though like others, would have liked to see him in front of cameras (but be honest, do you think he would have opened himself up to a Q&A session after he read his prepared statement? No way.).

[BruisedCrew]

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?

 

TJ Quinn reported shortly after Braun's suspension was announced that Marcelo Albir, a former teammate of Braun's from Miami, introduced Braun to Biogenesis. I wouldn't expect Braun to name names himself, whether in a prepared statement or in responding to questions from the media.

[TooLiveBrew]

The only way I believe this guy is if he comes to my door, cooks me dinner and apologizes to my face that he's been using since he was in diapers. And even then I will have my doubts (unless the meal is really good).

[insert joke about Ryan Braun's Graffito here]

[Fear The Chorizo]

serious question -

 

If Ryan Braun leads the NL in HR and RBI next year, how many people are going to be upset that he didn't hold a 2-hr press conference to answer any question under the sun from reporters with axes to grind?

 

I know I won't...

[jerichoholicninja]

serious question -

 

If Ryan Braun leads the NL in HR and RBI next year, how many people are going to be upset that he didn't hold a 2-hr press conference to answer any question under the sun from reporters with axes to grind?

 

I know I won't...

 

Everyone and their mother will just assume he's still on the roids.

[BruisedCrew]

serious question -

 

If Ryan Braun leads the NL in HR and RBI next year, how many people are going to be upset that he didn't hold a 2-hr press conference to answer any question under the sun from reporters with axes to grind?

 

I know I won't...

 

If that happens people will assume that he has found a way to cheat again.

 

On the other hand, if he hits below his career averages, and/or has a number of nagging injuries, then they will assume that he has been on PEDs forever and can't produce or stay healthy without them.

 

Of course, we have a live example of a player who never took PEDs who had a great career, made a miraculous recovery from a serious injury in 2011, hit like crazy for 2 months after returning, and then has had 2 seasons of subpar hitting and nagging injuries. So, what happens to Braun next year really won't prove anything except for what people want it to prove.

[mothershipconnection]

So, I'm getting the impression that we are to simultaneously believe that:

1) MLB had a giant mountain of evidence against Braun, which kept leaking.

2) Braun is completely full of crap in his statement and is nowhere near telling the whole story.

 

I can't see how both of these can be true. Either MLB had a very flimsy case against Braun and he's able to lie, or there was a bunch of evidence and he can't lie because the truth will inevitably leak. Given that everyone except A-Rod went down without a fight, the latter seems far more believable than the former at this point.

[RightFieldCoder]

I didn't express myself correctly. I didn't mean that I'm sure he's lying now or think he's been using since high school. He has lost all credibility with me so I just can't believe anything he says. Not because he told one lie, but the way he lied and went about his actions for years.

 

When I said I wasn't mad I also meant "I don't care that he lied". I don't care about his trying to cheat except that he got caught and had to serve a suspension. But this is the perfect season to get suspended. I would gladly have all 25 members serve a year suspension next year if it meant a title today. I wore my Braun shirsey (without altering it) to a game this past homestand.

[JimH5]

So, I'm getting the impression that we are to simultaneously believe that:

1) MLB had a giant mountain of evidence against Braun, which kept leaking.

2) Braun is completely full of crap in his statement and is nowhere near telling the whole story.

 

I can't see how both of these can be true. Either MLB had a very flimsy case against Braun and he's able to lie, or there was a bunch of evidence and he can't lie because the truth will inevitably leak. Given that everyone except A-Rod went down without a fight, the latter seems far more believable than the former at this point.

 

I think the thing that puts me leaning more to believing that MLB had a mountain of evidence is that the MLBPA basically let Braun deal with this himself. Weiner indicated that when there is overwhelming evidence, they weren't going to fight for the player's interest.

 

I don't think Braun is completely full of crap now. I believe he's genuinely sorry about this incident. I don't know if he's claiming that he took this stuff knowing it was banned, or if he's claiming that he took it on trust and is sorry that he didn't get it checked by team doctors, etc. From what I read into the admissions/apologies, I can't really tell.

[dlk9s]

Apologies if this has been dissected earlier, but I'm struggling to follow some basic stuff in Braun's statement.

 

To take him at face value: He had somehow convinced/deluded himself that he hadn't used a banned substance up until his meeting with MLB in June 2013. Then, even though he was "never presented with baseball's evidence," he realized that it was time to stop conning himself, tell the truth, etc.

 

Why that moment to give up? (Within the interior logic of his explanation, I mean.)

I don't see how it's so hard to understand - I was listening to ESPN radio today and the hosts were railing on him for this. MLB obviously told him something that made him snap out of it. Perhaps it was the threat of a much longer suspension. Who knows. But someone said something and Braun was like, "Holy crap, I done screwed up."

 

He didn't need to be shown every piece of evidence because he knew he did it.

[The stache]

The most unique thing about Braun's case

 

Just a fyi, something can not be more or less unique.

[The stache]

I was listening to ESPN radio today and the hosts were railing on him for this.

 

ESPN was railing on Ryan Braun? /insert shocked face.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I can see the angle where Braun 'lied so much to himself that he believed it'. People do this all the time. If they tell a lie often enough, in their own mind, it becomes truth. This isn't a rare phenomenon. I'm not saying that this is what happened in this specific case, I'm saying that it is entirely plausible.

[zzzmanwitz]

I'm glad he admitted to using, that's about all I have to say about it.

 

I believe him wholeheartedly that he only used once and was doing so to get back on the field to help his team win. He got is to an NLCS and WE as fans all reaped the rewards for his "poor decision". Now WE are condemning him for doing everything he could to help his team win. 2013 was a lost season by the time the suspension was given and it is only giving young players, like Khris Davis, time to shine. Thank you Mr. Braun, whether you knew it or not, for taking the risk that you did to help your team win and make 2011 one of the most memorable seasons I have ever experienced. Here's to your future as a Brewer and being the centerpiece of more playoff caliber teams.

 

Yes, I know that previous paragraph is a little over the top, but I loved 2011 and am glad that he was on the field to help make that happen. I don't think Braun has taken since high school and I think he will continue to perform at a high level while on the field. I definitely don't want to see him released or traded because he genuinely seems to love Milwaukee and he is the greatest star we've had since Robin Yount.