Why is Ryan Braun so hated?

[BuckyBrewer61]

This came to mind after Braun gloriously shut up all the hecklers in San Diego on Friday

 

Ok, besides the obvious, why does he continue to get such grief? Yes, Ryan Braun got busted for steroids. But here we are 6-7 years later, and he still gets loudly booed at EVERY MLB park he visits. He is far from the only player that has been suspended for steroids, including multiple all-stars past and present. Has anyone heard boos for Dee Gordon, Nelson Cruz, Ervin Santana, Jhonny Peralta, Edinson Volquez? How about universally-loved Bartolo Colon? My personal favorite was Pirates fans booing Braun mercilessly just a half inning before a standing ovation for Starling Marte's return from his steroid suspension.

 

Is it just because he won an MVP that year? And is still pretty good? Or because he comes off as cocky?

 

I've heard the argument about his vehement denial and throwing the delivery guy under the bus, and frankly that is the one thing that does bother me still. But if you asked a booing Padre fan this weekend why he was booing, I'm pretty sure he would simply say "steroids," and probably wouldn't even know the rest of the story.

 

Plus he's a Brewer, it's not like he's a big market villain. How much do these opposing fans hear about the Brewers anyway?

 

I get why he is booed, just not why it's so much more than the long list of other guys who did the same thing.

[Bob Skube Snacks]

Because Braun made a big deal out of denying it when the news first came up and was proven to be a liar in the end.

 

I've moved past it, but he made his bed on this particular issue and has to live with it.

[sveumrules]

No one was thrown under any bus. According to the all knowing oracle of The Internet throwing someone under the bus refers to the act of betrayng a friend or ally for selfish reasons.

 

The Urine Guy was never Braun's friend or ally & if he had done his job correctly Braun would never have won his appeal in the first place.

 

Also Braun was never busted for "steroids" that I'm aware of. I believe it was elevated levels of testosterone which were found in the compromised sample.

 

Once it is understood that most casual fans can't even get these two pieces of crucial information correct (not accusing anyone here, just to be clear), it's not surprising they still refelexively boo when his name is announced.

[coolhandluke121]

Implying that the collector was anti-semitic was beyond pathetic. Braun is a walking piece of poop and I would have done cartwheels if he had been traded to LAD when they had a chance. The whole thing was disgraceful. Never forgive anyone who's that good at lying because they are pure slime.

[pacopete4]

Because people hold athletes to different standards than normal everyday people. I find it hilarious now that Arod is so beloved as an analyst after all the hatred that guy got while playing.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Because Braun made a big deal out of denying it when the news first came up and was proven to be a liar in the end.

I've moved past it, but he made his bed on this particular issue and has to live with it.

 

I've seen about 2 guys ever get busted for steroids or "performance enhancers" and just say "yeah, I did it. Sorry, my bad"

 

[JosephC]

It's tiresome that Brewer fans keep referring to the concept that the sample collector screwed up when he did nothing of the sort. Dino Laurenzi worked for a company named Comprehensive Drug Testing. Comprehensive Drug Testing's protocol stated that sample collectors were to ship samples for next day arrival, and if they were not able to do it for legitimate reasons (such as nearby FedEx locations not open), that the samples would be retained by the collector until they could be next day shipped. The reason is simple, if sample integrity questions arise it's much more defensible for a sample collector to defend integrity of the samples because (1) he can verify that he had possession of the samples and (2) he can verify the storage conditions of the samples. That's much better than having the sample sitting in the back of some random truck driving around random locations for a couple days, not knowing what the temperature in the back of that truck is. Laurenzi correctly followed the protocol that was established by Comprehensive Drug Testing and was also a standard procedure in the industry. The problem arose because MLB's protocol did not state that, it simply said that samples needed to be shipped overnight immediately unless there was some type of extraordinary circumstance that prevented it. MLB admitted fault, when they signed the contract with Comprehensive Drug Testing they did not verify their own protocols against those of Comprehensive Drug Testing which was MLB's obligation and responsibility. Note that it took MLB and MLBPA about a day to amend the MLB protocol after this incident, because MLB's protocol basically did not follow industry standard and it was quickly acknowledged by both sides that it created a loop-hole that would likely easily be exploited by dopers in the future. Laurenzi correctly followed the procedures that were instituted by his employer and did nothing wrong. If anyone wants to point blame at the technicality that arose from the delayed shipping, then they should point blame at MLB for not verifying their protocol against Comprehensive Drug Testing's protocol.

[MKEguy]

I’m looking forward to the day he doesn’t don a Brewers uniform. I still, however, cheer for him because I like the brewers winning more than I dislike Braun.

 

I don’t hold him to higher standards than anyone else. If someone in my life did something as egregious as his lying, I’d be done with that person as well.

[BuckyBrewer61]

.Also Braun was never busted for "steroids" that I'm aware of. I believe it was elevated levels of testosterone which were found

 

Testosterone is a steroid

[xisxisxis]

How many players appealed and were found to not have violated league PED rules? 1, Ryan Braun.

 

How many players who won their appeals, held a press conference to gloat about winning their appeal? 1, Ryan Braun.

 

How many players who did both of the above, were found to have violated the league PED rules and be suspended? 1, Ryan Braun.

 

The hate for Braun has nothing to do with PEDs and everything to do with how he handled the entire situation. When you make a point to proclaim your innocence and how the system is against you, you better be the victim and not the guilty guy who just got away with it. Braun's actions were classic Hollywood bad guy behavior - commit the crime, get away with it, gloat about it, then get his comeuppance. Most fans don't give a damn about PED usage as its clear from reaction to the other violators, but they love to hate a "bad guy" like Ryan Braun.

 

Personally, I will be glad when he is done as a Brewer and we never have to be linked to him. For now, I want him to make our team better, but I will never defend him to any other fan as his actions were indefensible.

[nate82]

I simply do not care about PED's or HGH or steroids or whatever is being used. I actually find it very comical how people get all upset over meaningless things like this.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The fact is we are just dudes who make a judgement based on what we see via media. Ryan Braun could either be a great guy or a terrible guy, anybody here stating either as cold fact is just delusional.

 

People lie every day. What Braun did was cover one lie with another, and another and another. The guy was lying to Aaron Rodgers.

 

My guess as to what happened is that Braun isn't a regular user, he got frustrated with injuries, knew it was a bad thing to do, did it, and then could not deal with the hit to his reputation. He was going to protect that rep at all costs. Once he was in deep, he "had" to keep running with more lies. He couldn't imagine his parents, his friends, etc., seeing him as another roided baseball player. He justified it in his head.

 

If Ryan Braun has been a saint otherwise in his life, I don't think this thing makes him a bad person. But I have no idea if that's the case. Guy could be a jerk.

 

My personal stance is that I don't waste any energy hating or booing a player for taking drugs or doing stuff off the field. I boo Jeff Suppan. I like to keep it within the confines of the game being played. It's too easy to be made a fool taking a moral position on a guy you don't know from Adam.

 

As an aside, the collector shouldn't be discussed anymore. IMO, that was the most despicable thing Braun did. I know those two met for dinner after this entire thing was over, and he's made peace with Braun. If that's good enough for him, I'm done thinking about it.

[pacopete4]

The fact is we are just dudes who make a judgement based on what we see via media. Ryan Braun could either be a great guy or a terrible guy, anybody here stating either as cold fact is just delusional.

 

People lie every day. What Braun did was cover one lie with another, and another and another. The guy was lying to Aaron Rodgers.

 

My guess as to what happened is that Braun isn't a regular user, he got frustrated with injuries, knew it was a bad thing to do, did it, and then could not deal with the hit to his reputation. He was going to protect that rep at all costs. Once he was in deep, he "had" to keep running with more lies. He couldn't imagine his parents, his friends, etc., seeing him as another roided baseball player. He justified it in his head.

 

If Ryan Braun has been a saint otherwise in his life, I don't think this thing makes him a bad person. But I have no idea if that's the case. Guy could be a jerk.

 

My personal stance is that I don't waste any energy hating or booing a player for taking drugs or doing stuff off the field. I boo Jeff Suppan. I like to keep it within the confines of the game being played. It's too easy to be made a fool taking a moral position on a guy you don't know from Adam.

 

As an aside, the collector shouldn't be discussed anymore. IMO, that was the most despicable thing Braun did. I know those two met for dinner after this entire thing was over, and he's made peace with Braun. If that's good enough for him, I'm done thinking about it.

Real good take. +1

[dlk9s]

Lets keep in mind, too, that had the results of the first failed test never been leaked to the public (leaked...*tee hee*), Braun never would have gone on the public defensive. He would've failed the test, it would have been secret, he would've appealed and won, and that would've been it. Obviously, he still would've been caught in the later investigation, but the whole ordeal with him lying about it never would've happened.

 

He did something against the rules, obviously, but he was also put in a position where he pretty much had to lie about it, ESPECIALLY because his lawyer(s) believed there was a great chance he could win the appeal. If one of us, say, broke the law and went to court, yet our legal team felt strongly that we could win the case by pleading not guilty, 99.5% would lie and say we didn't do it.

 

Did he protest too much, yeah, probably. But the thing that people are pissed off about (pissed....*tee hee*) - the lying - would never have happened had the test result not been publicized. Braun was backed into a corner and, aside from perhaps the volume of his protest, did exactly what anyone else would do. He fought.

[coolhandluke121]

Lets keep in mind, too, that had the results of the first failed test never been leaked to the public (leaked...*tee hee*), Braun never would have gone on the public defensive. He would've failed the test, it would have been secret, he would've appealed and won, and that would've been it. Obviously, he still would've been caught in the later investigation, but the whole ordeal with him lying about it never would've happened.

 

He did something against the rules, obviously, but he was also put in a position where he pretty much had to lie about it, ESPECIALLY because his lawyer(s) believed there was a great chance he could win the appeal. If one of us, say, broke the law and went to court, yet our legal team felt strongly that we could win the case by pleading not guilty, 99.5% would lie and say we didn't do it.

 

Did he protest too much, yeah, probably. But the thing that people are pissed off about (pissed....*tee hee*) - the lying - would never have happened had the test result not been publicized. Braun was backed into a corner and, aside from perhaps the volume of his protest, did exactly what anyone else would do. He fought.

 

But not everybody else would have cheated in the first place, and people are totally justified in despising anyone who does. I'm glad some people still have a moral compass that's not made of Jell-o. Cheaters deserve all the scorn they get and then some.

[TURBO]

You know what is sad to me?

 

The fact that this hasn't been dropped, even now, years later, some Brewers fans still carry all this hate in their heart.

 

I have yet to talk to one Giants fan who acts towards Bonds like so many Brewers fans do to Braun.

 

He's on our team, and I let it go a long time ago. I'll cheer for Ryan Braun today as much as I did pre-scandal.

 

He's a Brewer.

[TigerUppercut]

Lets keep in mind, too, that had the results of the first failed test never been leaked to the public (leaked...*tee hee*), Braun never would have gone on the public defensive. He would've failed the test, it would have been secret, he would've appealed and won, and that would've been it. Obviously, he still would've been caught in the later investigation, but the whole ordeal with him lying about it never would've happened.

 

He did something against the rules, obviously, but he was also put in a position where he pretty much had to lie about it, ESPECIALLY because his lawyer(s) believed there was a great chance he could win the appeal. If one of us, say, broke the law and went to court, yet our legal team felt strongly that we could win the case by pleading not guilty, 99.5% would lie and say we didn't do it.

 

Did he protest too much, yeah, probably. But the thing that people are pissed off about (pissed....*tee hee*) - the lying - would never have happened had the test result not been publicized. Braun was backed into a corner and, aside from perhaps the volume of his protest, did exactly what anyone else would do. He fought.

 

But not everybody else would have cheated in the first place, and people are totally justified in despising anyone who does. I'm glad some people still have a moral compass that's not made of Jell-o. Cheaters deserve all the scorn they get and then some.

 

Hey, I get that you've never sped on the freeway, played hooky from work, cheated on an exam, your taxes or a significant other. Unlike you and like 99.999% of human beings on earth, I admit guilt on some of the above. Holier than thou. Thanks, I feel much less "slimy" for coming clean like Ryan Braun did.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

You know what is sad to me?

 

The fact that this hasn't been dropped, even now, years later, some Brewers fans still carry all this hate in their heart.

 

I have yet to talk to one Giants fan who acts towards Bonds like so many Brewers fans do to Braun.

 

He's on our team, and I let it go a long time ago. I'll cheer for Ryan Braun today as much as I did pre-scandal.

 

He's a Brewer.

 

 

It has, for the most part. You'll always get some people who can't let go, but Braun is beloved at Miller Park and hated everywhere else. That's just how it usually ends up for these guys.

[owbc]

The denial + lack of sincere apology afterwards are what doomed Braun. Similar to Rafael Palmeiro. It has nothing to do with the actual act of taking steroids or even the initial lie, players do that all the time. All he had to do was apologize and give back his MVP and the whole thing would have blown over in a few months. Instead he let it turn into a permanent cloud.

 

Turborickey is right, Braun screwed up so badly that a large number of Brewers fans still hate him (or cheer for him as a player but dislike him as a person). To the point that Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez now have better reputations. Who would have thought?

[stoutdude04]

.Also Braun was never busted for "steroids" that I'm aware of. I believe it was elevated levels of testosterone which were found

 

Testosterone is a steroid

 

Are you sure about that?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Lets keep in mind, too, that had the results of the first failed test never been leaked to the public (leaked...*tee hee*), Braun never would have gone on the public defensive. He would've failed the test, it would have been secret, he would've appealed and won, and that would've been it. Obviously, he still would've been caught in the later investigation, but the whole ordeal with him lying about it never would've happened.

 

He did something against the rules, obviously, but he was also put in a position where he pretty much had to lie about it, ESPECIALLY because his lawyer(s) believed there was a great chance he could win the appeal. If one of us, say, broke the law and went to court, yet our legal team felt strongly that we could win the case by pleading not guilty, 99.5% would lie and say we didn't do it.

 

Did he protest too much, yeah, probably. But the thing that people are pissed off about (pissed....*tee hee*) - the lying - would never have happened had the test result not been publicized. Braun was backed into a corner and, aside from perhaps the volume of his protest, did exactly what anyone else would do. He fought.

 

But not everybody else would have cheated in the first place, and people are totally justified in despising anyone who does. I'm glad some people still have a moral compass that's not made of Jell-o. Cheaters deserve all the scorn they get and then some.

 

Hey, I get that you've never sped on the freeway, played hooky from work, cheated on an exam, your taxes or a significant other. Unlike you and like 99.999% of human beings on earth, I admit guilt on some of the above. Holier than thou. Thanks, I feel much less "slimy" for coming clean like Ryan Braun did.

 

These are not equivalent things to what Braun did, but at the same time, most people are never looking at the potential reward that Braun was.

 

Joe Schmoe criticizing an athlete for taking performance enhancers will always get an LOL from me. They don't have a clue what they'd do.

 

Anybody who says they wouldn't take PEDs for a shot at $100 million is somebody I'm skeptical of right off the bat. The only people who really have a moral leg to stand on are his peers who never used them.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The denial + lack of sincere apology afterwards are what doomed Braun. Similar to Rafael Palmeiro. It has nothing to do with the actual act of taking steroids or even the initial lie, players do that all the time. All he had to do was apologize and give back his MVP and the whole thing would have blown over in a few months. Instead he let it turn into a permanent cloud.

 

Turborickey is right, Braun screwed up so badly that a large number of Brewers fans still hate him (or cheer for him as a player but dislike him as a person). To the point that Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez now have better reputations. Who would have thought?

 

I actually think the markets play a role in that. SF and NY are both much more forgiving to this type of thing. More used to it. Lots of transplants in both, very liberal areas, lots of celebrity, etc. In a place like Milwaukee you have "midwestern values" at play and more people who think they're Braun's friend on some level. A lot of those people felt betrayed and like he was just another LA phony.

 

I really do think it's a factor.

[82brewcrew82]

Hey, I get that you've never sped on the freeway, played hooky from work, cheated on an exam, your taxes or a significant other. Unlike you and like 99.999% of human beings on earth, I admit guilt on some of the above. Holier than thou. Thanks, I feel much less "slimy" for coming clean like Ryan Braun did.

Absolutely fantastic post.

[homer]

Implying that the collector was anti-semitic was beyond pathetic.

 

Was that ever substantiated?

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

How many guys have tested positive and then stuck around for a few years to be boo’d and hated even? Seems like most guys who get busted go away pretty quickly whether it’s by choice, going back to sucking or being hurt or somewhat being black listed. Braun’s one of the few guys who has a positive test who’s stayed in the league for a long time after the positive test and giving fans a chance to boo and heckle.