February 24, 2012

"This is my livelihood, this is my integrity, this is my character."

Said Ryan Braun. "This is everything I've worked for in my life being called into question."

25 comments:

edutcher said...

If so, the guy better be squeaky clean from now on.

Anything out of line and people will say, "Toldja".

traditionalguy said...

He does not seem to be deceptive to me. The case against him relied on a urine test that was not done by procedures prescribed.

So what's the big scandal that he beat it on a technicality. The law is a technicality based upon a technical test done that is wrong when it is technically done wrong.

The NPR talker today kept asking how a drug test could be wrong as if such has never happened before in her narrow world.

Michael Haz said...

Ryan Braun. MVPee.

Michael Haz said...

I have it on very good source that what happened was that the sample from Bob Uecker was mistakenly marked 'Ryan Braun'


word captcha: linoleum mersa

Michael Haz said...

Major sports media outlets have released the name of the technician who screwed up Ryan Braun's urine specimen: Steve Bartman.

captcha verification: porcine jujube

Carol_Herman said...

Ryan Braun is right! The "chain of custody" had the Fed-Ex guy taking the "package" destined for the lab ... home for the weekend.

Heck, in smuggling cocaine, Robert Sabbag ... who wrote SNOW BLIND ... discusses all the tricks you can use with packaging ... that gets shipped through the mail. Or "walked by mules" through customs. And, the government never suspects a thing.

So, this who farce with our "war on drugs" ... and our loss of liberty ... we get GOONS who play the system. And, ruin lives. UNTIL A JUDGE CATCHES THEM, and takes away their "cookies."

What a shame to drag someone through the mud like this. I'm glad the player fought the stinking system, and won.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

If so, the guy better be squeaky clean from now on.

He passed the ultimate test.

traditionalguy said...

Ata girl, Carol.

avwh said...

He flunked two different tests: testosterone ratio was 20:1 (normal is 1:1, outer limit 4:1). He also tested positive for artificial testosterone.

Why would MLB want their reigning NL MVP, from the Commish's team (still owned by his family, I believe), no less, to get busted falsely for drugs if he's innocent??

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

This is a very interesting puzzle because its very simple in its complexity.

Somebody is lying and we cant tell who.

Too bad Braun seems to have decided not to sue.. so we could add more pieces and ultimately, some day, come to some less fuzzy conclusion.

Like that Dingo Baby in the Outback.. 4 inquests later there are still questions.

Do we have that kind of fortitude anymore?.. or has everything become so desreputated, that people dont believe the truth, a truth, to be even possible to ascertain anymore.. not to any severe degree of certitude.

CarterFliptMe said...

The whole thing seemed like a 'hit' job to me. Especially the fast leak. (no pun intended) I hope Braun pursues this in civil court and maybe MLB will investigate it, unless of course the MLB was somehow behind it. Owners trying to keep the labor cost of baseball down?

Michael Haz said...

@ avwh - Your full of baloney.

First, how are you privy to Braun's actual test results? You aren't; you are making stuff up.

Second, even the stuff you make up proves Braun innocent. If "normal" is 4:1 and Braun tested 20:t, that indicated the test was flawed. No one tests 5X normal for testosterone.

Third, Bud Selig does not own the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers are owned by Mark Attanasio and other investors.

captcha words: dingbat snotnose

Carnifex said...

Yes. Mindless drones who work at Fedex/UPS/whatever often take drug urine samples from major league ballplayers and spike them with testosterone that they have lying about the house.

See, I knew there was an easier explanation than the guy actually juiced up.

After seeing the UPS guy toss the monitor over the fence this past Christmas, does it surprise anyone that they take stuff home for the weekend? Even piss?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Owners trying to keep the labor cost of baseball down?

In the conspiratative arts..

If you had to pick a guy.. you would pick the most unlikely guy.. which is who Braun just so happens to be.. so as to generate greater kinetic effect.

omg.. poor Manny ;)

traditionalguy said...

AVWH...Read what you just wrote. A 20 to 1 ratio is so extreme that it would not happen except by a false result or by a dingbat desperately overdosing himself trying to commit suicide by male hormone.

That is why the independent voter threw out this obvious testing error.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Why would MLB want their reigning NL MVP, from the Commish's team (still owned by his family, I believe), no less, to get busted falsely for drugs if he's innocent??

The owners want to play hard ball?

bagoh20 said...

Seems to me there is plenty of motive to frame the guy. He is a phenomenal player and if you want his team to lose you gotta go after him. There's at least as much motive as there is for him to juice up.

Think about how easy it is to frame a player. A little money to the right person, and it's done, because until now, nobody beats the charge. The attention all goes on him and he's presumed guilty. It's a perfect environment to destroy someone.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Braun has more to loose by testing positive than anybody.

I lean towards believing him.. unless persuaded by stronger more muscular evidence.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Manny wants to play, so he is probably being advised to say nothing.

marylynn said...

On two different occasions, my doctor has had blood work repeated to confirm the results. Both times they came back normal, both times he said lab errors happen, thats why they repeat suspicious results. In Brauns case, four times the normal levels certainly indicated error and called for a repeat test, which wasnt done in a timely fashion. Something in the process got screwed up, and MLB is letting Braun take the heat.

Joe Schmoe said...

Haz & traditional guy, you're both wrong. The testing lab has seen results as high as 80:1. Neither of you know the fatal limit of testosterone. You're acting like sycophantic fanboys. Usually I love reading posts by you guys, but you're apparently blinded by your Brewer loyalty.

Here's an interesting story for those of us interested in finding out what really happened.

Haz, I loved the Steve Bartman reference. ESPN did a special on him recently; I bet the same will happen to the pee collector guy.

Joe Schmoe said...

I'm reading that both sides are thinking of suing. MLB to overturn the decision; Braun to sue for damages for despoiling his good name.

I say drop it as nothing good can come of that. Seems like the testing and appeals process worked as agreed upon by the players and MLB. Braun doesn't need any more light shined on why he had synthetic testosterone in his system. Let's move on and play ball.

DannyNoonan said...

Two important facts that nobody seems to be mentioning (certainly not ESPN):

Braun's defense was able to replicate the results. Meaning, they showed how a clean sample could appear to be tainted after a couple days in some idiot's fridge.

Braun offered his DNA to the league to compare it to the sample and they refused.

http://www.chadmoriyama.com/2012/02/ryan-braun-what-you-dont-know-about-his-case-is-important/

Carnifex said...

Well truthfully, it is just baseball. The 2nd most boring game to watch after solitaire. Every other endeavor beats it, curling, soccer, hillbillies noodling.

Cindy Martin said...

He tested three times the normal for anyone testing positive to steroids. Braun sounds very credible. If he's lying, he has another career as a great actor.