Friday, August 23, 2013

Ryan Braun's Newest Statement

Alex Rodriquez is reported to have told MLB about other players.  This may have been in Braun's mind.

Question to readers:  is he STILL being deceptive? Does he minimize?

 Note the emphasis added to help you decide:



"Now that the initial MLB investigation is over, I want to apologize for my actions and provide a more specific account of what I did and why I deserved to be suspended. I have no one to blame but myself. I know that over the last year and a half I made some serious mistakes, both in the information I failed to share during my arbitration hearing and the comments I made to the press afterwards.
I have disappointed the people closest to me -- the ones who fought for me because they truly believed me all along. I kept the truth from everyone. For a long time, I was in denial and convinced myself that I had not done anything wrong.
It is important that people understand that I did not share details of what happened with anyone until recently. My family, my teammates, the Brewers organization, my friends, agents and advisors had no knowledge of these facts, and no one should be blamed but me. Those who put their necks out for me have been embarrassed by my behavior. I don't have the words to express how sorry I am for that.
Here is what happened. During the latter part of the 2011 season, I was dealing with a nagging injury and I turned to products for a short period of time that I shouldn't have used. The products were a cream and a lozenge which I was told could help expedite my rehabilitation. It was a huge mistake for which I am deeply ashamed and I compounded the situation by not admitting my mistakes immediately.
I deeply regret many of the things I said at the press conference after the arbitrator's decision in February 2012. At that time, I still didn't want to believe that I had used a banned substance. I think a combination of feeling self righteous and having a lot of unjustified anger led me to react the way I did. I felt wronged and attacked, but looking back now, I was the one who was wrong. I am beyond embarrassed that I said what I thought I needed to say to defend my clouded vision of reality. I am just starting the process of trying to understand why I responded the way I did, which I continue to regret. There is no excuse for any of this.
For too long during this process, I convinced myself that I had not done anything wrong. After my interview with MLB in late June of this year, I came to the realization that it was time to come to grips with the truth. I was never presented with baseball's evidence against me, but I didn't need to be, because I knew what I had done. I realized the magnitude of my poor decisions and finally focused on dealing with the realities of-and the punishment for-my actions.
I requested a second meeting with (MLB) to acknowledge my violation of the drug policy and to engage in discussions about appropriate punishment for my actions. By coming forward when I did and waiving my right to appeal any sanctions that were going to be imposed, I knew I was making the correct decision and taking the first step in the right direction. It was important to me to begin my suspension immediately to minimize the burden on everyone I had so negatively affected -- my teammates, the entire Brewers organization, the fans and all of MLB. There has been plenty of rumor and speculation about my situation, and I am aware that my admission may result in additional attacks and accusations from others.
I love the great game of baseball and I am very sorry for any damage done to the game. I have privately expressed my apologies to Commissioner Selig and Rob Manfred of MLB and to Michael Weiner and his staff at the Players' Association. I'm very grateful for the support I've received from them. I sincerely apologize to everybody involved in the arbitration process, including the collector, Dino Laurenzi, Jr. I feel terrible that I put my teammates in a position where they were asked some very difficult and uncomfortable questions. One of my primary goals is to make amends with them.
I understand it's a blessing and a tremendous honor to play this game at the major league level. I also understand the intensity of the disappointment from teammates, fans, and other players. When it comes to both my actions and my words, I made some very serious mistakes and I can only ask for the forgiveness of everyone I let down. I will never make the same errors again and I intend to share the lessons I learned with others so they don't repeat my mistakes. Moving forward, I want to be part of the solution and no longer part of the problem.
I support baseball's Joint Drug Treatment and Prevention Program and the importance of cleaning up the game. What I did goes against everything I have always valued -- achieving through hard work and dedication, and being honest both on and off the field. I also understand that I will now have to work very, very hard to begin to earn back people's trust and support. I am dedicated to making amends and to earning back the trust of my teammates, the fans, the entire Brewers' organization, my sponsors, advisors and from MLB. I am hopeful that I can earn back the trust from those who I have disappointed and those who are willing to give me the opportunity. I am deeply sorry for my actions, and I apologize to everyone who has been adversely affected by them.

5 comments:

Sella35 said...

By coming forward when I did and waiving my right to appeal any sanctions that were going to be imposed, I knew I was making the correct decision and taking the first step in the right direction.

I KNEW? Does that mean he is now not sure or that he is more confident.Knew is past tense. Also, I notice he says FIRST..... isn't it right that anytime someone says a number it means there should be other numbers...what is second..etc? thanks for any info and help. Still trying to learn.

Shelley said...

From:

I truly believe in my heart and I would bet my life, that this substance never entered my body at any point."


TO:
I was dealing with a nagging injury and I turned to products for a short period of time that I shouldn't have used. The products were a cream and a lozenge which I was told could help expedite my rehabilitation.



Minimizing language for sure as “products” and “cream and a lozenge” are a far cry from a narcotic drugs.



And YES!!! I love when we are able to show that statement analysis was correct.

Peter showed the deception and we now know with out a doubt that there was in fact deception.

Kmn said...

His performance enhancing drugs were not narcotics. They were hormones. Please know the facts. I'm from WI and I do not defend this guy. Nice apology, he uses words to convince. I'm not sold.

The worst part is that he is not alone. We need to stop seeing athletes as role models. They very rarely live up to it.

annie said...


He just wants to bore us to tears so that we can forget what he's talking about and stop listening.

Tania Cadogan said...

I will never make the same errors again and I intend to share the lessons I learned with others so they don't repeat my mistakes

An interesting choice of words here.

He doesn't tell us he will never take banned substances again, if he can't say it we can't say it for him.

Instead he refers to errors.

What are those errors he will never make again?

Getting caught?
Getting caught lying?

Note then he says he intends to share the lessons learned so others won't reapeat his mistakes
A change in language indicates a change in reality, what has prompted the change in reality?
Errors has now become mistakes.

What lessons does he intend to share so others won't repeat his mistakes?
He is telling us he intends to tell the others how not to get caught, he will tell them the errors he made that resulted in being caught so others won't make the same ones. Is he reassuring others he knows are taking banned substances that he won't spill the beans as to who they are?

Error is minimised to mistake in relation to others.

He doesn't regret taking the substances, he regrets being caught and he regrets being caught in the lie.

He doesn't tell us he will not take banned substances, only he will never make the same error again.
I would be checking regularly for banned substances and blood doping a la armstrong.