Moving to a new location
AJC blogs are moving to a new technical platform. So check out Terence Moore’s new blog home and bookmark it.
Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2009 > February > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USYou can believe David Justice
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No athlete I’ve ever met has a more honest tongue than David Justice. So, when the former Braves slugger suggests he doesn’t know Kirk Radomski from Captain Kirk, you should believe him.
When Justice mentions his fear of needles proves he never injected steroids, you should believe him.
Mostly, when Justice says he couldn’t care less if you believe any of this, you should believe him.
“You’re talking to your boy who had a whole stadium wanting to see me fail in 1995,” said Justice, over the phone from his home in San Diego. His reference was to Game 6 of the World Series at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The day before, he shouted what was whispered by everybody else about how lousy the Braves crowds were compared to their spirited counterparts in Cleveland.
That’s why Justice was smothered with boos — well, until he ripped the homer that won a Braves world championship in the sixth inning of a 1-0 victory. He eventually was inducted into the Braves Hall of Fame, and despite spending the last six of his 14 seasons in the majors with other teams, he has a tomahawk across his heart.
He even has formed a traveling baseball team in Southern California involving his two sons (David Jr., 9, and Dionisio, 6). The name of that team? The Braves, complete with uniforms to match. So the choppers and the chanters always should hug Justice for all of that alone.
Said Justice, “I am not a weak-minded person, and I’m not a person who really needs you to like me or love me. I just think that I’m a cool dude. So if you don’t like me, you just don’t like me.”
Radomski doesn’t like Justice. Either that, or the former clubhouse attendant has a vivid imagination. He told George Mitchell that he sold human growth hormone to Justice. That was significant, because Mitchell was in charge of baseball’s investigation into the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Then Radomski told ESPN that he gave Justice a box of HGH and steroids during a ride to the airport after Justice finished playing for the New York Yankees in the 2000 World Series.
Now consider this: Radomski has a recently published book on steroids and baseball. It’s a book with large passages disputed by Mitchell. Which means it’s wise to question anything leaving Radomski’s lips.
“When he said he took me to the airport after we won the World Series, hey, I got my cousins, I got friends who were up there with me, and they all said, ‘That dude didn’t take you to no airport,’ ” said Justice, who did recall Brian McNamee, the former trainer, now famous for saying Roger Clemens was juiced.
Soon after Justice joined the Yankees in 2000, McNamee approached him with HGH. He told the outfielder it would help his various aches and pains.
“I’m having good days and bad days with my sports hernia and groin, and I’ve got the New York Yankees strength coach, who is Dr. McNamee and somebody I thought was a really cool guy, coming to me,” Justice said. “He tells me, ‘This is not steroids. It will not hurt your body. Doctors prescribe this every day. It will help you with the healing of your groin.’
“Why would I not take it? That’s my point. I would have taken it had it not been dealing with needles. In my limited knowledge of it, and now you put it in my locker, and I see it ain’t no pill. I can’t get with you, bro.
“I don’t know where [McNamee] got [the HGH] from. He could have gotten it from Radomski. It wasn’t even that deep. All this happened quickly.”
Quickly enough for everybody to forget it and move on.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Categories: Braves/MLB
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Brian
February 1, 2009 7:54 PM | Link to this
You really can’t be that naive.
By Joe Shadowens
February 1, 2009 7:57 PM | Link to this
Terrence - just…..shut…..up. Justice is probably innocent but you would never even BEGIN to question his guilt. Why? Because he’s a brother.
By TheAntiMe
February 1, 2009 8:50 PM | Link to this
I totally believe Justice is on the level. Although David’s head did get bigger over the years, figuratively speaking, his head did not literally swell up to be 3 times larger over a 3 year period like Barry Bonds head did.
By Matt
February 1, 2009 8:57 PM | Link to this
So let me get this straight, T, I should believe David Justice because his cousins say so? You’re such a fool. David Justice is no different from any other ballplayer who saw the end of his career coming and didn’t want it to happen. So he cheated. The same is true for white, latino, and asian players. It has nothing to do with race. HE CHEATED. MOVE ON.
By Terence Moore
February 1, 2009 9:09 PM | Link to this
The AntiMe,
Although you can’t necessarily use the size of a person’s head or otherwise as a true indicator of steriod use (see pitchers), you almost never have a slugger remain his normal size while juicing.
Justice remained his normal size.
By Ted Striker
February 1, 2009 9:46 PM | Link to this
Radomski doesn’t seem to be a very credible accuser in this instance. I’ll go with Justice.
By RRR
February 1, 2009 10:17 PM | Link to this
I want to believe David, too Terence, just as you do. Sadly, we’ve been proved wrong over and over again. So: don’t let your heart overrule your mind bro!!
By Brian
February 1, 2009 10:21 PM | Link to this
Human growth hormone is not a steroid. It aids in recuperation and muscle repair. It gave him an unfair advantage. If he took it, and I have not doubt he did, you would never be able to tell. Radomski has nothing to gain by naming Justice if he didn’t give him the HGH.
There is no doubt in my mind that all that were named in the investigations were guilty along with many that were not named at all.
It’s time to lay aside the naivete and accept the truth about these players. We ain’t in Kansas any more Terence.
By Gene
February 1, 2009 10:37 PM | Link to this
What about the drug paraphernalia in Justice’s car in West Palm? And wasn’t he accused of roughing up Halley Berry? Surely there is something more newsworthy than dragging up Dave Justice.
By Terrence will belive anything a black man says
February 1, 2009 10:42 PM | Link to this
Terrence, you are beyond naive. While I think it is true that Justice did not juice like a fiend like all the other steroid freaks of the era, do you REALLY believe that crap that he wouldn’t do them solely because of his fear of needles? He all but admitted he took them when he said McNamee told him he should use the HGH. You don’t have to do them full time to still be a cheater, using them to get over an injury is still cheating. Now of course he says he didn’t take any because it came in a needle. Mr. Halle Berry, Mr. World Series Hero, Mr. Cool. Petrified of needles. Please. My God,Terrence can you at least pretend to be objective? If you aren’t going to ask any tough questions directly, at least say you did and that Justice denied them. This is just yellow dog sycophant journalism at its best. But at least you didn’t drag any of the Big Red Machine players into it.
By Poorbrave
February 1, 2009 11:10 PM | Link to this
I for one believe David Justice. When he played in Atlanta he was a friend and took up alot of time with my son. I will never forget him for that and neither will my son.He was a super person.
Just for the record I am white, not that it matters but I do get tired of the Anti-Moore BS. I don’t agree with Mr. Moore all the time but thats what makes his blogs special. Different opinions are good for everyone and I respect TM’s as much as the next blogger. God Bless The USA.