Daily Madden: The Braun Suspension Is A Step In The Right Direction
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, who finished second to Ryan Braun in the 2011 National League MVP voting, said Braun should be stripped of the award. Braun was suspended for 65 games Monday for violations of the league's drug rules.
"That's the thing that baseball has to live with all the way back to the start of the steroid era, including the Hall of Fame and the records and all that stuff," John Madden told the KCBS Radio morning crew.
The league tried to suspend Braun after a positive test in the 2011 season, but an arbitrator ruled the test was handled improperly.
"I think when they catch them they have to give them the punishment just to get rid of it. If you keep going on and keep making excuses and keep paying them, then they keep doing it. Some way or another they have to get rid of the doggone stuff...I know we're not going to win it quickly and I know we're not going to win it easily, because as I've said for years, the people that use it, the people that make up the cocktails for it, and the people that produce the stuff are always ahead of the people who are testing."
Elsewhere, former world champion boxer Emile Griffith has died at age 75.
"Not only did I enjoy him as a fighter, but he was a friend," John said, noting that Griffith trained for a time in the Bay Area and was a Raiders fan.
"He was friend to the Raiders... He was a great fighter," said Madden.
Griffith's career was overshadowed by the death of opponent Bennie 'The Kid' Paret in a 1962 bout in which Griffith regained the welterweight title. Griffith knocked out Paret in the 12th round. Paret went into a coma and died 10 days later. (6:55)
Daily Madden
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