|
THE SCOOP: WEDNESDAY,
JUNE 26
McEnroe, friends deny O'Neal's steroid
accusation,
Gilbert says he has no integrity
By
Matthew Cronin and Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net
FROM WIMBLEDON – Johnny Mac-Canseco?
Actress Tatum O'Neal's accusations on ABC-TV that her ex-husband
John McEnroe took steroids while he was on the tour and used cocaine
and marijuana aren't sitting well with Mac or some of his peers.
Far more damaging than O'Neal's revelation that she and McEnroe
used cocaine together the first time they made love (McEnroe had
already written in his book, You Cannot Be Serious, that they "were
high'' the first time they had sex in 1984) is the steroid accusation,
which is clearly aimed to dent McEnroe's record as an all-time great
as well as a commentator.
O'Neal said McEnroe used steroids "when he was coming back
after Sean (their son) was born'' in 1987 and said that "I
made him stop because he was becoming violent.''
While McEnroe hasn't directly said "no" to the steroids
accusation, he called it "ridiculous and unfair and sad"
and said that he wants to avoid talking about the accusations so
as not cause their children mental anguish. "I'm surprised
at Tatum but I am disappointed," McEnroe said. "Hopefully
my kids won't have to deal with this. Out of respect for the welfare
of my kids, I don't want to talk about specifics because then I'll
have to get into the other issues. I thought that in my book I treated
her with dignity and responsibility and she decided to take a different
route."
McEnroe added that he didn't know
of any players who took steroids, but "that doesn't mean that
people didn't do it. I'm sure some have. But it's the more recreational
things that hurt you that were more prevalent."
McEnroe, who won seven Slams during his career, didn't win one after
1984.
COACH
BELIEVES O'NEAL IS 'MAKING THINGS UP'
Joe Guliano, a former touring pro and friend of McEnroe's during
his days on tour as well as Elena Bovina's current coach, told tennisreporters.net
that O'Neal is making things up. "She'll throw out anything
and hope it sticks," he said. "She a desperate, lost woman."
|
Fred Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.
|
Former player Brad Gilbert –
who never hides his disdain for McEnroe, who trashes him in his
book, "Playing Ugly," – said he "hasn't seen
or heard or seen one person take steroids or drugs. There used to
be rumors about guys putting coke in their wrist bands, but I never
saw it and can't imagine how that would work."
Gilbert added that players were tested for steroids and drugs during
the 1980s. "You would think the tests would have caught someone.
It's hard to say without conclusive proof that someone has done
it. It seems like every time someone is doing well – like Barry
Bonds – they say he's cheating. If you take steroids, you'll
get cancer, your kids will get cancer and you'll meet your maker.
I don't know why people would out sell themselves to that devil."
Given that McEnroe ripped him in
his book – "I've never seen anyone as negative on court.
Eyore had nothing on Brad. He had a black cloud over his head and
he was never satisfied until he got you feeling gloomy, too."
– it's not surprising that Gilbert (Andre Agassi's former coach)
made sure to say that he was not in any way "defending McEnroe."
"He's completely delusional,"
Gilbert said. "I don't know why he wrote what he did and why
he has to attack people the way the did and air dirty laundry. I
was with Andre for years and I would never write a gossip book.
I want to maintain my friendship with him and I respect him. McEnroe
always talks about having integrity but he has none."
Referring to O'Neal's accusations, Gilbert said, "If you throw
hand grenades like he does, eventually someone is going to throw
one back. Here's a guys who despised the British media when he played
and is now the first guy to try to sell them a story. He has no
integrity whatsoever."
|
