When former Braves star John Rocker showed no remorse while admitting to PED usage during his MLB career

John Rocker, a former MLB relief pitcher, inflamed his divisive viewpoint on performance-enhancing drugs by praising the steroid era in an interview in 2011. Rocker was unapologetic about steroid use the candid interview.

"Yeah, of course I was [taking steroids]. I mean who wasn't? Let's be honest here, who wasn't?"

When asked if he became a better pitcher due to his drug consumption, Rocker replied:

"No. Can I throw 3 or 4 mph harder because of it? Yes. Was my breaking ball better because of it? No. The reason [for taking them] was, with my teammates and their confidence laying on my shoulders, with the coaching staff and their confidence on my shoulders, with the millions of Atlanta Braves fans, I am not going to step on that mound with that kind of responsibility with my gun half loaded.

"Knowing the people I am going to be facing, I know what they're doing; I am not coming to the mound halfcocked."

When Rocker was implicated in a steroid distribution network in 2007, he insisted that "less than 10 percent" of MLB players were using steroids and that he had only taken HGH while recovering from surgery. In 2000, he admitted to taking steroids and increased that percentage to "40 to 50 percent," however he swiftly walked back his claims that MLB physicians had given him advice on how to take the drugs safely.

John Rocker's storied baseball career marred by controversy

John Rocker played for the Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, and Tampa Bay Red Devils over the course of six seasons in Major League Baseball.

The athlete gained notoriety during his career for a string of divisive remarks that mostly started with a 1999 Sports Illustrated interview.

Due to his unfavourable actions, he was suspended by the MLB in 2000 for disciplinary reasons and faced cruel jeers from supporters of other clubs. After a career mostly marked by scandal and sanctions, John Rocker retired in 2005.