Jon Conway blew it.
Five months after his league-record suspension for failing a drug test, Conway finally spoke to the media in what was expected to be his explanation for what happened when he and then-teammate Jeff Parke tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs after taking an over-the-counter supplement called Jungle Warfare.
The only problem with what Conway said was that he didn't really say anything at all.
No answer, no apology, no explanation.
Conway didn't want to talk about it, and insisted that he wanted to leave the past in the past. The problem with that is that Conway's decision to say nothing had the exact opposite effect. Now, rather than truly putting the incident behind him and his club, Conway's cop-out has put his transgression back in the spotlight.
How hard could it really have been for Conway to say any of the following:
"I made a mistake and apologize to my teammates, the club and the fans."
or
"I never meant to take a banned substance and am sorry for the drama this situation caused."
It didn't have to be either of those statements, but it needed to be something. No, Conway was under no legal obligation to speak, but he owed the public an explanation and by not giving one he has cast more doubt when a simple statement could have put this whole thing to rest.
It wasn't just about owing the fans an explanation--they are the ones who ultimately pay his $123,625 in salary--but also about owing it to his teammates to step up and explain himself after his team was left to answer for his mistake five months ago. From teammates, to the team trainer to the head coach all stepped up to give their takes on Conway's suspension. They didn't hide behind "No comment" or "I don't want to talk about the past. They all stepped up and gave explanations and answers because they felt the public deserved them.
Even Parke, who was given the same suspension as Conway, offered up a public apology just days after the suspensions became public:
"To all my family, teammates, coaches, friends and fans, I apologize for the events that have taken place that have led to this decision by Major League soccer. I share their belief that there is no room for performance enhancing substances in sports. However, it is important for me to share with you that I was unaware of the fact that the supplement I took had any ingredients that would put me in the place that I am today. I do take full responsibility for what has happened and realize that I should have made sure by consulting with the appropriate team staff before taking the supplement. Purchasing an over the counter product at a nationally recognized retail chain ultimately led me to where I am today. I can only hope that this can be prevented in the future and be a learning experience for all the players. Again, my apologies to my teammates, coaching staff, Red Bull, family, friends and fan."
Instead of speaking up like Parke did five months ago, Conway did his best Mark McGwire impression. You might remember McGwire as the once-great baseball slugger who managed to completely tarnish his reputation by going before congress and refusing to "talk about the past." As much of a PR nightmare as that was for McGwire, he had the luxury of returning back to obscurity as a retired baseball player. Conway has no such escape. He is still a professional athlete who must now face the skeptical glare of a cynical public that won't stop wondering what exactly Conway is trying to hide.
Conway's decision not to speak may not have even been his idea. It could have been the misguided advice of public relations people, or his lawyer or his agent. Whoever it was gave him bad advice because when you make Alex Rodriguez look like a young George Washington by comparison you have probably done something wrong.
Even if you give Conway the benefit of the doubt that he was advised not to speak, you can't help but wonder what the thinking was behind having Conway stay silent for five months only to have him avoid any comments about the suspension when he finally did speak to the media. He could have made the same statement five months ago and been done with it, but by waiting this long, he has guaranteed that his return from suspension will garner even more scrutiny.
How much scrutiny? In the world of American soccer, it should be relatively substantial, but in the grand scheme of American pro sports, it won't be that much. That is where Conway has an advantage on all those other drug test failers who faced the music in other sports. Baseball stars like Rodriguez and Jason Giambi spoke because they had to, because they knew that if they didn't they would be hounded about it for ages. In MLS, where media coverage is a fraction of what it is in other sports, Conway might just be able to ride out the criticism and eventually move on.
He might, but not without a cost for his cop-out. Conway had a chance to speak for himself on Monday and passed. He had a chance to win back some of the trust and belief from a public that had probably already accepted that he just made a mistake, but has instead managed to cast some doubt about his motives and his actions.
Conway doesn't want to talk about the past, but now he has guaranteed that his past will haunt him just a bit more.
