At Mark McGwire’s first public appearance since admitting to steroids he received a standing ovation from fans but evaded hard-hitting questions from reporters.

From ESPN.com:

His scheduled news conference, however, was shifted to an overcrowded hallway at the last minute, and McGwire evaded questions about the criticism he’s received from ex-players. The former home run king emphasized repeatedly he was ready to move on.

Dressed in jeans, a sweater and running shoes, the 46-year-old McGwire walked on stage to “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses, the hard-rock song played before his at-bats with the Cardinals.

He was cheered by fans who secured seats as much as 3½ hours earlier.

This is already playing out poorly. While McGwire’s confession was admirable, his claims that steroids didn’t increase his hitting power are ridiculous. Reporters are going to continue hammering him with embarrassing questions until he states the obvious.