That was how Alex Rodriguez ended his presser today to address his now admitted steroid use. The truth is, he will be judged. And harshly.
Even if he hits .300 with 50 homers and 135 RBI, he'll still be labeled as a steroid cheater. Just like Roger Clemens, just like Mark McGwire, and just like Sammy Sosa are now branded. Oh, we'll judge you from this day forward, more brutally and with a spotlight more glaring than you could ever imagine.
Despite what McGwire prattled off to Congress four years ago - "I'm not here to talk about the past." - the American public still does. In his case, and Rodriguez', we certainly won't forget the past either.
Showing posts with label A-Rod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A-Rod. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Alex Fraudriguez
The sordid details of his steroid use with the Texas Rangers have been well documented, and the public scrutiny has been expanded to include ESPN's Peter Gammons' softball questions and lack of follow-ups. Now A-Fraud is accusing Selena Roberts, one of the Sports Illustrated reporters who broke the story last weekend, of stalking him and trespassing on his property. And there's the possibility that Gene Orza, one of the MLBPA chiefs, may have tipped players off that they were about to be drug tested.
Major League Baseball ran amok for a very long time without any acknowledgment of wrongdoing, be it with steroids, amphetamines, or any other illicit behavior, because revenues were up, new stadiums were being built, and the owners were getting richer. Now we're finding out just how many blind eyes were turned, and the outrage will only get worse. Baseball was in such a hurry to erase the stink of the 1994 players' strike and get fans back in the stadiums and interested in the sport again, that they let the inmates rule the asylum. It made national news when Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games-played record late in 1995, but it wasn't until the Mark McGwire / Sammy Sosa home run battle in 1998 that baseball truly became relevant again. Who knows what the two of them, and how many others, were really taking?
If the BBWAA is as truly outraged as their lack of support of McGwire's HOF campaign indicates, there will be a severe lack of inductions of players from the steroid era.
I'll get off my soapbox now . . . that is all.
Major League Baseball ran amok for a very long time without any acknowledgment of wrongdoing, be it with steroids, amphetamines, or any other illicit behavior, because revenues were up, new stadiums were being built, and the owners were getting richer. Now we're finding out just how many blind eyes were turned, and the outrage will only get worse. Baseball was in such a hurry to erase the stink of the 1994 players' strike and get fans back in the stadiums and interested in the sport again, that they let the inmates rule the asylum. It made national news when Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games-played record late in 1995, but it wasn't until the Mark McGwire / Sammy Sosa home run battle in 1998 that baseball truly became relevant again. Who knows what the two of them, and how many others, were really taking?
If the BBWAA is as truly outraged as their lack of support of McGwire's HOF campaign indicates, there will be a severe lack of inductions of players from the steroid era.
I'll get off my soapbox now . . . that is all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
