When Alex Rodriguez arrives at camp the press will get their chance. Every journalist, press blogger or general media smart ass who has picked at every detail major or minor of that interview will have their opportunity to have their issues answered when Arod arrives for his version of a state of the union address...that is presuming they will actually ask the questions they have been demanding to hear in their columns over the last week.
The press have a habit of talking tough in their columns then either not asking the questions they demand to hear, or not even bothering to show up in the case of the likes of modern brand of tv journalists who report from their living room and back up their assertions with that unnamed source guy.
Simply put:
If you don't buy the GNC story, ask about it
If you want to know why he took seemingly fabricated shots at Selena Roberts, ask about it
If you question his revelation to stop using, ask about it
If you want to know who supplied him with the stuff, ask about it
Every single issue you can possibly have with the interview, the tests, everything, you should ask about it and if you don't like the answer, if you think the answer is bull shit then say so then and there. Don't wait till the next day to write an article about how x, y and z wasn't answered and how there are still so many questions you have.
Anyone with a legit media outlet will get their shot when he arrives and they best make the most of it.
Put up or shut up guys.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Not Just One Fraud
Baseball has been slowly mending since the release of the Mitchell Report and the BALCO case, but the recent accusations surrounding star player Alex Rodriguez have seemingly reopened baseballs wound. From the year 2001 to 2003 (or roundabouts) Rodriguez admitted that he used performance enhancing drugs, though not specifically naming what he took. After the article’s release, Rodriguez held silence for nearly 48 hours, probably pondering how he should handle this situation and where his career could be headed. His dirty little secret, which was kept quiet for at least six years has finally been released. We all have been exposed to the lack of integrity and untruthfulness of yet another star. Not only has it shown us his guilt, but it has given us perspective into baseball underworld, the corrupt and undisclosed off the field aspect of the game. Naming another player who was going to be considered among the all-time greats as a cheater, now makes us ask the question: Who isn’t using performance enhancing drugs? It is almost as if we must suspect every player, and assume they are guilty unless proven clean.
Without taking any blame off of Alex Rodriguez or any other player violating the drug policy, the leaders of the MLB and MLBPA should be held accountable and accept an equal amount of blame for these problems. The suspicion of steroids has long existed and in recent years these suspicions have been proven well founded. Some of the best players since the 1990’s have been linked to usage of these performance enhancing drugs; Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, and now Alex Rodriguez. Major League Baseball and other associate people have allowed the sport of baseball to be engulfed in a cloud of distrust and questionability. Bud Selig and others are just as guilty as all those accused players, for they have allowed use of these substances to run wild and go hidden and unpunished. They may have felt it was for the good of the game to keep names like Bonds, Clemens, and Rodriguez off lists and out of the public eye, for they were the stars of baseball. In reality, however, all that they did was create a situation that now looks much worse, for the officials and the players alike. The regimes of the MLB and MLBPA have created a massive shit storm (for lack of a better word) that threatens to send baseball in a downward spiral toward its demise. Not only is it unfair to fans and honest, hardworking players, but it is immoral and in some cases illegal. It seems that baseball has somehow been allowed to hide information regarding some banned and controlled substances, which makes no sense. Some of these players have been guilty of using and perhaps selling federally illegal substances, yet for the most part they have seen a lack of punishments. It is sad as a citizen of a democracy to see a large profitable organization, granted monopolistic rights by the government, get away with illegal activities and abuse its privileges. It is unjust and illegal, and it must be stopped! It is time for fans to start booing and harassing guilty players and demand change within the MLB. It is time for the government to step in and stop letting baseball cover up federally illegal activities (though in these time this is of minimal importance), and make them spill the beans.
People surely have varying opinions about the steroid era, about its impact on baseball, and how it should be treated, and I have my own. Hank Aaron is still the all-time homerun king, Roger Maris still holds the single season record for homeruns, Rickey Henderson holds the all-time walk record, Lou Gehrig’s 1995 RBI’s still rank 5th all-time. Steve Carlton ranks third in career strikeouts, Tim Keefe’s 342 wins still place him 9th all-time in career wins, it can go on all day, the nullification of statistics compiled by “dirty” players. The cheaters have not only cheated themselves or the fans, they have cheated history. It is time for people to take responsibility for what’s happened. No more secret test results, no more sweeping evidence under the carpet, and no more lack of punishments to guilty individuals. No more just accepting apologies especially since, it is my opinion that all the players that have been caught and apologized have not done so because they are sorry for taking steroids, it is because they are sorry they got caught, they are sorry that their reputation and credibility has been taken away. Baseball must go into rehab, it must rid itself of all harmful persons and begin to regain its reputation as America’s sport. Those proven guilty must be charged with consequences, such as stripping of awards, being banned from the HOF, and though it may seem harsh, banishment from the game seems in order. This problem needs to stop quickly, thus cruel and seemingly unfair actions must be put in place and enforced. I want my sport back! I want to be able to watch a game and not have to wonder if the guy pitching the ball or the guy standing in the batter’s box is using HGH or anabolic steroids. For the love of God, I just want to watch some pure, honest baseball!!!
Without taking any blame off of Alex Rodriguez or any other player violating the drug policy, the leaders of the MLB and MLBPA should be held accountable and accept an equal amount of blame for these problems. The suspicion of steroids has long existed and in recent years these suspicions have been proven well founded. Some of the best players since the 1990’s have been linked to usage of these performance enhancing drugs; Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, and now Alex Rodriguez. Major League Baseball and other associate people have allowed the sport of baseball to be engulfed in a cloud of distrust and questionability. Bud Selig and others are just as guilty as all those accused players, for they have allowed use of these substances to run wild and go hidden and unpunished. They may have felt it was for the good of the game to keep names like Bonds, Clemens, and Rodriguez off lists and out of the public eye, for they were the stars of baseball. In reality, however, all that they did was create a situation that now looks much worse, for the officials and the players alike. The regimes of the MLB and MLBPA have created a massive shit storm (for lack of a better word) that threatens to send baseball in a downward spiral toward its demise. Not only is it unfair to fans and honest, hardworking players, but it is immoral and in some cases illegal. It seems that baseball has somehow been allowed to hide information regarding some banned and controlled substances, which makes no sense. Some of these players have been guilty of using and perhaps selling federally illegal substances, yet for the most part they have seen a lack of punishments. It is sad as a citizen of a democracy to see a large profitable organization, granted monopolistic rights by the government, get away with illegal activities and abuse its privileges. It is unjust and illegal, and it must be stopped! It is time for fans to start booing and harassing guilty players and demand change within the MLB. It is time for the government to step in and stop letting baseball cover up federally illegal activities (though in these time this is of minimal importance), and make them spill the beans.
People surely have varying opinions about the steroid era, about its impact on baseball, and how it should be treated, and I have my own. Hank Aaron is still the all-time homerun king, Roger Maris still holds the single season record for homeruns, Rickey Henderson holds the all-time walk record, Lou Gehrig’s 1995 RBI’s still rank 5th all-time. Steve Carlton ranks third in career strikeouts, Tim Keefe’s 342 wins still place him 9th all-time in career wins, it can go on all day, the nullification of statistics compiled by “dirty” players. The cheaters have not only cheated themselves or the fans, they have cheated history. It is time for people to take responsibility for what’s happened. No more secret test results, no more sweeping evidence under the carpet, and no more lack of punishments to guilty individuals. No more just accepting apologies especially since, it is my opinion that all the players that have been caught and apologized have not done so because they are sorry for taking steroids, it is because they are sorry they got caught, they are sorry that their reputation and credibility has been taken away. Baseball must go into rehab, it must rid itself of all harmful persons and begin to regain its reputation as America’s sport. Those proven guilty must be charged with consequences, such as stripping of awards, being banned from the HOF, and though it may seem harsh, banishment from the game seems in order. This problem needs to stop quickly, thus cruel and seemingly unfair actions must be put in place and enforced. I want my sport back! I want to be able to watch a game and not have to wonder if the guy pitching the ball or the guy standing in the batter’s box is using HGH or anabolic steroids. For the love of God, I just want to watch some pure, honest baseball!!!
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