Disappointment is when you don't get your toy from Santa, when your parents cancel a planned outing. It is a an emotion generated from the loss of something we look forward to in life. Like it or not, personality and all, we all enjoyed watching A-Rod play. He has talent. Talent that will most likely be overlooked going forward in his baseball career. He will forever be tainted by steroids.
Personally I am neither shocked or disappointed. I blame A-Rods' agent, Scott Boras. An agent is supposed to bolster his client when he or she is insecure. A-Rod requires constant ego maintenance. An agent is supposed to furnish that to his client to keep him from stupid things, like steroids. A-Rod for all his natural talent is highly insecure. He is also image focused. Using steroids and thinking it would not come out is image suicide.
This morning, A-Rod used the lame excuse, I didn't do steroids. Later int he day he recanted, using the I dind't know defens. Alex, Alex, Alex, how stupid do you think people are? They got the records from the Baseball Player's Union. Lying about it intinally only made you look like an ass.
Was I surprised A-Rod went to denial? No, because once again it's his image. If he believes it, it won't be true. Well Alex you can deny it to yourself, but then their is the lab test that says you are a liar. Which would you rather be a fallen legend or an example of a liar and cheat? I personally would take the hit on my reputation for being stupid then for being a liar, then an idiot by admitting it and saying he didn't know. I will admit my mistakes. I have enough self-confidence in myself to admit my many faults; apparently Alex Rodriquez does not. He still believes the A-Rod fairy tale; and this fairy tell has an unhappy ending.
When Andy Pettitte got named in the Mitchell report, I was upset. However Andy came out and admitted to his nasty deed. It proves Andy is a mature person and can handle his own stupidity. When Roger Clemens was accused, he lied, of course, that didn't change my opinion of Roger either, watching him pitch for 20+ year,s you knew it was all about him. And unlike A-Rod, Roger will not be denied Cooperstown, he holds too many records, before he loaded up on the steroids to keep pitching. Alex on the other hand can probably kiss the Hall of Fame goodbye.
Had A-Rod fessed up today and been honest the first time, he might have got a pardon from the Baseball Writers. But Alex initially denied the truth, the truth that is plain in a printed lab report. Lying is something the Baseball Writers will not forget. Honesty and open dialog is the basis for their craft. Alex is not honest or open unless it benefits. Why then would they place him one day in the shrine of the immortals? Lying removes his reward for immortality. Had he gone with unknowingly stupid at first, he might have at least gotten an invite.
My parents always said, honestly is the best policy. In this day of tainted role models, what example does A-Rod's no, then maybe I didn't know defense teach our youth. It teaches them to lie, cheat and sneak to be successful. The fast track to disaster.
The biggest thing about this latest A-Rod Drama is the example it sets for those who want to be like him. And that is something we cannot allow. No matter how much talent, how much ability or success you attain, you should not be rewarded for attaining it unfairly.
As Kellogg's and USA Swimming stripped Michael Phelps of his rewards, the same should be done for all athletes who attain their success through cheating. Why it will not upset me if a talent like A-Rod is denied the Baseball Hall of Fame.
It is time to draw a line in the sand, the line of setting a good example. Those who cheated set bad examples, and bad examples requires punishment.
The moral of this tale, stupidity should never be rewarded and honesty is always the best policy.
1 comments:
I don't think you can fairly say that "A" attained his success through cheating.
His steroid use occurred during his Texas years and he's had some pretty awesome years before and after the 01-03 seasons.
He was a super star before the drugs. He has another 10-12 years left and by the time it's over, this will be just another footnote in his career like the Madonna years.
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