As I went on in my last post about Michael Phelps and how he has been treated unfairly in the media as a result of his extracurricular activity on Superbowl Sunday.....news was breaking about Alex Rodriguez and his involvement in using performance enhancing drugs.
These are drugs that are not used socially, nor for the purpose of "feeling good", or any other type of descriptor that a person who uses recreational drugs might suggest.
These are drugs that are used specifically for the purpose of becoming better than what they are genetically capable of being. To cheat not only the fans of any given sport of their ability, but to cheat the sport itself.
Anyone can take a drug and become an exaggeration of who they are and the capabilities they may possess naturally; but to not take anything to enhance and exaggerate -- despite the availability to do so, and still succeed -- in my mind, is a true athlete.
Let's use the ultimate vanity sport of bodybuilding, for an example. There are body builders who are natural. Then there are those who aren't. I have far more admiration and respect for a person who can sculpt their body to a maximum muscular potential and shape by hard work, exercise and nutrition. That is a beautiful thing to see. Once they start using any type of performance enhancement drug (and yes, though body building isn't a true athletic skill - it is a performance enhancer that they use, as much of an oxymoron that might seem...) I lose the respect I had previously. To use them, is to cheat; it is to chemically enhance and re-engineer their bodies into becoming something that they aren't naturally capable of being, putting them at an unfair advantage against those who do not choose to take these kinds of enhancements.
There are many athletes in the sport of baseball who have been "caught" taken anabolic steroids and HGH - and have owned the mistake. Listen, good people make bad choices. That's a part of life. But when you have athletes that not only didn't necessarily need to use them, and then either categorically deny or choose not to address the issue when caught - leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of their fans. As well as amongst their peers, I'm sure.
Alex Rodriguez, in my personal opinion - is of poor character, period. This latest release of information does not come as a surprise to me. It isn't even a disappointment any longer. He cheated on his wife numerous times. He cheated this last time very publicly with a woman who was married at the time. (This doesn’t make Madonna any better, but truly - we expect that of her anyway.) He attempted to cheat in baseball during a crucial game. He has made Bush League attempts in thwarting other teams from winning. We are not talking about a "good person who made a bad choice". We are talking about someone with little integrity, and no respect for boundaries or rules.
The unfortunate part of it all, is that he a naturally gifted person. He didn't need to have to use these drugs. There are some players who truly have shortcomings and may have felt the need to use in an effort to stay on their game. This does not ring true for one of the most talented baseball players in recent years. And to me, if he was to come forward and even try to use that as an excuse as to why he used - to this girl, it would fall on deaf ears. It sounds like an excuse, not an apology.
Most importantly, and I think this is a piece of the puzzle that quite often gets overlooked - these players are cheating themselves and their families - of their lives. These athletes will bald faster, age quicker, develop potential kidney and or heart disease - or even worse, potentially induce a cancerous growth. It is not healthy to consume chemicals to modify DNA, or products created for animals into the human body for no reason other than to accentuate and accelerate muscular potential and strength.
It is a shame that this is what athletes feel they need to do to their bodies in order to be competitive -- and the message that it is sending to children who look up to these players is just all wrong.
But that's just this girl's opinion.
*****
Edited, 2:44pm:
Alex Rodriguez has confirmed during an interview this afternoon with ESPN's Peter Gammons that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03 while a member of the Texas Rangers.
"I was young, I was stupid, I was naive, and I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth . . . being one of the greatest players of all time," Rodriguez told Gammons in an interview recorded this afternoon. "I did take a banned substance and for that I am very sorry and deeply regretful."
As I said....I'm throwing the BS card on that.
Excuses, PR spin and saving face.
A cheat is a cheat is a cheat.
8 comments:
With 103 other names on that list, if they are also made public, I have a feeling we're going to hear some that hurt. A lot.
Hey Dawn,
I wonder who...? Manny would surprise me, only because I think that talent is the one weapon he hones; he clearly lacks in common sense otherwise, but for some crazy reason, I don't think he would be a name. Maybe I'm being naive. We all knew Nomar juiced - and honestly that doesn't bother me at all. I can't think of anyone on the team who has either a.) improved exponentially, or b.) changed their appearance so dramatically that we'd venture to guess that they were using. Manny to me, is the only one who really had substantial weight gains/losses, but he just looked chubby, LOL.
Guesses?
Going back to 2003? Names that would scare me: Pedro? Papi? Trot? Kapler? Foulke? Millar? Even possbly Tek? Especially the guys that were prone to or recovering from injury. It doesn't have to be repetitive use. What about the guys who used briefly to recover quicker & get back to playing? Could still have tested positive, even just on a "I tried it once & never went back down that road again" basis.
I just don't think anyone is truly exempt without knowing what that list says. Although, I agree with you, I don't think Manny is on there. I don't think Schill is either (not the way he is supporting the release of the entire list!) but I can't think of many guys I would bet my life weren't on there, you know?
Hmmm. Pedro would surprise me I think; Trot - not so much. There is a difference between steriods used to heal, and those to enhance performance. A cycle is far different from "cycling".
I think anyone is possible, but I don't know that I would perceive everyone in the same light as I would ARod. To me, he is on the same caliber as Barry Bonds. Lie, cheat, steal. His lies ruined his friendship with Derek Jeter; his cheating affected his marriage, and he clearly borders cheating in the sport as well as cheating the fans with his enhanced physical ability; and he stole another man's wife...as well as the innocence of the believers who stuck up for him, for believing he didn't need to enhance his performance.
Clearly, I'm so all set with him. His interview is coming up on The Insider. I think I might throw up.
I think the two things I am trying to remember is that he tested positive *before* they were banned, and that every bad thing being said about him now will be said about any Red Sox that show up on that list, if it gets released. They will *all* be cast in the same light. The only thing that will set guys like Bonds and Clemens apart from guys like Giambi and Pettitte is owning up to it & apologizing. Whatever we think of ARod-the Yankee, ARod-player was smart to 'fess up in that interview. Denial has not been the reaction that had the better outcome. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of him, but I am trying to imagine this is someone on our team and having to hear people say these things about him. Also: Thank God we didn't win it all in 2003...
Well that's the thing - he can't deny. That automatically puts him in the category of Barry Bonds and Mark Maguire. That would be the end for him. This was the only salvagable scenario for him.
But here's the thing Dawn; the MLB may have banned them recently -- they've been ILLEGAL for years. So who cares if it's that the MLB started cracking down, that's almost secondary, isn't it???
I think we have to be realistic in thinking that sure, one of the Sox could be on there. I can only speak for myself, but I don't think there are many other players who are as disliked as much as ARod nationwide (Not just Red Sox Nation) that would irritate people nearly as much.
I could be wrong... but hey - you reap what you sow, right? If they got caught then they suffer the consequences. They knew that going into it....
All I know is 103 more names is a lot of players. Just because we love our players doesn't mean everyone does. I truly wouldn't be shocked to see more than one Red Sox player on that list--sad but not shocked--and if & when that happens, I expect a lot of equally ugly things to be said. There are at least as many baseball fans out there right now that would like to see the Sox dragged through the mud as much as the Yankees, and their pleasure will be the same. I just think every name on that list, should we hear it, will need to be judged in the same light: you either did it or you didn't. Just because we haven't heard a Sox name *yet* doesn't make it any less of an offense if they did it. That's all I'm saying.
No, I hear ya. But that's why I said, "you reap what you sow".
They (whomever they are, Sox or otherwise) knew what they were doing when they made the choice. If they get caught they suffer the consequences.
Alot will be said about anyone; but I think the reason why ARod is such a lightening bolt is because he is "the best player" in the MLB. Not everyone has that tag, so it's not because he's a Yankee, or at least I don't look at it that way. I'm sure many do. And so if there are Sox on there, many will say it just because.
It is....what it is.
You wanna play - you gotta pay.
That's what the Devil tells them when they sign up. ;)
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