Archive for February, 2009

“No.”

That’s a pretty cut-and-dry, definitive statement by Alex Rodriguez, affectionately and forever known in Boston as A-Roid. It was his answer to Katie Couric when asked by the “once perky” anchor during a 2007 interview on CBS, “For the record, have you ever used steroids, Human Growth Hormone or any other performance-enhancing substance?”

“No,” Rodriguez replied tersely.

Turns out that’s not altogether true. Actually it’s not true at all. There is zero truth in that one word so often spoken by my two-year-old daughter. So, he lied to America’s favorite second-favorite third-favorite a network anchor about using performance-enhancing drugs during the season in which he was named AL MVP and ran away with the home run title. So what has been billed as pure talent; as raw devotion to the game got a boost from time-to-time…over three seasons. Hmm, that ain’t so pure or raw.

Now I’ll ask this question (actually a few questions): will A-Roid (I have to do this, I am contractually obligated by birth – sue me) be run out on a rail now that he has openly admitted to using? Is his HoF lock now in jeopardy? Do we just agree that Hank Aaron is the home run champion, close that book and be done with it? Does Rodriguez have the same amount of scorn heaped on him as Barry (still no info there)? McGwire (never proven)? Canseco (gloriously out of the roid closet, syringes in hand)? Clemens (still in question)? Sosa (never proven)? Giambi admitted the error of his ways to the baseball gods and Bud Selig and was subsequently welcomed back, but then again, he appears to be a nice guy. A-Roid? I’m not sure even his dog likes him.

I was listening to WFAN on my way home yesterday (comedy gold to a Bostonian). Now, admittedly I am a homer when it comes to Boston sports having lived and breathed it for nearly all of my 41 years. But, listening to the callers yesterday I was struck by how quickly, fervently and vocally many of them came to A-Roid’s defense when a year ago they were burning Clemens in effigy in the Bronx based on the still-disputed testimony of the somewhat creepy (who keeps syringes and gauze?) Brian McNamee within days of the Mitchell Report. Now that’s he’s admitted to cheating – and that’s what it is, let’s not have any illusions – when will New Yorkers start throwing syringes at dart boards with A-Roid’s face tacked to them?

In the grand scheme of things, I’m happy I don’t have to explain any of this crap to my kids. I honestly could not care less that A-Roid was using whatever he was using. I do love that he just took every ounce of wind from the Yankees’ sails regarding their off-season and that Spring Training will be a media circus – woo-hoo! Repeat after me: Scha-den-freude. I also love that it will be great fodder for the bleacher dawgs at Fenway – that Madonna cheer last season was nothing compared to what’s coming.

Speaking of: Is there any way any of this can be blamed on Madonna?