A Rant for Rant’s Sake
I’m sorry to do this. It is not my intention to add to the nonsense regarding steroid use in Major League Baseball, but there are a ton of things that infuriate me about this big circus of attention surrounding Alex Rodriguez and his use of steroids back in 2003. First and foremost, I hate (HATE) that again, steroid use is back in the headlines and on every damn TV and radio program in the country. It is so embarrassing to watch players deal with their accusations in different ways. Barry Bond’s and Roger Clemens’ full denials, Giambi’s full admittance, Pettitte’s admittance but only because it was for an injury…and now A-Rod’s half-assed admittance blaming it on baseball’s culture at the time. What a joke…you all used them, you all knew it was wrong, just come clean and feel devastatingly sorry for it. Look at Giambi. He fully admitted to it and after being booed for a year and a half, won his way back into the hearts of Yankee fans albeit the help of a handlebar mustache.
But the worst thing of all with this A-Rod deal is that it brings back to light the fact that we, by way of the media, hold baseball on this ridiculous pedestal where, god-forbid, anyone does anything to taint the sacred game. What is the difference between A-Rod and Sean Merriman of the San Diego Chargers? He got busted for using steroids and was suspended for 4 or so games last year, and yet everyone in San Diego LOVES this guy and will continue to love him. The hypocrisy is ridiculous.
Speaking of hypocrisy, why in the world is Bud Selig still the commissioner of baseball? This man is being hailed as baseball’s great savior because he’s brought to light the use and over-use of steroids in the sport. But this man became commissioner of MLB in 1992 and all the steroid use that has come forth in recent years took place on his watch as commish. A-Rod, though I think it’s a sorry excuse for what he did, makes a good point when he says that it was the culture in baseball in 2003 to be using some sort of performance enhancing drug. And who is ultimately responsible for a culture where steroids are almost the norm? The commissioner, Bud Selig. So does the fact that no one is speaking up about this revert back to the nonsense that baseball is up on a pedestal? I think that A-Rod is a joke; I think Roger Clemens is a joke, and Barry Bonds, and Andy Pettitte and Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa, because they all take us for fools. But I feel that Bud Selig has created a McCarthy-esque era in baseball, where he’s got all these big name players being focused in on, their careers and images shattered, while he is sitting on his throne and declaring that baseball won’t stand for substance abuse, even though he fully allowed it to go on for well over a decade. Give me a break. Can we all just take some responsibility? This could all be over, and off our damn televisions a lot sooner if people would assume some responsibility for their actions. Seeing as there is no chance of that happening, I am bracing on having to hear about this until I’m 80 years old.
By Andrew Brentan
February 17th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Andrew, can you site some examples of people in San Diego who hate Alex Rodriguez, but love Sean Merriman? Yeah, didn’t think so. I understand you hate sports, likely because you were never good at them and grew up feeling inferior to the other boys. It’s okay, just stick to your sophomoric, pseudo-intellectual posts. What a waste of time to have written something like this on a Realtor board. How goofy.
February 20th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Why did they even have to bring the steroid issue up? If you’re going to turn a blind eye to it while it is happening, why do you go back and dig up the issue now? It just doesn’t make any sense to me.
Mike’s last blog post..Sweaty Palms Remedy
February 21st, 2009 at 8:35 am
I agree with Mike. Why even raise this issue now, after the deed has been done? I think it’s time to rethink baseball’s policies on steroids.
February 22nd, 2009 at 8:19 am
What I don’t understand is why it took so long for them to find out.
February 22nd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Why don’t you not watch television? I’ve not watched it since I was 16 1/2. Just a complete waste of time.