A-Blog

It's funny when topics like these assault the country. It's true, even though the A-Rod story is only a couple of days old, I, along with I would guess thousands of others, are generally overwhelmed.

Because of the 24/7 coverage of ANYTHING both on TV and the internet as well as newspapers, by the time a story hits, it seems like we're sick of it already. Sick of it, and still can't get enough. I was annoyed that the first 20 minutes of Sportscenter this morning was all A-Rod, but I still watched the whole thing. I flipped to CNN and saw a clip of President Obama talking about it.



So, although I'm sick of everyone else's opinion, I feel like I need to offer mine. Why? Because that's what I do. I'm certainly no expert, I'm just a clown with a computer, but in this world of everyone's got a forum, I've got mine.

Let's first get out of the way that baseball, from the late 80's/early 90's until the last couple of years, has been riddled with steroids. If we had any doubt, that doubt probably was steeped in denial, and has been erased with the news that Alex Rodriguez had tested positive for steroids in 1993, along with 104 other players. Be sure that the news that 104 players tested positive for steroids is as big a story as the A-Rod story. I'm not sure if the news has surfaced regarding how many players were actually tested, but 104 players testing positive, along with A-Rod, Clemens, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, Giambi, Petitte et al, pretty much confirms that a great deal of stars, both hitters and pitchers, and average players (there aren't 104 stars) were doing steroids during this time.

So the context is now set. The era is the era. How we choose to dissect the records that were set is for us to discuss for the next 50 years. Probably without resolve. Regardless of the punishment that baseball hands down, one could reasonably assume that any player that saw their star rise during this time has very little shot of making it into the Hall Of Fame if there was any association between themselves and steroids. This is a decision that seems to have been made by the writers voting for the Hall, and for once, it seems like the writers positions seems to reflect the community. So with that decision made, they can go back to making piss-poor decisions like voting Jim Rice into the Hall Of Fame.

The issue, though upsetting as all hell to most baseball fans, including myself, is simple though. There was no regulation, almost everyone did it, and it seems to be coming to a close with stricter penalties from baseball. We can argue from now until the end of time about who was responsible for letting it get this bad, but it doesn't REALLY change what the issue is, or the turnout.

All that's left is the drama. The drama is fun. The drama took another step with A-Rod's interview with Peter Gammons (who looks like a Muppet), on Sportscenter last night.

What was promoted as an admission of guilt from Rodriguez, ended up being one of the single biggest moments of sports double-talk I've seen in my 32 and a half years of living on this Earth.

I will remind you, that this is a comment on the drama, not the issue. The issue is what it is. A lot of people cheated, some people get caught. I don't even particularly blame Rodriguez for taking the drugs.

So, Alex starts out with this:

Back then, it was a different culture. Um, it was very loose. I was young. I was stupid. I was naive. And I wanted to prove to everyone that, you know, I was worth, um, you know, being one of the greatest players, uh, of all time. And, uh I did take a banned substance, and, um, you know, for that I'm very sorry and deeply regretful.

I'm thinking if the interview ended here, it would be great for A-Rod. He admits to it, he says he's sorry, he does the whole Michael Phelps "I was young" and the whole "I was under a lot of pressure" routine, which are both to be expected. Perfect. Unfortunately for A-Rod, the interview continued.

When Gammons asked him what he took:

Peter, that's the thing. Again, it was such a loosey-goosey era, that ... I'm guilty for a lot of things. I'm guilty for being negligent, naive, uh, not asking all the right questions. And, um, to be quite honest, I don't know exactly what, um, substance I was guilty of using.

Wow, 120 seconds into the interview, and you're already lying. So let me get this straight, A-Rod. You're a professional athlete, you're smart, you're in good shape, and you decide to take something to make you stronger. There's a great likelihood that this something enters your body through a needle, and you didn't know what it was? Because it was "loosey goosey?" Was it right next to the Gatorade? Come on, bro. If you're going to come clean, come clean.

Where did you get the substance A-Rod?

I mean, there's things that have been removed from GNC today that would trigger a positive test. I'm not sure exactly, um, what substance I used. But whatever it is, I feel terribly about it.

Wait a minute, Alex. Are you actually suggesting that the substance you tested positive for may have been something you got at GNC? A Clif Bar maybe? And even though you're not sure what it is, you're sorry for it? Wait a minute big guy, that kind of sounds like the thing you say to a girl when she's yelling at you for something that you don't even remember doing? "If I did something wrong, I'm sorry." What good is sorry, if you don't know what you're sorry for?

Where were you introduced to the substances?

The culture, it was pretty prevalent. There were a lot of people doing a lot of things. There was a lot of gray area, too. You know, back then you could walk in GNC and get four or five different products that today would probably trigger a positive

Right, GNC again. Probably Muscle Milk.

* Side note, I do know that GNC does sell things that could trigger a positive test. I'm also fairly sure that if A-Rod thought that's what it was, he'd say it. Hence, the sarcasm.

Alex, talk a little more about the culture:

It was over 100 degrees, and you know, you felt like, without trying to over-investigate what you're taking, can I have an edge just to get out there and play every day.

OHHHHHH. It was hot. Now I get it. "Hey A-Rod, it's way hot out here, want some water, gatorade, or anabolic steroids?" Maybe that's what he got at GNC.

How much of this was going on in Texas?

You know, I've always been a guy that raced my own race. And, and I don't like to look left, I don't look right.

Wait a minute bro. If you were racing your own race, how did you get caught up in all of this peer-pressure to go to GNC?

You said you didn't know you failed a test, but Gene Orza said he told you:

Gene was very specific in 2004. We had a meeting in September, um, or August. Don't quote me on the date, but, uh, he said there's a government list, there's 104 players on it. You might or might not have tested positive."

Somebody needs to work on the definition of "specific" with Alex.

Now Alex, Jose Canseco said years ago in his book that he introduced you to steroids. What do you say to that?

That couldn't be more false. That's 100 percent not true. And, you know, it's kind of interesting how SportsCenter and ESPN still, still quotes this guy. Um, no. It's 100 percent false.

Well clearly, he got it all off of the anabolic steroid shelf at GNC. It's right next to the multi-vitamin.