As a Phillies fan, I get indigestion from Alex Rodriguez.
Throughout this World Series, I have reached for a Tums every time he steps to the plate. He ruined my Halloween weekend by dismantling Philadelphia’s comeback in Game 4. Regardless of the Fall Classic’s outcome, the Yankees owe much of their success to Alex Rodriguez.
It’s not just opponents who have taken notice. Sportswriters across the nation have praised A-Rod for his playoff endeavors. When Rodriguez was passed over for American League Championship Series MVP, sports blogs were alight with rage. For a blogger on thefastertimes.com, the choice should have been a clear one: “A-Rod didn’t just have a good ALCS ... he had a phenomenal, legendary one.”
Flash back nine months. It’s hard to imagine Rodriguez getting this kind of praise, if any at all.
Many forget that on Feb. 24, A-Rod admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. Calls for retribution, suspensions and subpoenas were ubiquitous in the media. The prognosis for his future as a player was grim. Sports Illustrated wrote that A-Rod “and the mighty Yankees have already seen their entire season derailed.”
This reaction should have hardly been surprising. Since the phrase “performance-enhancing drugs” became a regular term in baseball jargon, association with it has ended the careers of many popular ballplayers. Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmero, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire — the list goes on. Each of these players has followed a predictable and repetitive path. The discovery of his substance abuse is followed by media furor. The player then vehemently denies his involvement, as memories of his accomplishments fade away. Finally, the player’s transgressions with steroids are left as his sole defining impact on baseball.
Rodriguez tested positive for steroids. Rodriguez is equally guilty of cheating the game. Yet he continues to be embraced by the baseball community. What makes his case different? Has he received a free pass?
After reviewing the events following Rodriguez’s admittance of steroid use, I realized what had set him apart: a simple mea culpa.
We all remember the contentious display of the players subpoenaed to the Congressional hearing on steroids use in 2005. Equally off-putting were Mark McGwire’s non-denial denials, as he refused to even discuss the general availability of steroids in baseball.
Contrast this to Rodriguez’s statement made in February: “I was young; I was stupid; I was naïve ... I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time. I did take a banned substance. And for that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful.”
Does an apology make up for wrongdoing? Hardly. To a point, steroids will always be a blemish on Rodriguez — despite his accomplishments. Still, his apology was sincere — a rarity in today’s environment. Moreover, the pressure to stick with the trend of accused steroid users — deny, deny, deny — must have been daunting. Instead, Alex Rodriguez put his records, trophies and livelihood on the line by coming clean. In the end, the apology should remind us all that despite his godlike salary and skill, A-Rod is still human.
Forgive me, fellow Phillies fans, but I must admit it: I respect Alex Rodriguez. It’s true he causes me great pain and suffering. But as an fan of the game, I can’t help but admire his talent. And as a human being, I admire his honesty.
Joe Wenner is a sophomore in the School of International Service and the College of Arts and Sciences and a moderate columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
