It’s a happy day indeed for Seattle Mariner fans. Safeco Field, “The House that Griffey Built” will be home to Jr. in 2009. When rumors of this were swirling last week, I was afraid to hope. Growing up in the Seattle area during the Griffey glory days it will be great to see him back in an M’s uniform once again!
Indictments, confessions and lawsuits, oh my. Hope you’re wearing boots because the crap that keeps piling up around major league baseball just got deeper.
An ex-girlfriend of baseball star Roberto Alomar claims that the athlete is suffering from full-blown AIDS and insisted on having unprotected sex with her during their lengthy relationship. The allegations against Alomar, a 12-time All-Star and Hall of Fame candidate, were leveled in a $15 million lawsuit filed by Ilya Dall.
According to Dall, Alomar, 41, learned he was HIV-positive in early-2006, but that the athlete long had reason to believe he might have been infected. Dall, who said she has tested negative for the disease, contends that she has suffered emotional damage and that her children may have been exposed to the virus. Dall claims she began having unprotected sex with Alomar in May 2002, and moved in with him in February 2005. The couple, who lived together until last October, ceased having unprotected sex after Alomar was diagnosed with AIDS, she contends.
I have a big problem with this one. First of all, he “insisted”? What was keeping her from walking away and telling him to get lost. Second, if her children were at risk of being emotionally damaged or she was so distraught over their potential exposure to HIV she wouldn’t have stuck around for 7 years.
I’m sorry, I know women are supposed to stick together, power of the sisterhood, blah, blah, blah. But if Alomar is in as bad of shape that she claims he is, he may not have much time left. The complaint claims that Alomar’s symptoms included “purple skin, too sick and weak to walk, needed to be in a wheelchair at the airport, was foaming at the mouth, couldn’t swallow.”
Take into account the fact that she just left him in October, I think she may be looking to cash in before he checks out.
My question is, did Alomar did try to convince her to have unprotected sex with him knowing he was HIV positive but did not tell her of his condition? If that’s the case then he’s a criminal. Or, did they have unprotected sex and neither of them knew he was HIV positive and then once they did know he was infected he still tried to get her to have unprotected sex? As far as I can the later seems to be the case and she could have walked away at any time.
The Late Show continues to have fun with the A-Rod mess. Here was last night’s top 10 list…
Top 10 Messages on A-Rod’s Answering Machine
10. “Hey, it’s Mark McGwire. Want to get together this week and not talk about the past?”
9. “Joe Torre here — thanks for helping book sales”
8. “Could you find a steroid that keeps you from choking in the playoffs?”
7. “Are you worried this will taint all the championships you didn’t win?”
6. “It’s Bernie Madoff. Nice try but I’m still the most hated man in New York”
5. “Michael Phelps here. Got any snacks?”
4. “This is Sammy Sosa. Just pretend you don’t speak English”
3. “Michael Phelps again. Did I call you or did you call me?”
2. “Hey, it’s Rod Blagojevich — I’ll say you’re innocent, if you say I am”
1. “It’s Madonna. You got a phone number for Jeter?”
Here is President Obama’s take on the Alex Rodriguez steroid scandal.
He admits to it - great. I’m not convinced Rodriguez is regretful for taking performance enhancing substances, but more along the lines that he is sorry that he got caught. A-Rod seems more concerned with laying the groundwork for his future Hall of Fame bid by justifying why he is a great player without steroids. I wonder if he came forth for this interview on his own accord or if his handlers and possibly Yankee management urged him to do so?
Oh, and as far as the line that he wants to influence children, sorry but this man will never be a role model for my children. Not because he made a mistake and executed horrible judgement by using steroids but because A-Fraud is lacking the characteristics that make a man a good man.
Do you agree with the survey??
In an entry on Curt Schilling’s blog, 38 Pitches, the former Red Sox slinger makes some good points on the issue of steroid use in baseball and, more specifically, on the outing and subsequent confession by A-Fraud that he did in fact use steroids from 2001-2003.
First of all, Schilling gives A-Rod credit for doing what most others suspected of steroid use have failed to do, he fessed up and owned it. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens could face possible jail time, not because they may or may not have used steroids, but because if they did, they are guilty of purgery.
For arguments sake lets assume both Bonds and Clemens did take steroids. If they had told the grand jury the truth people would have been outraged and disappointed that two of baseball’s heroes took a short cut, but neither would likely go to jail for using steroids.
A-Fraud will still always be linked to steroids but the story will eventually die down. The likes of Bonds and Clemens will continue to get the attention of the press because of the possible indictments that could be handed down over their false statements under oath. For players who want this whole scandal to just go away- if you did it, admit to it and then lets all move on.
Like Schilling I think Rodriguez made right in this particular decision. Here’s what Schilling had to say.
It doesn’t make him any less guilty, any less accountable or any less of a Yankee (subtle Yankee jab) but it’s refreshing as hell to see someone say “I f’d up, I made a mistake and I’ll have to deal with it”. He’s fricking human, he made a horrible choice and he’ll have to deal with it.
Do whatever you want, speculate on whatever you want but the guy ‘manned up’, admitted his mistake, that’s enough for me. Nothing we can do about it at this point but move on as fans and players.
Shilling doesn’t stop there. He goes on to call out MLB and the players association for letting this list of 104 positive test results to leak. When the players agreed to submit to the test in 03′ both MLB and the MLBPA gave their assurances that no one would be accountable for their test results, as there was no rule in baseball at that time banning steroid use.
As it stands now A-Rod has been singled out from the list of positive results, which for him isn’t really fair. Maybe his result is the only one that the SI reporters could get multiple confirmations for, more likely, he is the biggest name of current players on the list thus his results will sell more magazines and get more press.
For guys who played during the 2003 season many have come forth and said that they would like the complete list of 104 names to be made public because until it is a doubt is cast over all of them.
The craziest thing of this entire steroid/HGH schamozzle??? Jose Canseco who spilled the beans early on (and profited from it via sales of his book, Juiced) turns out to be one of the most honest guys in baseball.
Check out this link involving three athletes that have been major topics on my blog lately- A Rod, Michael Phelps and Kobe Bryant, it’s pretty interesting.
I can’t help but wonder if someday in the not-so-distant future will a day pass when there isn’t yet another MLB star being outed for using steroids or HGH?
Today’s big story? A-Fraud is back. According to a report on SI.com, 4 independent sources have confirmed that Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers. Coincidentally, the same year he was awarded the league MVP.
Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Roger Clemons, Jason Giambi, Mark McGwire, and now Alex Rodriguez are just a few of the current and former MLB players that have been linked to steroid use.
I’m currently working on a post that addresses the bigger issue of steroids in baseball, but for today I’ll focus on A-Fraud (I thank Joe Torre everyday for providing me with that term!)
What a fall from grace…
I was living near Seattle when he was drafted by the Mariners at 18 years old. At that time he was the golden boy of Major League Baseball. He was young and good-looking, seemed to have a good attitude and he performed his job exceptionally well for such young man.
So well he nearly won the MVP title in his first full MLB season (1996). At that time he was a productive young member playing on a team of all-star vets like Ken Griffey, Jr. and Randy Johnson. Then Johnson and Griffey left town and he was the sole remaining superstar in the Emerald City.
That’s when it seemed to go to his head. After the 2000 season, A-Fraud signed the biggest deal in pro-sports history. A 10-year $252 million contract to play for the Texas Rangers. Now, I’m all for an athlete striking while the iron is hot. There are a limited number of years that a professional sports career can last and they owe it to themselves to make the most of it, so let me make it clear that my disdain for A-Fraud isn’t because he has been able to cash in on his success or that he hasn’t been loyal to one team.
My issue with him is that he, by several accounts, is a complete jackass. Once he signed that lucrative contract with the Rangers that sweet, charming kid who just happened to be a phenomenal baseball player changed.
Long before his fling with Madonna and this evidence on his alleged steroid use came to light his imaged had become quite tarnished. The biggest turning point for me?
Remember his children’s book, Out of the Ballpark? Rodriguez was all over the t.v. talk show scene promoting its release. He gushed about his kids and his wife. You would have thought he was such a dedicated, down-to-earth family man. Then just months later he got caught cozying up to a Toronto stripper while on a road trip.
When will athletes learn? By now we aren’t surprised to hear you’ve been caught in an extra-marital affair. But when you blab to anyone with a microphone or t.v. camera about what a great family man you are and how dedicated you are to your wife and kids it’s a little annoying when weeks later you get caught with your pants down.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m fully aware that your personal life is none of my business. But don’t publicly put yourself up on a pedestal and and then whine when we show interest when you fall off of it.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated (before the stripper scandal) A-Fraud had this to say,
| “When people write [bad things] about me, I don’t know if it’s [because] I’m good-looking, I’m biracial, I make the most money, I play on the most popular team.” |
News flash A-Fraud… People write bad things about you because you don’t conduct yourself with dignity and respect. If you give us ammo, we’ll use it.
For many fans who were willing to overlook his marital transgressions and hypocrisy, A-Fraud’s handling of his 2007 contract op-out was the last straw.
Add to that his rumored affair with Madonna, Joe Torre’s less-than appealing depiction of Rodriguez in his new book, and now this steroid controversy, I would be shocked if Alex Rodriguez’s reputation ever recovers.
Here is a 2007 interview with Katie Couric. Notice the twitch of his mouth and the frequent blinking? Some might say those are signs that someone isn’t telling the truth…
There is a good chance that by the time his career is said and done, Alex Rodriguez will have added to his list of MLBA records and firsts. Now the debate begins as to whether or not he should get credit for them because of steroid use.
Last week I mentioned that the documentary film, Tyson, on the life of boxer and headline maker Mike Tyson would be premiering at the Sundance Film Festival. Iron Mike did make a pit stop at Sundance for the premiere of Tyson but he wasn’t the only athlete to brave the cold and check out the festival.
Younghollwood.com was there and met up with Barry Zito and Brian Wilson of the San Fracisco Giants, Kyle Korver and Devon Williams of the Utah Jazz, Nate Jones of the Miami Dolphins and Chris Cooley of the Washington Redskins who were in Park City to take in the festivities, party it up and of course pick up some freebies at the giveaway booths.
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