Remember when Bunny Colvin opened up a “no arrest” zonefor drug dealers in “>The Wire? In case you aren’t familiar with the storyline, Colvin allotted a section of town for drug dealers to roam freely in front of the police without threat of being arrested.
Apparently, Major League Baseball employed the same tactic in 2003. The league decided to hold drug tests on their players. This test, however, was only held to determine if drug testing was necessary. There were no penalties on positive tests. Just a good old mental record.
It turns out that golden boy, Alex Rodriguez tested positive during that drug testing in 2003, the same year he won the MVP. Also, 103 other players tested positive. And they all had immunity. Anybody still wondering why MLB is the worst organization in sports?
Baseball’s treatment of the steroid era has been pitiful for the last decade and this black eye is the last in a long list of self-inflicted wounds.
This just end, expect a survey in the mail this week from the government asking “Hey, you ever killed someone?” Don’t worry. They won’t arrest you. It’s just to determine the murder rate.
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Ah, the golden boy gets tarnished.
I actually feel sorry for A-Rod. The guy’s been trying to be Mr Five Tool Perfect since he donned his first pro uniform—since his first set of pinstripes, at least.
He tries too hard to be the perfect endorser, the perfect teammate, the perfect player, everything. And he comes up short left, right and sideways.
I feel sorry that he has to live up to this absurd construct of being picture perfect and mainstream-friendly in every way. It’s not enough to be a great ballplayer (i doubt that it ever was, to be honest). No. You’ve gotta be “marketable” to a fanbase 3/4ths of whom would never have anyone like you as a neighbor or a job colleague. It’s not enough to be a great baller, you gotta be the best ever. no doubt that’s where the steroids come in to play. Not just for A-Rod, but for all these guys. Go (harder than) hard or go home.
Once again, it’s the life.
My only problem with making “news” out of this now, is you have to go back and say, “what about Giambi?” who also tested positive during his 2000 AL MVP season and what about the other folks who seemingly skated persecution beyond the occasional blog rant and late-night punchline.
MLB and Bum Selig, has been so selective and arbitrary about drug enforcement (among other things) that it’s impossible to take whatever A-Rod’s fate will be seriously. I mean Selig absolved Giambi because he donated to charity and was “a good guy” (Selig’s words, not mine.)
Somewhere, my namesake Jose Canseco is throwing back cheap vodka shots and yelling at his old 27 inch TV, “462 career homers, but I’m the a–hole, right?! I’m the guy you don’t want”
And no doubt, Bonds is sitting next to him thinking, “Cry me a river,” as he contemplates plea deals and the prospect of MLB expunging his records.
Say goodbye to the bad guy.
majoe leauge basbeall is horrible immunity means there name never should have been brought up period this is crazy
They shoulda employed the don’t ask, don’t tell policy & keep it moving. Or kept it secret because if everyone’s doing it it doesn’t matter. I could care less if these people have medical issues when they get older from shooting up. They’ll also have more money in the bank than me as well.
I do kinda feel bad for Canseco now, he was treated like a pariah because all he wanted to do was keep playing like everyone else.
Who cares, at this point half the MLB was using some sort of substance. Barry is still the best.
As a long time baseball fan, the steroid saga is disgusting.
Not because the players used: you may have noticed I have a liberal attitude on drug use, but because of the way ownership and the media have conspired to fuck over the players.
Yea A-Rod may have tested positive in 2003, but he was tested under an agreement with the union whereby all samples were supposed to be anonymous. Instead the company that did the testing (for MLB) kept records which were subsequently seized by the Feds, who then evidently decided to leak the information to Sports Illustrated. Totally illegal and A-Rod has the right to sue the shit out of MLB.
But that doesn’t even have to do with the overall sanctimonious attitude taken by Selig and co. who had no problem making money hand over fist off home run chases and turning a blind eye (with the media in tow…remember andro?) Then all of a sudden when they can’t control the monster (Canseco writes his book and people start breaking records,) they act like they were duped and are protectors of the game? Fuck. That. Shit.
I hate A-Rod with a passion, but I feel sorry for him. He’s getting flack for something that probably most players in the 90s and 00s were part of, with the compliance of their bosses and the media. Now they are victims of one of the worst witch hunts I’ve ever seen, as they are targets of the haters who don’t give a shit about the letter of the law as they look to find their next victim.
One more thing: Fuck the Hall of Fame. It’s got less credibility than The Source (Jim Rice but no McGwire?) Moreover let’s not forget that:
1.) Baseball has a pretty sordid history. Not alot of African American players from pre-1948. But whatever that was then right?
2.) If you think NFL players arent on roids you are freaking crazy. Actually plenty of people get suspended for that all the time and it doesnt seem to matter. Why the distinction?
Ok rant over.
MLB knew they had a problem and choose to cover it up because Mcguire and Sosa were saving baseball after they loss so many fans after the strike.
Yep. And for that they get black-listed because now they are of no use to Selig and co.
Fuck Baseball and fuck the hall of fame.
PAT M-You nailed this thing partner.
This just proves how big of scumbags, MEDIA, MLB, the FEDS really are. (The players are no less guilty for doing steriods-which were AT THAT TIME LEGAL!!!-but the real blame falls on the “powers that be”
Noone had any clue about Sosa and McGuire. Ken Caminiti? Giambi? Bonds? Clemens? Please son, the MLB was just trying to get the $$$$$ then play the blame game
I am from NJ (Hudson County across the river from NYC) and I am a DIE HARD Yankee fan-but I have to admit, over the years baseball has just not been fun. It’s all b.s. politics. (Plus Yanks/Sox 200 times a year). Same 2 teams shoved down your throat gets old as hell. NFL is now king-no question.
Not an A-ROD fan at all (gimme guys like Mo, Jeter, and Posada anyday) but he is catching some shit here…..104 players were named, who are the other 103?!?!!?
I SMELL A LAWSUIT HERE
NOW who’s your favorite baseball player?! lol
And I say it again.. WHY IS BARRY BONDS THE BAD GUY?
Oh because he didn’t kowtow to the media or the league…
And this does bring up the question.. how is a anonymous test got names??
Because the company doing the testing illegally tracked them (even if it was a mistake.) The Feds seized the records as part of the sham that is Bonds’ perjury trial (cost of Bonds’ investigation to this point…55 million dollars,) and then leaked A-Rod’s name. Why just A-Rod? Probably some Red Sox fans in the Justice department.
And since there has never been anything fair or just about this entire scandal, just media assassination with double standards all over the place, A-Rod is probably fucked since he’s a whiny little prick that no one likes anyways. If this was Jeter they could just write it off as heroic in some way.
Baseball is slippin hardcore behind NBA and NFL imo and I hope it continues.