A-Rod is an idiot. It’s frustrating to think that he’s just another druggie when he was held up as an example of how to do it right up to this point. It is going to be very interesting to see what the long term impact of this situation is for the slugger. He obviously did something incredibly stupid, and that has been damning for several guys before him. Unlike Bonds, McGwire and others, though, he got right in front of the situation and admitted the whole thing. It took just a couple of days, and his interview with ESPN today was honest, forthright and reasonably complete. People have always said that they just wish that Bonds and McGwire would own up to what they did, so this will be a good test of whether that is true and all will be forgiven, or if that was just talk. I bet on the latter. It will also be interesting to see how Rodriguez reacts when the season starts. Opposing fans will be hard on him, and he hasn’t exactly be a model of rising up against adversity in the past.
Very strange story out of Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger said in an interview this week that he played the Super Bowl with two broken ribs. That’s believable. The odd part, though, is that the Steelers deny that it is true. Sounds like he just wanted to find another way to increase his heroism and impress the ladies. Surely the two Super Bowls would be enough.
Very tough break for the Timberwolves and Al Jefferson. The center, averaging 23 points and 11 boards a game, will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL. It’s not like the Wolves were in danger of making the playoffs, but they were playing much better in the new year, and Jefferson was making a real name for himself. A knee injury on a big man is never a good thing, so this could be a very personally expensive injury for the big guy.
More problems in Cleveland in the wake of what had to be a frustrating loss to the Lakers at home. Sasha Pavlovic is going to to miss four to six weeks with an ankle problem. Normally, the loss of him wouldn’t be a big deal. It is in this case, though, because Pavlovic has been starting due to the injury to Delonte West. That’s a problem for a team that already has some pretty significant depth issues. It’s bviously not enough to force anyone to write this team off, but we ned to pay more attention to them from game to game.
lol – “not like the Wolves were in danger of making the playoffs” – that was funny.
Jefferson actually turned down MAX money when the Timberwolves wanted to offer it to him a couple of years ago. Clearly, he’s worth it now. The reality is that he should have taken the money.
On one hand, I think that Jefferson is among the best offensive power forwards in the league but defensively, the guy is brutal. I don’t think anyone is really worried about driving the lane on him.
I’m pretty sure this stuff with A-Rod is just another episode in a show that will never end. If steroids is such a serious problem, why aren’t the governing bodies of the MLB doing more to halt this? Athletes get paid to be athletes. We watch them because they do things we can’t do and if they used drugs to become what they are suddenly we have to tear down their posters and spit out their names like curses.
Honestly, I don’t care anymore. Athletes are using steroids and the MLB is just letting it happen, grabbing up more ad revenue dollars while putting on a face like they don’t know a majority of the league is juicing. A-Rod is the most recent martyr there will be more to come.