Take It Like a Man

There is no place in the sports world for performance enhancing drugs, or for that matter, anything that gives an athlete an unfair advantage over another. As long as professional sports continue to pay athletes top dollar for performance and we can’t seem to put a cap on salaries, the athletes will continue to search for the advantage that goes undetected by the governing body. We constantly are trying to push the envelope.

Many athletes, when facing their accusers, simply deny the fact that they were involved in any wrong-doing. We can look no further than Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, and see the results of their denial. Their accomplishments tarnished and their reputation in ruins.

We were often told as children, that honesty is always the best policy. No, it does not make everything right, but it can leave reputations intact, and ultimately easier to move on. I have never been a Yankees fan, and never will be. They have proven, on more than one occasion that money cannot buy a championship. One thing that I will say, that they have a number of players on that team that are just a class act. Take for instance, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada, would you not want those players on your team? Maybe not the best players, but team players, the kind you want your kids to look up to.

When Andy Petitte took the more difficult road, by admitting using steroids, he had the support of his team mates. You will probably see the same thing when A-Rod has his press conference tomorrow at Spring Training. He has also taken the more difficult path by his admittance of using performance enhancing drugs, but he, like Petitte, will be able to put this chapter of their life behind them. Their image has taken a blow, their reputation has been sullied, but it has remained intact along with their reputation.

Do I think that these apologies are sincere? Yes, I do. They seem sorry for their actions. Did we hear the entire truth? Probably not, they were both asked direct questions that both Petitte and A-Rod skated around the issues ala Bill Clinton. You really have to admire A-Rod, because he made his statement, and did not go into hiding. He did not evade the press. He went to functions that were of high profile, and instead of not mentioning his steroid use, continued to speak about the subject.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not an Alex Rodriguez fan. For that matter I really don’t like the guy. The one thing I will say in his behalf, that he does not shirk from his mistakes. Could that be that he is used to the attention that he brings on himself with the headlines that he produces, and having to make apologies. Maybe so, but I would rather have somebody admit when he makes a mistake, and stand up for the consequences, than to deny that it ever happened then slink away into the night.