The player we love to hate
It was confirmed a little more than a week ago that nobody
really likes Alex Rodriguez.
There were rumors and stirrings for years, of course. People had
blogs to post their dislike for the New York Yankees’ third
baseman. Others just wrote old-fashioned columns that voiced their
displeasure with the
”
phony
”
slugger.
The player we love to hate
It was confirmed a little more than a week ago that nobody really likes Alex Rodriguez.
There were rumors and stirrings for years, of course. People had blogs to post their dislike for the New York Yankees’ third baseman. Others just wrote old-fashioned columns that voiced their displeasure with the “phony” slugger.
But whether it was out of jealousy or hatred or pure unadulterated anti-Bronx sentiment, the feelings were somewhat scattered. I mean, there were still kids out there who had A-Rod posters on their wall, Yankee apologists who would defend Rodriguez as long as he kept hitting really, really well during the month of April.
He was, for really no good reason, a polarizing baseball player.
But now that’s changing. The bloggers and columnists who never liked him have their best ammo.
The man who was supposed to reclaim the Home-Run-King crown from the allegedly steroid-riddled Barry Bonds has fallen to the power of the needle.
And what a hard fall it was.
Since last Tuesday, when Rodriguez apologized for his steroidal wrongdoings after he was outed by a Sports Illustrated report – the New York Yankees’ third baseman was on a list of 104 players who tested positive in 2003, when MLB was conducting an anonymous drug survey – the reaction toward A-Rod has changed significantly.
Although analysts gave Rodriguez high marks for his press-conference performance – which is funny since he did a rather poor job of reading a prepared statement, at least by prepared-statement standards – the high marks were contingent upon Rodriguez telling the truth.
During the press conference, follow-up questions were not permitted, and there were certain questions that were not answered fully or even at all, but Rodriguez went into more detail than any other all-star baseball player has regarding steroid use – with the notable exception of Jose Canseco, an all-around stand-up guy.
Rodriguez spilled the juicy details of his drug use, speaking of an over-the-counter injected substance called “boli,” or Primobolan, which he tested positive for along with testosterone.
But afterward, the New York Daily News reported that “boli,” which A-Rod said he purchased over the counter in the Dominican Republic between 2001 and 2003, could not actually be purchased over the counter in the Dominican Republic between 2001 and 2003, when Rodriguez said his cousin was injecting him.
Furthermore, the Daily News said Rodriguez was seen with trainer Angel Presinal as recently as last fall. Presinal had been banned from private areas of every MLB ballpark after he was found with a bag chock full of steroids at a Toronto airport in 2001.
Now, with these new revelations, suddenly everything A-Rod said in his press conference is up for debate.
“I know that a lot of people are going to debate my past with various opinions,” Rodriguez said. “People are going to talk about my future, as though it’s already been determined.”
Very true. They will.
But there is a very strongly held judgment that even if Rodriguez’ story checked out, even if everything he said made sense, his future was already written.
And really, it’s because plenty of people never held him in high regard in the first place, not after he took a huge amount of money to play baseball, or after we noticed he frosted his hair, or after we found out he was dating Madonna, or because he’s not Derek Jeter, or because we’re all terribly jealous of him, or for some other rather silly reason to not like a ball player.
Not because he wasn’t a great baseball player, mind you, because he was the best.
But the steroids admission simply confirmed most people’s distaste for A-Rod, even if it was the only legitimate reason for disliking him.
See, I knew we weren’t supposed to like this guy!
Several years ago, the New England Patriots began winning Super Bowls, and people started growing tired of their cocky/arrogant attitude. But the first legitimate reason to dislike the Pats came when they were busted for videotaping an opponents’ defensive signals, and it is now their asterisk.
Most people disliked New England prior to this, no doubt. But SpyGate provided an undeniable event that the masses could latch onto. It’s weak sauce to hate the Pats because they were always winning, or because Bill Belichick didn’t always shake an opponents’ hand after the game, but videotaping an opponent? That’s cheating!
It’s similar for A-Rod. Taking a lot of money to play baseball is really something anyone would do. But admitting to steroid use, well, that’s cheating, and it simply confirms everyone’s suspicions, simply confirms everyone’s disdain.
“I screwed up big time,” Rodriguez said. “The only thing I ask from this group today and the American people is to judge me from this day forward. That’s all I can ask for.”
Sorry, Alex, but people love to hate you. Now they actually have a reason.
