Spring Break
Column: Steroid scandal leaves baseball's golden boy tarnished
Charles Kyle / Columnist
Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: Opinions
This past weekend it was reported in Sports Illustrated that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroid use.
How could this be?
Major League Baseball's "golden boy" tests positive for steroids. No, not A-Rod, the one player after the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols to never be accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs, even with astronomical video game numbers.
Not the same guy destined to smash all records and be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. All Rodriguez was ever accused of, and quite frankly rightly so, was being selfish, a prima donna, and as former Yankees manager Joe Torre put it, "on an island."
Never in a million years would anyone think that he would take steroids. His name was not even in the dreaded Mitchell Report, and yet, here we sit with not only a positive test, but with a flat-out loss of trust.
We remember when Rodriguez went on "60 Minutes" with Katie Couric and told her he had never used steroids, nor had he thought about using them. Now, he comes out and says he did and that he felt pressured to perform.
"When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure," Rodriguez said Monday in an interview with ESPN. "I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me and I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day."
And rightfully so. Upon arrival to the Texas Rangers in 2001, Rodriguez had just signed the biggest contracts in sports history, a 10-year $250 million contract. Talk about expectations. Can you imagine if he did not put up the numbers he did? The sports media would have ridiculed him more than they do now.
But here is where the real issue lies. It's understandable that one would want to perform well on a new job. Even blue-collar workers like to impress the boss, but that does not give Rodriguez or anyone else the right to cheat, which is why we practice the things we would like to be good at.
Although there was no punishment for a positive steroid test in 2003, Rodriguez knew what he was doing was wrong, and ultimately the effect this admittance will have on baseball will be devastating and, as many have said, will put a bigger, darker cloud over this era of baseball.
And now, we the people have a problem. Should we listen to Rodriguez and take his word that he only used them during his time with the Rangers and not during his time with the Yankees where he has continued to put up astronomical numbers?
Or should we put him in the same boat as disgraced sluggers Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro, questioning most of his career?
Whatever the case may be, Major League Baseball now has to find a new "golden boy" because the current one is tarnished.
Charles Kyle is a senior biological science major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
How could this be?
Major League Baseball's "golden boy" tests positive for steroids. No, not A-Rod, the one player after the St. Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols to never be accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs, even with astronomical video game numbers.
Not the same guy destined to smash all records and be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. All Rodriguez was ever accused of, and quite frankly rightly so, was being selfish, a prima donna, and as former Yankees manager Joe Torre put it, "on an island."
Never in a million years would anyone think that he would take steroids. His name was not even in the dreaded Mitchell Report, and yet, here we sit with not only a positive test, but with a flat-out loss of trust.
We remember when Rodriguez went on "60 Minutes" with Katie Couric and told her he had never used steroids, nor had he thought about using them. Now, he comes out and says he did and that he felt pressured to perform.
"When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure," Rodriguez said Monday in an interview with ESPN. "I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me and I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day."
And rightfully so. Upon arrival to the Texas Rangers in 2001, Rodriguez had just signed the biggest contracts in sports history, a 10-year $250 million contract. Talk about expectations. Can you imagine if he did not put up the numbers he did? The sports media would have ridiculed him more than they do now.
But here is where the real issue lies. It's understandable that one would want to perform well on a new job. Even blue-collar workers like to impress the boss, but that does not give Rodriguez or anyone else the right to cheat, which is why we practice the things we would like to be good at.
Although there was no punishment for a positive steroid test in 2003, Rodriguez knew what he was doing was wrong, and ultimately the effect this admittance will have on baseball will be devastating and, as many have said, will put a bigger, darker cloud over this era of baseball.
And now, we the people have a problem. Should we listen to Rodriguez and take his word that he only used them during his time with the Rangers and not during his time with the Yankees where he has continued to put up astronomical numbers?
Or should we put him in the same boat as disgraced sluggers Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro, questioning most of his career?
Whatever the case may be, Major League Baseball now has to find a new "golden boy" because the current one is tarnished.
Charles Kyle is a senior biological science major. He can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENopinions@gmail.com.
The Daily Eastern News encourages on-topic, civil discussion on its articles posted online. It is our policy not to screen comments before they are posted or edit them after they are posted. However, we reserve the right to remove comments that are off-topic, malicious, libelous or include excessive foul language. The DEN also reserves the right to turn off all comments on any story it deems necessary.
Comments violating copyright law will also be removed.
Users who repeatedly violate this policy will be banned from commenting.
If you have any questions on our comment policy or wish to report a comment that you feel violates these standards, please e-mail a link to the article to our Online Editor at DENNews.com@gmail.com.
Be the first to comment on this story