COOLER TALK - Alex Rodriguez Sound-off

Steroids and baseball. The first word in the previous sentence haunts the other. This was a period in Major League Baseball's history when the long ball ruled the sport, and the players were fueled by performance enhancing drugs (PED's). It involved every person of the game, from the league's biggest and brightest stars, all the way up to the League Commissioner. Which has left everyone involved asking for there mulligan. 

Alex Rodriguez, a three-time American League MVP, is guilty. Rodriguez admitted it to Peter Gammons in an exclusive interview. He admitted to taking steroids, from 2001-03, while playing for the Texas Rangers. Rodriguez is the Major League Baseball's first superstar - he is the youngest player in MLB history to reach 500 home runs - to own up to his use of steroids. He stated that he was "young and naive" at the time when he used the performance enhancing drugs. Everyone makes mistakes, especially when we are young. This, however, was a mistake that was made on a larger than life scale. 

Now, I am not trying to give Alex Rodriguez a pass, or say he is forgiven. But he did own up to his mistake. Something nobody else has done. He admitted to what he did, he TOLD THE TRUTH, and he apologized for what he did. This doesn't make up for the years of cheating and steroid use, but I believe it makes him look better than the rest of players who have resorted to hiding and lying. He has not pointed the finger at anyone else. He has just shined the spotlight on a mistake he made while playing for the Texas Rangers organization.

Most of the people reading this are well aware of the dilemma Barry Bonds is facing - perjury charges about his use of steroids. I believe many have witnessed the replays of Mark McGwire and Raphael Palmeiro's testimony about their use of steroids as they shed their tears. And I am willing to bet that you have heard a little about Roger Clemens and his supposed steroid use - which involves steroid syringes in a beer can. Rodriguez has done none of this. The results of a past drug test were revealed - he had failed the test - and so he decided to tell the truth. I commend Alex Rodriguez for telling the truth, when so many others have decided to hide and lie. He is still a cheater, but at least he didn't run and hide like the rest. 

 

It was a time in baseball when people turned a blind eye to what was going on. That or they simply ignored the epidemic-like problem. Regardless, it is great for the sport that the public is finding out some truth. By getting this out in the open, for all to see and know, it helps the healing process. 

This isn't baseball's first dark time. They have made it through the Black Sox Scandal of 1919, in which players intentionally lost games. And then MLB had to make it through Pete Rose's betting on baseball games and gave him a lifetime ban. This isn't just another scandal that MLB must be dealt with. MLB has more players involved with one incident then ever before. MLB must uncover the truth and then make sure, to the best of their ability, that this doesn't happen again. The uncovering of all those involved with steroids in baseball will lead to a tough time for the sport. But, I hope as a fan people will continue to support the Major League Baseball, despite the dark cloud cast by the steroids era.