OcR MYK
02-08-2009, 01:33 AM
I wrote my first sports column tonight, and I wrote about the big news concerning Alex Rodriguez. Give it a read. It's rather short for a column. Comments, criticism of my article, and of course discussion of the topic itself is all welcome.
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By Michael Marcanik
It was not supposed to be this way. Alex Rodriguez was supposed to lead baseball out of this shadow that is the steroids era. He was supposed to shatter the clouded home run record held by the face of baseball’s steroids era, Barry Bonds. He was supposed restore integrity and honor to the game by being the clean, pure talented player to reclaim the most treasured record in sports, the record that has been stolen by Bonds. A-Rod may still get there, but it will be no different with him holding the record than Bonds holding the record, for the potential savior of baseball is now linked to steroids.
On Saturday, a Sports Illistrated report surfaced of Rodriguez testing positive for anabolic steroids in 2003. According to the report, Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an anabolic steroid. At the time of the tests, there could not yet be discipline for positive tests.
“You’ll have to talk to the union,” Rodriguez told Sports Illistrated. “I’m not saying anything.”
In December of 2007, after the release of former U.S. senator George Mitchell’s report on performance enhancing drug use in baseball, Rodriguez said that he had never used steroid in an interview with “60 minutes.” Rodriguez was not named in Mitchell’s report.
Rodriguez, who was a member of the Texas Rangers in 2003, hit 47 home runs that year and won the American League MVP. He was the youngest player ever to reach the 500 home run milestone. Now a member of the New York Yankees, Rodriguez has it 553 home runs in his career.
Many are optimistic that Rodriguez, who is 33 years old, has a shot at breaking the all-time home run record. In his last eleven seasons, Rodriguez has averaged about 44 home runs per year. Many baseball fans were looking forward to eventually seeing A-Rod rightfully snag the crown away from Bonds, whose record home run total stands at 762. To have their signature record once again belong to one who has earned it, it would have been a huge victory for baseball.
Instead, baseball has suffered a tragic setback. The shadows of the steroids era could preside over the sport for generations, rather than begin to fade away. Even if Rodriguez does break the record, the shadow will still be there, and it will remain as long as the sport’s history is dominated by those whose feats are tainted. The ghosts of the steroids era may forever haunt baseball, the game our nation has loved and has called the past time of America. It was not supposed to be this way.
-----------
By Michael Marcanik
It was not supposed to be this way. Alex Rodriguez was supposed to lead baseball out of this shadow that is the steroids era. He was supposed to shatter the clouded home run record held by the face of baseball’s steroids era, Barry Bonds. He was supposed restore integrity and honor to the game by being the clean, pure talented player to reclaim the most treasured record in sports, the record that has been stolen by Bonds. A-Rod may still get there, but it will be no different with him holding the record than Bonds holding the record, for the potential savior of baseball is now linked to steroids.
On Saturday, a Sports Illistrated report surfaced of Rodriguez testing positive for anabolic steroids in 2003. According to the report, Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an anabolic steroid. At the time of the tests, there could not yet be discipline for positive tests.
“You’ll have to talk to the union,” Rodriguez told Sports Illistrated. “I’m not saying anything.”
In December of 2007, after the release of former U.S. senator George Mitchell’s report on performance enhancing drug use in baseball, Rodriguez said that he had never used steroid in an interview with “60 minutes.” Rodriguez was not named in Mitchell’s report.
Rodriguez, who was a member of the Texas Rangers in 2003, hit 47 home runs that year and won the American League MVP. He was the youngest player ever to reach the 500 home run milestone. Now a member of the New York Yankees, Rodriguez has it 553 home runs in his career.
Many are optimistic that Rodriguez, who is 33 years old, has a shot at breaking the all-time home run record. In his last eleven seasons, Rodriguez has averaged about 44 home runs per year. Many baseball fans were looking forward to eventually seeing A-Rod rightfully snag the crown away from Bonds, whose record home run total stands at 762. To have their signature record once again belong to one who has earned it, it would have been a huge victory for baseball.
Instead, baseball has suffered a tragic setback. The shadows of the steroids era could preside over the sport for generations, rather than begin to fade away. Even if Rodriguez does break the record, the shadow will still be there, and it will remain as long as the sport’s history is dominated by those whose feats are tainted. The ghosts of the steroids era may forever haunt baseball, the game our nation has loved and has called the past time of America. It was not supposed to be this way.