A-Rod, Hated Gladiator

I can't stand the Yankees, and I'm no Alex Rodriguez fan. However, I'm not a sterioid hater either. I believe that science has progressed enough that we are now at a point where HGH (Human Growth Hormone) can be beneficial to not just athletes, but to the human race in its entirety. I also believe that some of these supplements out there which target specific areas of health and fitness are also beneficial. We are no longer shooting horse tranquilizers into our system, and we are no longer doing great bodily harm to ourselves if we decide to take a substance which can help us out physically. I can go on and on about the benefits of supplements and medical breakthroughs used today in cell regeneration, recovery and overall health improvement, but that isn't what this is about today.

With that disclaimer out of the way, why is A-Rod hated? I mean, this guy is the poster boy for villain. He is demonized in every article, every newscast, every time the Yankees are on, even by the Yankees announcers themselves. The GM won't even talk to him anymore, because A-Rod is going on offense and is suing the Yankees.

But why is he hated? My take: A-Rod has been kicked around long enough. He doesn't feel that he should be the "example", when he was coming in the league during a culture of steroid use and later PEDs. He wants to give MLB a taste of its own medicine, and I predict by the time it's over, Pandora's box will be opened and nothing will be sacred. A-Rod's going down swinging. And he's taking everyone with him.

Did he lie? Yep. But here's a little secret: So did every other athlete who was part of an investigation into Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). Think Sammy Sosa wasn't juicing? How about Mark McGwire? Ryan Braun? Well, he lied to everyone around him, won in arbitration last year, and then did a 180 and is now admitting he used PEDs and is serving a 64 game suspension. Andy Pettite - remember him? He not only admitted it, but he also suggested that it sped up his recovery, and got him back to peak performance in very little time. Whether or not you believe that he quit once he was there is another story.

Fun Fact: A-Rod has never tested positive for PED's. Now, the story behind this little deal would more than reveal that he had taken them, and I get that. However, he has never tested positive. He's willing to take his suspension, but Braun lied too. Why should A-Rod have to take a 1.5 year ban, or even a lifetime ban, as has been suggested? Now, he admitted to using them back in 2003, but he has never tested positive one single time.

My point is this. A-Rod is no different than any other liar out there. He lied his butt off to protect his contract, continue to perform in his profession, and to live an all-star kind of life. He got caught. Now, he's fighting hard to not be made an example.

What is it with our society today that desires to see the successful torn down? What is it with our society today, when we revel in the plight of others? I'm just not that way, so I have a hard time with the group hatred of a person.

It disgusted me the other night when Dempster threw at A-Rod not once, not twice, but 4 times, and then finally hit him in the back. Was Dempster thrown out of the game? Nope, but he was warned. Joe Girardi, the manager of the Yankees, promptly went out to dispute the warning, and he was ejected. Meanwhile, the crowd CHEERED at A-Rod getting hit, and began taunting him as well.

Disgusting.

End result? I'm finding myself happy that A-Rod is the antagonist in this whole escapade. I find myself rooting for him; that he does open up the box that let's the truth out regarding sterioids and PED use. I hope he does blow the lid wide open, and then we can see just how two-faced the management, ownership and the league really is. Because, you know what? You just might find out that all of these people who are condemning A-Rod for standing up for himself are the same people encouraging the use of PED's when the door is closed.