The Vilifying of A-Rod

What is wrong with you people?  I thought the American dream was to work hard, pursue greatness for the purpose of enjoying limitless freedom and massive consumption?   I guess that only applies to moderately successful people, and those not named Alex Rodriguez.

Every since he signed his 10 year, $275 million contract he has become the whipping boy for every player hater in the country, sports minded or not.  Like it was crime to earn a good chunk of a billion dollars for being the best in the game, possibly the best in the history of the game.  As though he forced the Texas Rangers to offer him that money, and his acceptance of the money was unethical.

The real crime would have been for A-rod to take the money and flop, and instead, but like the stud that he his, he has done nothing but put up huge numbers with the big bullseye on his back.   Even with nothing but evil intent from everybody who is stupid but me he has lived up to his billing as the most expensive athlete in baseball.  I know, before you say it, because I am smarter than you, your next argument will be playoff performance, which hasn’t been great, but that happens to some athletes, especially those with gigantic “Kick Me” signs on their backs.  And he does do some weird stuff on the field, shouting at a Blue Jays player to drop a pop fly, dating Madonna off the field, but nobody;s perfect.

Maybe it’s because he plays for the Yankees, and everybody who is stupid but me begrudges them for being the most successful franchise.  Yet, when he moved to the Yankees everybody forgets how willingly he gave up his shortstop position to move to third base, as a team player.

Shortstop is by far the most fun position on the diamond, third base, other than catcher, is the least.  Shortstops have the best viewing angle of balls hit to the infield, they get plenty of action and winners always want the ball, and lots of opportunities to make super cool defensive plays.   Third basemen have no viewing angle off the bat, have to react in milliseconds to prevent getting bludgeoned by line drives, and have the longest routine throw in the infield.  By making the switch, Rodriguez sacrificed a great deal, but nobody other than me because I am smarter than everybody else give him an ounce of credit for that.

Now the A-rod haters of the world have found a way to release previously guarded results of steroid testing from 2001 where 103 players tested positive.  Did I say 103 players?  I meant to say A-rod and 102 players who are not A-rod, but they’re cool because they are not the greatest player in the game, possibly history, so they are more innocent than A-rod and must be spared.

So what is A-rod’s reaction to being singled out for special treatment in results from the era where there was no clear policy in place for steroid use?  Did he awkwardly deny it like Roger Clemens?  Refuse to talk about it like Mark McGwire?  Lie about it, complete with finger waving like Rafael Palmerio?  Claim to only do it “a couple of times” like Andy Pettite?  Pretend not to speak English like Sammy Sosa?

No, like a man he admitted it.  Which only leads to further press bashing about what an “A-hole” he is, and how “it’s too late to confess now”.  It really makes me sick.  He can’t even credit for doing the stand up thing in reaction.

Just to recap, best player in the game, unselfish team player, takes honest accountability for mistakes.  What an A-hole.  Keep him away from my kids, I don’t want them exposed to those values.

Lets change the system to please all you player haters.  From now on, mediocrity is the new excellence.  Don’t stand out due to your talent and work ethic, because the nail that sticks out gets hammered.  Lets teach our kids to work hard to be the next Joe Schlabotnik, not the next A-rod, because the lesson being reinforced by everybody who is stupid but me, is that if you are clearly better than everybody else at what you do and make more money, you are a bad person.

At least that’s what you can do, I’m sticking with the pursuit of maximizing everything you can in life and ignoring all the losers and naysayers around you, because as Dale Carnegie once said “Nobody ever kicked a dead dog”.  The fact that you are out their achieving makes it inevitable you will be bashed, moreso than if you are doing nothing.

I certainly respect those who will teach against these values, its really all about personal choice.