You angry at him because he lied about steroids or because he chokes in big games?

Or both. Bonds. McGwire. Clemens. Vick. Rose. Kobe. Phelps and now A-Rod. Heros failing, falling, using, abusing, lying. Does it matter what the reason is anymore? Is the infraction or the cover up worse? It’s like we don’t learn, or we don’t care, because we keep coming back for more as long as they do one thing:

Win.

Who’s more hypocrital though: The jock who lies about what they did, or fans calling them names but still buying the tickets.

In this case, the news about A-Rod seems to be more a confirmation of what people suspected and/or believed no matter what. “I KNEW IT!” Right? Opinions on what he should do include cutting him some slack, him apologizing to everyone or him forgetting the Hall of Fame now.

We brought this up on the podcast last night and Ken Wheaton made the point a lot of people do in that Phelps’s case is different because it didn’t happen on the field. The same argument in effect is being made by Mrs. Fully-Automatic Facebook: A person’s work time is different than their free time. USA Swimming didn’t see it that way. Their three month suspension is far harsher than MLB or the NFL would be on an athlete for even heavier drug use. (Don’t even start with the NBA.)

The one excuse I don’t buy, will never buy though is that they didn’t know. Way too many case studies in stupidity from athletes and celebrities to say they didn’t know. That he did it “back in...” would fly—if this were 1932. No matter what the vice, this is guys playing the odds they won’t get caught.

Which is it. Apologize? Suspend? Forgive?

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