Watching Yankee fans and the Yankee announcers on the YES Network this afternoon, made me wonder whatever happened to the American baseball media’s mob war against steroid users?
Both the fans and the announcers fawned all over Alex Rodriguez as he hit his 600th career home run against the Toronto Blue Jays. Indeed, A-Rod has hit 600 in his career, one of only seven to do so, and the fans had every right to be part of the celebration.
However, as the media honored Rodriguez today — as they certainly should have — I had to question why the feat is wonderful for Rodriguez, an admitted steroid user, but 600 homers wasn’t so wonderful for Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa? Remember, A-Rod is an admitted steroid user. In the meantime, the U.S. federal government has been trying to build a case against Bonds for almost a decade and yet they still have nothing. Sosa has said publicly that he as never used steroids. Still, both have been convicted by the American mainstream media mob as steroids abusers, even though there is no proof, only conjecture, rumour and innuendo.
So while Bonds and Sosa continue to be villified, Rodriguez, an admitted steroid user, is hailed as one of the sport’s all-time greats.
I’m in a quandary. Were steroids good for some heroes and not good for others? Is it because A-Rod is a Yankee and all things Yankee seem to be cheered in the U.S.? This is a strange one.
Personally? Good for A-Rod. 600 home runs at a time when there were as many pitchers (maybe more) on the juice as hitters, is quite an accomplishment.
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