Alex Rodriguez "apologizes": I was young, I felt pressure, I felt the weight of the world

[Bluebear]

Note: Michael Phelps is also young, and is losing contracts for participating in something that did *not* enhance his performance.

====

..."When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure," Rodriguez said. "I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me, and I needed to perform -- and perform at a high level -- every day.

"Back then, it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all-time. I did take a banned substance, and for that I'm very sorry. I'm deeply regretful.

"I'm sorry for that time, I'm sorry to my fans, I'm sorry to my fans in Texas. It wasn't until then that I ever thought about substances of any kind. Since then, I've proved to myself and to everyone that I don't need any of that."

Sports Illustrated reported on its Web site Saturday that Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, testosterone and Primobolan, during his 2003 American League MVP season.

"It was such a loosey-goosey era; I'm guilty for a lot of things," Rodriguez told Gammons. "I'm guilty of being negligent, naïve, not asking all the right questions. To be quite honest, I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using."

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090209&content_id=3811116&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

[Bolo Boffin]

1. So what about that Madonna thing?

Alex confesses right off the bat to using steriods and thereby possibly damaging his career...

...but who the hell is this Madonna woman?

[MrPerson]

12. I bet she's really WILD. knowatimean? WILD. nudge nudge

A goer. Say no more.

[flvegan]

2. Good, now play ball!

I also disagree with Phelps getting reamed for his pot smoking.

[sharp_stick]

3. I love the defense of

"I don't know exactly what substance I was guilty of using". I really would like to come up to one of these overpaid dirtbags and inject them with a bolus of "liquid heat", a really nasty product we used to get that was kind of like a nuclear BenGay. It sounds like these tools will let you shoot them up with anything. I bet he wouldn't be able to sit down for a month.

Even a heroin addict knows, or usually knows, what's going into the vein.

on edit: Where's Arlen Specter here, is he still looking for the missing Patriot Spygate tips?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. You know what his "I don't know what substance" statement tells me?

That he was probably using more than one. If he doesn't even know what he got caught using, it's probably because he was loaded up on multiple and doesn't know which one registered. That's my guess, but I hate the prick, so take it for what you will.

[panader0]

4. The guy got a contract for 250 million.

Maybe now folks will lay off Bonds.

[Dreamer Tatum]

6. Barry Bonds was indicted for perjury

So no, I don't think anyone will be "laying off" him anytime soon.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. No, and the government shouldn't.

The baseball community and its fans, however, should be treating the two the same, however.

[frylock]

8. or not..

1) Bonds is an asshole, 2) Bonds shattered the most hallowed record in sports while ALLEGEDLY using juice, 3) Bonds is an unrepentant asshole.

[panader0]

27. Not true. Bonds was checked repeatedly during the years

leading up to breaking the homer record, and NEVER was busted for steroid use. Never busted. 5 time MVP.

[spanone]

5. you were young and YOU CHEATED MR. RODRIGUEZ

'a loosey-goosey era'

hey a-hole, that was eight years ago not 50.

[Are_grits_groceries]

10. The weight of the world.Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

No Alex! Being laid off or having no job is the weight of the world.

You have a sand grain at most!!

[foxfeet]

11. A-Hole.

'Nuff said.

[MrPerson]

13. How about teh stripper he dated?

[jmg257]

14. Good - now we can get passed it. "Pitchers and catchers" is Saturday. Go Yanks!

[Bluebear]

15. "Passed" it? Well, that was easy!

[jmg257]

17. Sure, what else is gonna happen (6 yrs later)? He puts up the numbers, no one will care.

And in 14 yrs he will be in the Hall of fame.

[Bluebear]

20. For one, his MVP titles should be given to the runners-up.

[Bluebear]

28. ?

[spanone]

16. i think we can only get past it when these lying clowns are gone

[brentspeak]

19. Exactly.

I stopped following MLB just after the strike season. Thereafter began the Juiced Ball and Juiced Ballplayer era. A total disgrace.

[Last Stand]

24. Red Sox fan here...

I agree--let's be done with this Steroid crusade. Congress? FBI? My tax dollars chasing A-Rod? Why are we investigating A-Fraud and not Karl Rove? It's bullshit.

This happened in an era when the owners sat in silent approval of rampant steroid abuse and they were handsomely rewarded for it. We all knew it was happening--it was the office joke in every dugout. You think Nomar was all natural when he posed for the cover of SI? Puh-lease. Kudos to A-rod for coming clean and not making it worse like Cementhead Clemens.

Millionaires on steroids? Who. Fucken. Cares?

[brentspeak]

18. A-Roid n/t

[rudedog]

21. athletes and drugs

professional athletes should be allowed to take drugs, BUT
they shouldnt be paid if they do, simple as that.

[lpbk2713]

22. "... and I thought I could get away with it."

Retroactive apologies aren't worth the bullshit they're made of.

[Vinca]

23. " . . . and now I've got so much money it doesn't matter anyway."

Surely, that must be on the tip of his tongue.

[Release The Hounds]

25. So who put the gun to his head and

made him sign a quarter billion dollar contract?

"When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure"

:nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity: :nopity:

[cbc5g]

26. Who cares if he cheated, shot up, and is looked up to by many youngsters?

MICHAEL PHELPS SMOKED OUT OF A BONG!! OMGWTFSAVEMEJESUSZOMG



Think of the children!!