Batter Up

And are we surprised about today's news?  That million-dollar man, Alex Rodriguez was outed by Sports Illustrated for taking steriods (or, performance enhancing drugs) and so, in a long line of the rich, famous, and powerful, he stood in front of microphones and apologized.

Am I the only one out here who is getting a little bored with all the folks apologizing?  And am I the only one beginning to think the public relations gurus that each of these guys hire to shake out magic dust and make the headache go away need to be thinking of a new script?  Honestly, each apology, whether it's for unpaid taxes, beating a woman, or taking drugs, is beginning to sound the same to me.  Contrived not contrite.  Forced not felt.  Made in order to get the next job, the next paycheck, the next endorsement, not made because they really believed deceiving the public is a bad thing.

Baseball is a game of inches.  The few extra feet beyond the center fielder is a triple, the stretch into the infield creates a double play.  If your body is feeling better, is bigger, has a bit more power than the other guy, well, you can win in the game of inches.  The names are a roll call of the highest paid, sometimes the best players of the past decade: Roger Clemens, Jason Giambi, Alex Rodriguez, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Andy Pettite, Barry Bonds.  Which, of course, leads to the lesser knowns, trying to gain an inch on the giants.

I think it is time we tell the apologists not even to bother until they really mean it.  Demonstrate some accountability.  Don't apologize just because some highly paid flake told you that is how everyone does it.

In the interim, I may walk up the street to watch Little League games this spring.  They will at least feel a bit more real and authentic.