Rudy Gay Can’t See
Yahoo Sports – This great story comes from Rudy Gay who has a phobia of putting things in his eyes and swallowing pills. This off season he got Lasik to correct a stigma in his left eye. I don’t know if I’m relieved that Gay can see again or mesmerized that he was as good as he was with bad eye sight. Rudy Gay on his vision problems: ‘It was terrible. I could hardly get my license’. You shoot 3 pointers for a living and you can’t see the rim? He is going to make 37 million dollars over the next two years and he got that contract with the inability to see properly. Unbelievable. He’s not a sniper by any means shooting 45% from the floor and a mediocre 34% from downtown for his career but this is remarkable considering this story. Who else wants to bet Rudy becomes a top 10 player next year?
Zimmerman Stages Becoming a Hero
USA Today – George Zimmerman helped rescue a family from an overturned SUV four days after the verdict, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Monday. I knew this guy was a hero! How on Earth does this happen? A man whose reputation will forever be tarnished has all of a sudden AGAIN taking on the role of a hero. I swear this wasn’t by accident. Zimmerman has probably been scheming of ways to fall back into society’s good graces and this is just the start. I expect him to start saving children from disease, erecting shelters, and feeding all of Africa. Anyone else believe this news story?
Ryan Braun Made a Huge Mistake
Roids?
USA Today – Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has been suspended without pay for the rest of the season, a 65-game ban announced Monday by Major League Baseball in what appears to be the first salvo in the league’s fight against players allegedly tied to the Biogenesis lab. One thing should not be forgotten and this is if you cheat, you will get caught. Even if you don’t get caught, you won’t be able to live with cheating. Ryan Braun should be kicked out of baseball. He did the #1 thing that you shouldn’t do once you get caught and that is lie. People forgive you if you tell the truth, they hate you if you lie. Liars don’t deserve a second chance because it’s actually their 3rd chance. The first chance is not cheating, the 2nd is coming clean when you get caught. Stories like this and Lance, Gay, Bonds, and the rest of them are sad for sports and sadder for mankind. You are a disappointing role model and you should be whisked away into oblivion never to be heard of again.
The problem is this, why wouldn’t Braun cheat? He might get caught he might not. The worst case scenario is happening right now. His name is tarnished to the public but the guy is still due to make OVER 100 MILLION DOLLARS once this suspension is over. And the reason he’s making so much is because he’s on roids. So take roids, get a mega contract, get caught, and only lose a quarter of a year’s worth of pay? It’s a joke. I agree, lifetime bans.
Lifetime ban should have been in enacted. Pete Rose was banned for “compromising the integrity of the game” by wagering on games as a manager. Braun (and others) are doing exactly the same – and should receive the same exile.
Frankly, I don’t suspect Ryan Braun will play for the Brewers again. Remember, the ACTIVE Commissioner (Bud Selig) is not only from Wisconsin – but used to be a partial owner of the Brewers. They are what the Red Sox were to Giamatti. Braun pissed in the pool of the man with the most emotional and professional investment in his team. This is probably why the decision on Braun was the swiftest thus far.
Also – a considerable amount of active players despise Braun for sneaking through a loop-hole last year – and want to see a lifetime ban for him. This is huge – bc the MLBPA is one of (if not) the strongest labor unions in the US. If Braun continues to create division within these ranks – he is easier lost from the sport than risk compromising union solidarity (from the vat age point of the MLBPA).
Most contracts have “outs” for violations, degradation of the image of the team, etc. Pretty confident the Brewers will not need to recognize his contract if they don’t want to. Someone will sign him – if he is released from the Brewers. Maybe a line of .271/21HR/78RBI/14SB looks reasonable for him san-steroid. Like the Bonds argument – he still had to hit the pitches – which in itself has a 70%+ failure rate. The difference is that Bonds cheated AFTER already being one of the best in the game. According to reports, Braun has potentially been using since college – so his actual natural ability/ceiling is skewed beyond belief.
I would be willing to bet in his first AB back from his suspension Braun is drilled – a symbolic walk/trot of shame to 1B. A ceremonial “FU” from his peers for coming back.
Here is the press release Giamatti made regarding his decision on Pete Rose. Prior to acting as Commissioner he taught English and was the President of Yale. It is pretty profound and heartfelt. Would love to hear his take on this shit.
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/p_roseb.shtml