Ball or Nuthin' » Alex Rodriguez

Ten Most Disliked Sports Figures??

T Lamont — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:51:03 +0000

Fox Sports recently posted its “Top 10 Most Disliked People in Sports”…and in more than a few of their choices, they missed the mark.

Let’s review their top 10:

10. Gilbert Arenas

Now obviously, Arenas was a late entry…barely making the cut at #10, which Fox Sports may believe actually makes it legit. But I’m sorry – Arenas in no way deserves to land on this list. Throughout his career, he’s been nothing but a jovial prankster – - trying to live up to a reputation as a carefree rebel without a cause. Well, that finally caught up with him this fall, and suddenly – out of the thousands of notable sports related people – he’s one of the top 1% (or less) of disliked people. I’m not buying it.

9. Allen Iverson

This must be a lifetime achievement award, if you will. Iverson hasn’t done anything of importance on or off the basketball in a few years now. The last unlikable A.I. incident was probably when he beefed about coming off the bench for Detroit (and, as sorry as they are, who in their right mind wouldn’t have beef about that?).

Of course, Iverson has been reckless during his basketball career, being involved with guns, fights, unhappy relationships with coaches, etc…

He’s one of the pioneers of the urban, street style wardrobe that was adopted by many players in the late 90′s and early 2000′s. And the Hampton, Virginia native had others copying his cornrow patterns.

Cornrows and gangsta wear? I guess that image will last in people minds’ for years to come.

8. Alex Rodriguez

With his steroid admission only a year and some change behind him, A-Rod’s championship season did little to get the haters off of his back. He’ll always be remembered as the $252-million man – and the mega-contract only generated more critics (not fans). I even know some Yankees fans who don’t like him.

"What did I do to land on this list?"

7. Terrell Owens

What can you say about T.O.? Generally speaking, people don’t his light-hearted arrogance and creative showboating. I wouldn’t say that his hate factor is very high – but maybe this position is one that fits him OK.

6. Mark McGwire

The former Bash Brother was America’s sweetheart during the magical 1998 home run battle between him and fellow doper Sammy Sosa. But after not giving much comment during the steroids in baseball Congressional hearing, his star began to fade as if it were Big Mac’s batting average. Ironically, McGwire is looking much worse than his blabbermouth ex-teammate Jose Canseco – who admitted the baseball/steroids problem to anyone who wanted to hear it.

5. Jerry Jones

Jones is spurned by those who despise the Cowboys. Although he never does or says anything particularly newsworthy, just hearing him reverberate “How ’bout them Cowboys?!!” is enough to make some people want to place him on the 40-yard line and kick him through the uprights.

4. Tiger Woods

Once again, I’d say that this one is aptly positioned. Nobody would have saw this coming a year ago…but now, how will Woods become the crowd favorite that he was? Or will people be able to move past this incident at all?

3. Ben Roethlisberger

The road from being a hero to being a villain can be a very short one at times. But Big Ben has been building a villainous case for some time now. Roethlisberger can’t seem to pry himself away from the bar scene. It’s time for the organization to take a hard-nosed stance on Ben’s future with the Steelers. For now, Roethlisberger’s earned this spot in the infamous lineup.

2. Al Davis

Davis is too busy cleaning up the colossal mess that has become the Oakland Raiders. Davis has suffered through his bad decisions for a decade – seemingly with the next big hope being available in the upcoming draft. I don’t know why the guy would be disliked so much. Perhaps its the fact, that the Raiders have struggled for so long. Or maybe Oakland fans are the loudest gripers. I’m not sure, but a #2 position is definitely much too high.

1. Michael Vick

No surprise here – Americans love pets. Vick killed potential pets (or, if you will, his own pets). People will remember that for a long time. Unfortunately, there’s not much that Vick can do to get off of this list. Time is the only thing that can help him. And not going to parties where people who were linked to his infamous criminal activities are getting shot.

As long as dogs roam the earth, Michael Vick will have plenty of haters.

Who belongs on this list that wasn’t mentioned?

Kobe Bryant

It doesn’t matter if his Lakers just won their second of back-to-back NBA titles. People either like Kobe or they don’t like him – plain and simple. My wife, who probably knows 20 NBA players by name, can’t stand him. Bryant’s attitude borders on the edge of arrogance or extreme confidence, which will sway one way or the other based on people’s individual perceptions of him. Kobe’s a great player and, unfortunately for him, one of the most polarizing figures that the sport of basketball has ever witnessed.

Barry Bonds

How could Mark McGwire be on this list, but not Bonds? He’s generated so much hatred – mainly because anyone with a television set could have observed the increase in the muscle mass of his head. However, nothing has been proven against him – which infuriates those who hold baseball records to be sacred accomplishments. Bonds is the current all-time and single-season home run leader, and now that the cat is out of the bag (about steroids) his records could stand for some time. Someone probably punched a wall just from reading that.

O.J. Simpson

Long removed from the sports scene, Simpson is hating for nothing related to athletics. Nevertheless, he was a sports figure and is one of the most despised people on the planet. The public doesn’t usually like people suspected of killing other people – off of the gridiron, that is.

Yankees Show Their Toughness in Win Against Twins

T Lamont — Thu, 27 May 2010 03:18:38 +0000

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Minnesota catcher Drew Butera had doubled to center. Then, New York third baseman Alex Rodriguez muffed a sacrifice bunt by Minnesota Denard Span.

With no one out and runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth, the Yankees and the Twins were tied at 2-2. And they had the look of a team that was able to fold in to what looked like a compromising situation.

But in typical New York fashion, the ball started to bounce their way.

Twins’ second baseman Orlando Hudson hit a sharp liner back through the box. Only it didn’t make it through. Andy Pettitte snatched it before it could sail over his head, securing the first out in the inning.

But coming to the plate was the reigning AL MVP Joe Mauer. Mauer, who entered the game batting over .340, already had an RBI-single to his credit. But you got the feeling that this at-bat was going to be one that decided the outcome of the contest.

Siwsher's solo shot in the ninth won the game for the Yankees.

Mauer displayed great discipline in this plate appearance, working Pettitie to get the count in his favor three balls to one strike. But the crafty lefty hurled a pitch that sailed away from Mauer. It got enough of the plate that made it appear enticing, and Mauer was induced to ground into the 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.

In the top of the ninth, the Twins brought in 6’11″ reliever Jon Rauch to keep the Yankees at bay. However, with one out in the inning, Nick Swisher swatted his eighth home run of the season over the right field wall. New York takes the lead on the solo shot, 3-2.

So, of course, it’s now Mariano Rivera time. The 40-year-old set down the Twins in order by getting three groundouts to record his tenth save (after recording his ninth in the first game of the doubleheader earlier today).

It’s games like these that explain why Minnesota has come up short against New York in 11 of their last 12 meetings. It was the kind of victory that couldn’t be any more typical of the New York Yankees.

Is A-Rod the New American Hero?

T Lamont — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:55:50 +0000

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About 9 months…roughly 270 days…

That’s how long ago reports surfaced that New York Yankees’ superstar slugger Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids back in 2003. We all recall that shaky interview in which Rodriguez “came clean” about his use of performance-enhancing drugs. He claimed that it occured during a 3-year span after he had signed a mega-deal with the Texas Rangers (10 years, $252 million) – and that he felt immense pressure to live up to his own hype.

At that point, he pretty much handed in his “I am an All-American Golden Boy” badge. This badge, formerly held by Mark McGwire and, more recently, Michael Phelps, is generally a one-way proposition. You get the badge from a career of seemingly doing everything the right way.

Looking at Rodriguez’ career, it seemed as if the super-talented New York native hadn’t taken a misstep at any particular point. A-Rod had his share of haters, just like any other superstar…but what could they really hold against him as a player and a person?

Well, during his Rangers’ years, Alex stats were phenomenal. His three-year averages were a batting average of around .310 and 52 HRs. Now his previous stats weren’t that far off from these numbers (a .300 BA and 40 HRs was routine for him) - so the increase in productivity seemed fairly natural from a player that was universally regarded as one of the best in baseball. But, of course, in hindsight the increase is more reasonably explained now that the cat is out of the bag.

So, as we entered 2009, we were welcomed to A-Rod’s surprise coming-out party. And we expected to see him leave our network television and move off into some oblivious regional access programming.

Rodriguez broke into the league as part of a formidable Mariners' tandem with Ken Griffey, Jr.

But guess what? It didn’t work out that way. After a productive 2009 season that witnessed Rodriguez post 30 HRs and 100 RBI in 124 regular season games (totals that project out to 39 HRs and 131 RBI), Rodriguez was right back into the spotlight of a Yankees postseason run.

And this postseason run was a much different one for A-Rod. Unlike in past postseason appearances, Rodriguez was extremely productive in the 2009 ALDS and the 2009 ALCS…adding even more fuel to the fire of his haters. He batted .438 with 5 HRs and 12 RBI. In this year’s World Series versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Rodriguez went deep in Game Three and provided a clutch game winning 2-out RBI-double in the top of the ninth inning to place the Yankees on the brink of winning their first championship since 2000.

Pending a breakdown of historic proportions by the Yankees, it looks like Alex Rodriguez will have the last laugh in a season which appeared bleak. While athletes like Rodriguez are held in very high esteem, they are human at their core. Heroes that aren’t celebrities or athletes seem to be held to a different standard of expectation when it comes to deceit and impure intentions. This debate won’t be one that is easily settled. But with all of the hidden agendas and general dishonesty from athletes these days, we may be left to ask ourselves…

Is A-Rod the new American hero?

Luis Castillo – “Hands of Stone”

T Lamont — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:07:15 +0000

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Wow – I couldn’t believe this when I saw it. This is the kind of stuff that happens in favor of teams like the Yankees, the Red Sox…this never happens for the teams that really need it.

You can’t say enough about Teixeira – running out the popup and scoring all the way from first base…

Superstar Athletes: Role Models??

T Lamont — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 04:27:48 +0000

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Michael Vick. Alex Rodriguez. Marion Jones. Kobe Bryant.

Names that we all have heard over and over. Names that are easily recognizable by people who are not admitted sports junkies. Athletes at the top of their craft who were halted (or at least slowed down) by some questionably unethical activity.

Is he just a product of a rough neighborhood? Was he really unaware of what was being injected into his body? Was she thinking that she would get away with what her fellow Olympian husband couldn’t? Was the encounter truly consensual? There are a few of some very pointed questions which have interrupted the flow of ESPN’s Sportscenter highlights.

Didn’t these athletes know that they are adored by millions – particularly small kids? How could they be so self-absorbed and immoral? As a testament to the fact that the public embraces these athletes, shouldn’t they be responsible enough to handle themselves with more integrity?

Yes, yes and yes. And they should be ashamed of themsleves. But not because the answers to those questions is “yes”, but rather that they deal with the same everyday aspects of life that we do – - except theirs is under a microscope.

All of us outsiders deem the acts of the athletes, that I chose as examples, to be despicable. But while none of us have financed a dogfighting network, many of us are dishonest to some degree on a daily basis. And I’m willing to bet that the dishonesty will benefit us in some way (whether we admit it or not). So, that sounds a lot like “performance enhancing dishonesty” to me.

Professional athletes are nothing more than human beings with special skills and abilities. And they are paid a hefty amount – as entertainers. When an athlete makes it to the professional ranks, that athlete does not become a role model. In actuality, other people anoint that athlete with such a title.

And what do we really know about that athlete that makes him or her a role model? Let’s just sit on that for a minute. Anyone who is not a world-famous athlete would be called to show some actual attributes that would enable him or her to be called a role model. And even so, that person struggles with daily life just like everyone else, including the megastar athlete.

So, enjoy the abilities that these athletes bring to the table. And the next time that you hear a superstar mentioned as a role model…pause for a second to think about how much we all know – - or don’t know – - about him.