Shots Heard applauds Bronson Arroyo for speaking candidly. So many athletes speak in cliques and cowardly avoid any subject of frictional substance at every corner. However, in his interview published in USA Today, his candid comments due not diminish the idiocy of his recent comments. Shots Heard is not even going to focus on the premise of the article in which Arroyo admits to taking approximately 15 over the counter supplements without checking to see if they are the MLB banned substances list. Certainly that is reckless and it could potentially end up hurting himself and his team.
Rather it is Arroyo's comments regarding the general nature of players taking steroids that is flat out idiotic and he deserves to be called out on it. To be fair, Shots Heard will point out that at least half of Arroyo's comments in the article were well within reason. But that is neither here nor there.
Comment 1: "I can see where guys like Hank Aaron and some of the old-timers have a beef with it. But as far as looking at Manny Ramirez like he's (serial killer) Ted Bundy, you're out of your mind. At the end of the day, you think anybody really [cares] whether Manny Ramirez's kidneys fail and he dies at 50?"It is not just old-timers that have a beef with the sanctity of records. Serious baseball fans certainly do not want to see the records unfairly broken. But more than that our general sense of fairness dictates that a player that does not do steroids should have unfair disadvantages simply because they choose not to cheat. Those honorable players sacrifices mean less money, less glory and less ability to perform in game play situations. As for comparing Manny Ramirez to Ted Bundy that is just undue hyperbole and unfairly categorizes steroid detractors as irrational. And what if Manny dies at 50 due to post steroids complications? Yes people will "care." Lyle Alzado's steroid related death attracted a lot of attention. Alzado is a much lower profile star than Man Ram.
Comment 2: "You were happy if the Red Sox won 95 games. You'd go home, have a cookout with your family. No big deal."The Red Sox fans won two titles in 2004 and 2007 that are clearly tainted as their two biggest stars, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz have been implicated for steroid use. Steroid use was clearly rampant among all teams, but this is a big deal.
Fans are tired of players and pundits like Arroyo minimizing the severity of steroid use. MLB will never completely be trusted to clean up steroid use until they are willing to fully accept the severe consequences of rampant steroid use.
Fans are not holding their breath, thinking MLB will take full responsibility for allowing steroid use to become afluent. But they certainly get irked when pinheads like Arroyo disregard the severity of the situation.
Comment 3: "It (steroid use)might be dangerous. But so is drinking and driving. And how many of us do it at least once a year? Pretty much everybody."Tell a rational person that steroid use is as dangerous as drinking and driving and you will find a person that is against steroid use. Arroyo's disregard for steroid use is disturbing. But his making light of drinking and driving one ups his idiocy. Thousands of people die each year due to drinking and driving.
Comment 4: "I do what I want to do and say what I want to say. But society has made this such a tainted thing. The media has made it where people look at it (steroid use) in such a super-negative light. I've always been honest. I'm not going to stop now."This is a dasterdly tactic that public figures use. They blame the media for playing up an issue. Just because the media reports something does not make them the villain; at least not regarding the matter (steroids) at hand. Yes, Arroyo speaks his mind. So does the fat, drunk and stupid chick at a party. Just speaking his mind alone is not commendable.
Picture: Bronson Arroyo; former Boston Red Sox pitcher, current Cincinatti Red pitcher, amateur musician
No comments:
Post a Comment