I found out the news yesterday from my brother and nephew. The three of us had tickets to the Padres/Brewers game last night, and I sometimes like to get to the stadium around 4:30, and lose myself in my ipod and a good book as I sit on a bench near the Yount statue. "It's Ryan Braun Appreciation Day here at Miller Park!", Mike said sarcastically. I hadn't heard the news yet. I knew it was coming, with all the stories out there of all the overwhelming evidence there was against him. And it didn't really hit me until I saw his statement, and had time to take in all the different opinions out there.
It's simple. Ryan Braun is a liar. He is a cheater. He is a fraud.
Remember this ?
I bought it. A lot of us did. Now I feel stupid. And his statement was arrogant and not very genuine.
"As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect," Braun said in a statement. "I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions. This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization. I am very grateful for the support I have received from players, ownership and the fans in Milwaukee and around the country. Finally, I wish to apologize to anyone I may have disappointed -- all of the baseball fans especially those in Milwaukee, the great Brewers organization and my teammates. I am glad to have this matter behind me once and for all, and I cannot wait to get back to the game I love."
Again, a huge difference between "not perfect" and blatantly lying to your team, teammates, friends, family and fans. And if he thinks this is "behind him once and for all", he's got another thing coming.
Look, I'm gonna be 38 years old in a little over two months. It's been a long, long time since I thought of entertainers as role models. Let's look at all my favorites for a moment. The '82 Brewers? Drunks. The '86 Mets? Drug Addicts. Billy Joel? Too many things to mention. I used to have life sized posters of Lenny Dykstra and Bernie Kosar hanging in my room, and look at what they've become. I know and understand that nobody is perfect, but that line doesn't fit in this case. We don't want, nor do we expect Ryan Braun to be perfect. But there is a big difference between not being perfect and being a lying fraud.
What I don't understand is .... don't these players that continue to use steroids see what Jose Canseco has become? Did they not see the Lance Armstrong interview with Oprah, and realize that his legacy is ruined? Don't they understand what effect steroids had on our perceptions of players like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Ken Caminiti and Alex Rodriguez. I guess I'll never understand. And it's not just superstars. Minor league players are using steroids in an attempt to make the big leagues. Bench players are using in an attempt to become starters. Good players want become great players, and great players want to become elite. Ryan Braun isn't the first, he certainly won't be the last, as long as the penalties are so weak.
Braun got a 65 game suspension, in what was his worst season thus far (.298, 9 HR, 38 RBI, 4 SB), while his Brewers are 20 games out of first place and in last place in the NL Central. He'll lose about $3.2 million dollars. You think he gives a shit? He has a guaranteed contract that will net him roughly $122 million over the next 8 years. And I honestly don't think most players of this generation care about the hall of fame, either. Ryan Braun took steroids to get the big contract. Knowing what we know about the players I mentioned earlier, the players continue to cheat, get the big money and cross their fingers.
I feel bad for the guy he threw under the bus back when he got off on a technicality in Feb of last year. I feel bad for Aaron Rodgers for trusting and advocating for Braun. And I feel bad for the kids who look up to him. I was with one last night. I'm sure his dad did a great job explaining that there are bad people that do bad things, and to not let this ruin his love for the game.
And this news will not ruin my love for baseball. The game of baseball is my life. My mom shared it with me, and I will continue to share it with my daughter. But my days of being a season ticket holder, seeing 20-30 games a year, spending big $$ on jerseys, those days are gone. I will continue to listen to Brewers games on the radio, I will continue to follow the Mets and the rest of major league baseball on my MLB.TV subscription. And yes, I will take in a game from time to time at Miller Park. I will still plan baseball trips, and one day, I will see a game at Fenway. But the days of shelling out big bucks for Opening Day are over. No more season ticket packages. I have a team in Mequon comprised of college kids, all dreaming of one day making the bigs. Parking is free, the concessions are reasonable and the atmosphere is great. I no longer want to support MLB to the extent I was did, not until the game completely rids the sport of PEDs. One failed test should be a ban for the remaining games of the year, plus all of next year, and two failed test should be a lifetime ban.
So this Friday, as I pick up my daughter on our way to Kapco Park for our first Chinooks doubleheader, I will talk to her about Braun. A few weeks ago, we were looking at my 1987 Topps set together, and she was asking about the players. When we got to Canseco, she asked what he was good at. I said he was the first player ever to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases in a season. She said, "WOOH! That's a world record!!" Then I told her he took drugs that helped him play better, and that he cheated. I told her that he is no longer respected in baseball history, and that his use of drugs have ruined his legacy, something he has to live with every day. Now we have to have the Braun conversation. I know how it's going to end. She will simply say, "Ugh ... well, time to pick a new favorite".
Like I said, the game will always be the game. I will always love it. It's just time for someone else to pay the big bucks for it. Gracie and I will be at the Chinooks games. Hey, if Matt Harvey's weaving a no-no, text me !!
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