things i think i think

As a die-hard Red Sox fan and a sports enthusiast in general, I felt that I had an obligation to chime in on the recent news that David Ortiz (and Manny Ramirez) tested positive for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) in 2003 (developing ESPN story here) according to The Mitchell Report. First of all, is this a surprise? Yes. Anyone who claims that it isn’t is lying. David Ortiz was arguably the Albert Pujols of the American League for several years before his recent decline due to injury — an affable player with remarkable talent and a propensity for late-inning heroics. Except for Yankee fans, you couldn’t not appreciate and admire what Ortiz was doing for the Red Sox and the MLB. The guy was a rags to riches story in the purest sense.

Now this. Apparently, Big Papi was ‘cheating’ as recently as 2003 when testing began in earnest. Is it wrong? Yes. Was Ortiz aware of what he was taking? I’m not sure that he was. Is this a big deal anymore? Not really. I’m reminded of a moment in my childhood when, during a Boy Scout get together, a local forecasters came in to talk about weather-patterns and his career, etc. At some point near the middle of his presentation, a bold classmate of mine stood up and shouted “So, what’s the point?!”

Those are my thoughts exactly. So what? Baseball purists will cry their eyes out about the state of the game today — the cheaters, the lying, the synthetic bio-engineering that these guys inject into their asses — but they need to keep in mind that for all of the theatrics and purported majesty of the sport, it is a business. If I were to offer you the opportunity to increase your productivity by 50, even 75 per cent, with a few supplements — who wouldn’t take that chance? These players are here to get paid, to get the strikeouts, hit the homeruns and cash in while they can. Sorry baseball fans, but everyone is doing it. Period. If not now, then just a few years ago when Bud Selig was seeing dollar signs and preferred to stay blissfully ignorant about the extent of this abuse.

Am I disappointed? Certainly. Does this ‘taint’ the Red Sox championships in 2004 and 2007? Not at all. And you would be kidding yourself if it did. Other fans who are calling for blood from the Red Sox, Yankees et al. because they feel that those teams had an unfair advantage? That’s simply the pot calling the kettle black. Let’s face it, this is a pervasive problem that will never see a true end. Pujols, Thome, Griffey Jr., all users and abusers. You can call me a pessimist, but I’ll be too busy digging my head into the sand — and getting ready to watch the next Red Sox game. Cha-ching.

This makes me happier than you can imagine.

Here’s Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner and self-proclaimed Jesus freak drawing a picture of God. My question is… where and when did this go on-air? See for yourself: