A Cruel Bargain for A-Rod and Boys With Baseball Dreams
While this is old, I think it's a great read about Alex Rodriguez. And no I'm not posting this because I grew up rooting for the Yankees; rather, I think this article (and the steroid issues) addresses one of the major themes we'll cover this semester: the fallen hero. This is where the ideas of the grit and glory have to held equally as we learn about baseball. But how do they work with/against each other.
What are your thoughts on the idea of A-Rod as a fallen hero? Was his trajectory unavoidable? Is the pressure to be better, faster, stronger partly to blame for his fall? How does he present the grit and the glory? (so many questions ... don't go crazy)
The beginning of this article portrays young A-rod as manifesting innocence in its purest form. He was a kid who loved playing baseball. The PED downfall, in my opinion, cannot be attributed to anyones shortcomings but his own. (Disclaimer: I am a huge sox fan, so I inherited a hatred for any yankee) The pressure to be better, faster, and stronger should push players to strive for improvement. This is a healthy and unavoidable pressure in professional sports. But to part take in the use of PED’s undermines the sports magic and goes against the innocence and love for the game that drove A-Rod when he was a kid playing for pure enjoyment. His downfall as a hero is merited in my eyes because he added to the detrimental idea that baseball is a business, and an athletes abilities are merely a platform for trophies and a disgustingly large income. His use of PED could be attributed to the enticing figure that loomes behind a dollar sign on a players contract, but anyone who lets this be their reason for using PEDs is playing the sport for the wrong reasons. A simplistic love for baseball should trump the greed for a larger salary in any venerable professional ball player.
ReplyDeleteWhile I believe that it was ultimately A-Rod’s choice to take PEDs, there was a lot of pressure from outside forces that compelled him to make such a poor decision. The success of his father, expectations from fans, and implicit support from the management of the Yankees certainly contributed to his use of steroids. I think it is really sad that players, who live, breathe and love baseball, would compromise the credibility of the game by taking performance enhancement drugs. Obviously one wants to improve their skills to be “better, faster, stronger”, but the widespread use of steroids only heightens expectations for the players, which further pressures those with raw talent to do even more to boost their skills. While A-Rod may have had the support to take PEDs from MLB managers who only cared about the short term and making money, he was disgraced by many baseball fans. It is tragic to see a boy who overcame lots of odds to make it into the MLB fall from grace by using drugs. In the article, A-Rod is portrayed as the unlikely hero: skinny, poor, and the son of a great player. All of these inspiring factors makes one invested in his success. However, his heroism and all his accomplishments is stripped once he compromises the integrity of the game by taking PEDs.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Alex Rodriguez's desperation to excel in the game of baseball, which is his passion, eventually led to some unfortunate choices and then his downfall. I think it is probable that this determination to be the best made Rodriguez susceptible to manipulation by those around him. The author of the article points out how managers and owners of teams do not seem to care about PED use once the players finish their suspension. Therefore, it would not surprise me if one of Rodriguez's former mentors or even managers suggested the use of steroids. Even if they did not, the pressure put on players like A-Rod to succeed could drive them to the use of PED's. If I remember correctly, A-Rod did in fact say that the reason he took steroids was due to an extreme amount of pressure to perform. That being said, I have little sympathy for him. He lied about taking steroids, he tried to blame others, and he annoyingly appealed his suspension even though many, including myself, thought he deserved a lifetime ban for his repeat violations. However, I still think that both internal and external pressure can drive players towards bad decisions, and I can understand why those bad decisions were made.
ReplyDeleteThis article really resonated with me because it made me think of the paper I wrote last year in US history about brain injuries in the NFL. I spent over a month researching brain injuries in professional football players and the correlation between these injuries and the huge emphasis the NFL puts on players to do whatever they can to stay in the game (i.e. use drugs to kill the pain they are having in order to stay on the field). Although the players I was researching didn't use PEDs to get ahead in their careers, they suffered from the immense pressure put on them by the sport and the country as a whole to keep playing through injuries. This stress put on professional sports players, like Alex Rodriguez, clearly does in fact lead to the downfall of an incredible player. It is completely unfair to put all of the blame on players like Rodriquez for their use of PEDs because of this societal pressure to be the strongest, manliest (i.e. big muscles, to look a certain way), fastest player in the game. I feel bad for Rodriguez and I sympathize with his struggle to be glorified in today's version of professional baseball.
ReplyDeleteI think that the author of this article was trying to elude to the greatness of baseball when one is a kid. Kids are innocent, and the game of baseball is innocent along with it. This is how A-Rod's baseball career began when he was young. However, as time went on, the innocence of the game went away. It was then his career his livelihood, and he had to live up to very high expectations in his performance. I, like the author, feel like baseball has lost some of its innocence in the "Steroid Era." But it is hard for me to blame A-Rod for taking steroids because I understand why he did it and it helped him continue to a great career in the MLB. The drugs did their job and so did A-Rod, which to me sounds like a success story.
ReplyDeleteI think that A-Rod's story as a fallen hero is a sad one. The descriptions that the author gave of Alex playing at the boys and girls club when he was young made me feel think of him as someone who started his career because of a love of the game. The shift to present day A-Rod (or A-Roid) really disappointed me because Rodriguez has seems to no longer hold his love of the game as his primary motivation; Now he is in the game for the cash. His trajectory was not inevitable. I believe there is always a choice, and Rodriguez chose the option to cheat. I do think that the pressures to be all around are partly to blame for what happened to him, but a bigger piece of the blame falls on the Yankees and the teams who have signed him. He presents some grit by continuing to play after his many suspensions, and his only aspects close to glory are his lifetime stats, which were boosted by steroids.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think A-Rod’s trajectory was inevitable. I am not saying that it wasn’t his fault, as the decision to take PEDs was his. However, I think many other factors played a role in his downfall. First of all, I believe that with a family life as difficult as his, it was bound to have affects on him as a child. For example, I can guess that his family didn’t have a lot of money, and he probably grew up with the fantasy that someday he would make lots of money and be in a better place than he grew up in. Also, the fact that he didn’t have a constant father figure probably took a bigger toll on him than we might initially realize. This could have made him more susceptible to idolizing men who were strong and macho, like a man “should” be, maybe influencing a desire of wanting to become one of those men regardless of the means of getting there, because he never had a father who could teach him otherwise. Lastly, our society has created a culture where success is everything. It seems to brainwash people into thinking that it doesn’t matter how you get there as long as you get there. If you grow up in a culture like that, this undying struggle for success becomes a form of internal oppression. Eventually, you can’t tell the difference between what real success should be (which in my opinion is happiness and enjoyment) and what the social constructed definition of success (money and fame). I think all of these factors contributed to A-Rod’s sad downfall.
ReplyDeleteAs we discussed in one of the first classes, baseball, the national past time, has created an unrealistic ideal of masculinity. Every man must play baseball, excel at it, and be a life long fan. The fan base bridges all socioeconomic classes and other social barriers. The players are heroes. Therefore, players face an incredible amount of pressure to perform and excel for the sake of the entire nation. They represent success and provide hope for many citizens. On top of this, leading players are offered enormous salaries which only heightens the drive to perform better. As the author points out, many managers are turning a blind eye to the use of PED's which only encourages usage. Without harsh restrictions, if one player uses, all other players are put in a position to use in order to stay in the game. Even though the decision was ultimately A-Rod's, I feel sympathy for him. The continual external pressure to perform for their fans and as their job can lead to PED usage.
ReplyDeleteEvery athlete has a drive to be the best at what he or she does. Sports are physical and sometimes violent because the mindset of a player changes when the game begins. A passive individual in everyday life becomes a violent aggressive animal when the game begins. When a football player is injured in a tackle, the player who made the tackle should not be blamed for the injury. Rather it is the injured players fault for not matching his opponents aggression. In my opinion, it is hard to place blame on A-Rod for doping. He is an athlete who matched the intensity of his peers, in attempts to be the best. In my eyes, he is not a fallen hero, neither is Barry Bonds nor Sammy Sosa. I support the MLB's suspension on A-Rod because he did break the rules and because use of PEDs needs to be heavily prevented. However, the admiration I held for A-Rod, when I was younger, is still present. He is still a hero in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteA-Rod is definitely a fallen hero. Once an outstanding baseball player and a role model for kids, he can no longer be respected and trusted after taking PEDs twice in his career. Although one can make the argument that A-Rod took PEDs to live up to the expectations and pressures of being a great MLB player, I think the main reason why A-Rod took PEDs was to make more money. MLB teams have so much money (especially the Yankees) and baseball contracts are outrageously large. He wanted a big contract so badly that he used PEDs as a platform to achieve this desire. This was not a choice less choice. His greed for the money clearly trumps his passion for baseball and his sense of integrity. This shows how Rodriguez does not truly honor the history of the game and the many players that came before him that played the game the right way. Rodriguez cannot be considered a true ball player; he doesn’t respect the game as much as some of the greats like Satchel Paige and Cool Papa Bell, for example.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion A-Rod's path could have been avoided. I believe that it was his own decision to take the performance enhancing drugs, however, I also believe that the internal pressure from within the league plays a role in his decision. We have read many stories and talked about how baseball is considered America's National sport because it embodies American values of strength, competitiveness, and passion. Those three characteristics alone put pressure on the players to perform. There is also external pressure from fans wanting their teams to win in order to be successful. With this extreme amount of pressure coming from internal and external sources and the nonchalant attitude about drugs within the teams makes the use of PEDs extremely tempting. In the end it was A-Rod's own decision, but I do feel that it would have been less likely for him to succumb without all of the pressure.
ReplyDeleteThe path A-Rod took was almost unavoidable. But his image as a fallen hero could have been avoided. Making the major leagues is one of the most difficult things to do. The pay is huge for the good ballplayers, but terrible for younger ones. This often leads to many minor league players and younger players doping because the risk is worth the reward. This path for many players, like A-Rod, is unavoidable. However, his dealing with getting caught is what makes him a fallen hero, and this was avoidable. As a baseball player he should respect the game, and trying to take steroids again shows his only remorse was getting caught. He is not a role model or a hero, and does not deserve to be treated like one because he brought that part of his struggle on himself.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the path A-Rod took was unavoidable mainly because of the pressure that is put on athletes to achieve greatness. Although I am not too informed on who A-Rod is, or what was expected of him, I believe that in A-Rod's case, he decided to use PEDs in order to stand out in the pool of talented baseball players. This being said, I believe that the only one to be blamed for A-Rods fall is the league and fans because both always expect more from a player, and in many cases it is difficult for the player to reach the level expected from him. Some of my classmates have said this already but I believe A-Rod is a fallen hero because he was exposed of using PEDs. Although the article said that many players can see the use of PEDs as a risky thing to do with a huge pay out, in the eyes of the league and fans, PEDs are harmful to the game. Therefore, A-Rod is definitely a fallen hero because before the incident many young ball players looked up to him for being so talented at the game, but shortly after the incident his public image completely changed.
ReplyDeleteBaseball is a relatively simple game and little has changed in the sport in the last 100 years. Besides the shift from amateur to pro, and the inclusion of black players, the game of baseball is played much like it was played decades ago, and I believe that this is an important factor to PED use. Baseball has seemingly reached a peak in its evolution, given that players bat, and pitch, and field just as well as players did decades ago. When looking at another sport such as basketball, Steph Curry's shooting from a distance is better than anyone ever by a large margin and he is somewhat changing the way the game is played, but baseball's simplicity means that players are confined to playing the same way people did generations ago. This means that baseball players must be better at a very specific action than everyone else in order to stand out, and therefore, it appears as though the next stage in the evolution of baseball is for players to enhance what their body is naturally capable of doing. While I don't believe that PED use is inevitable, I think that it is the only way for the game of baseball to be played at a higher level.
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ReplyDeleteBaseball has changed a lot since the time when Alex Rodriguez played Little League baseball. It seems like news surrounding PEDs have begun to take over coverage on the game of baseball. PEDs have created a number of fallen heros in the majors, such as Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez. I believe the pressure of being a “great” player had gotten to A-Rod, and lead him towards the use of PEDs. The use of PEDs was unavoidable for A-Rod because of the benefits that being a “great” player holds. As Macur states, “But even if you are caught, teams will pay handsomely for your services if you are good enough to play.” Major League teams only care about a player’s performance and winning games, if a player is using PEDs to help the team, the team will turn a blind eye. A-Rod was making millions more by using PEDs, and was gradually becoming an all-time great. With all these benefits that came A-Rods way, it’s easy to understand why he used PEDs and shows how it was almost inevitable that he was going to use PEDs.
ReplyDeleteWhile there may have been strong external pressures, Alex Rodriguez’s trajectory was entirely avoidable. Despite the fact that the pressure from other players, management, and the inherent desire to become the best can be overwhelming, only one person can be blamed for A-Rod’s performance enhancing drug use, and that person is himself. Adding fuel to the flame, his attempt to cover up his PED use only contributes to his poor and tainted public image today. I think that ultimately, despite his incredible ability, A-Rod is indeed a fallen hero. Once admired by many for his incredible abilities on the baseball diamond, he is now in the center of controversy that will haunt him forever and will continue to be brought up when his name is mentioned with the all-time greats of the game. I find it troubling to think that the careers of some of the greatest baseball players of our generation are plagued with these questions. A few names that come to mind are Barry Bonds and Mark Mcguire. While I have no doubt that these players would have succeeded off of God-given talent alone, the world will never know their true potential.
ReplyDeleteI personally have nothing against Alex. My dad a Yankees fan, I grew up liking them, and cannot help but feel sympathy for the guy. The country and sports society makes doping out to be such a vicious and terrible thing to do, but in the truth of the matter, doping is widely accepted among athletes in the current day in age. I do not believe it is all his fault. I think he noticed what was going on around him and though he should probably dope up himself for not only his game, but his career. An important aspect I don't like to leave out when thinking about this, is that baseball is his job, and he gets paid to be good at it. He was ensuring his job, just like the rest of America does. After reading the tid-bits of his childhood, I have too much empathy and struggle to see him as a 'fallen' hero, or at least in my eyes. I also think this rises an important point that such success as Alex has achieved can rarely be found without some shaky beginnings. And I think that the MLB has become overly intrusive and is losing the forrest for the trees. All in all, I still find A-Rod a valued baseball player, and I believe he should be honored as so.
ReplyDeleteI recognize Alex for his spectacular achievements on the field and understand the hard work and dedication he had to put in to achieve success in major league baseball. However, I do not believe in the use of steroids regardless of the situation. It can be said that he felt pressure to be better, and that drove him to PED's, but I find that to be a pitiful excuse. The pressure to improve and to be a star should drive the best athletes in the world to work harder and through that hard work achieve success, not cheat. I think he could have avoided this path and used the hard work that got him to the major leagues, to become a star, rather than PED's. I do understand that PED's do not define a player. In the case of Barry Bonds, although Bonds clearly used PED's those drugs could not hit over 700 home runs and I think the same goes for A-Rod. I would not categorize him as a fallen hero because I think he is still an amazing athlete I feel he has lost the respect and credibility of his fellow competitors and fans. Alex's biggest mistake was he wanted the glory but tried to skip the grit by using PED's. Although he is still a heroic athlete he has lost my respect as a fan.
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