Well, Charlie Hustle is getting a jump on the race for my 2004 Sports Boneheads list!
Pete Rose "comes clean". Why would we doubt his sincerity when all he has to gain are book sales, reinstatement to baseball, and the Hall of Fame? Along with his admission that it's "time to take responsibility," Rose also ...
Blamed Others: "I couldn't get a response from baseball for 12 years. ... It's like they were just going to let me rot." Ohhh! The tears. The tears! Poor Pete!
Side-stepped the issue: "If I had been an alcoholic or a drug addict, baseball would have suspended me for six weeks and paid for my rehabilitation." Those lucky alchoholics and drug addicts. They get all the breaks!
Rationalized: "I never allowed my wagers to influence my baseball decisions. So in my mind, I wasn't corrupt."
Played the victim: "I should have had the opportunity to get help, but baseball had no fancy rehab for gamblers like they do for drug addicts."
Lamely attempted to invoke religion or the appearance of personal conviction: "Well, I've done what you've asked. The rest is up to the commissioner and the big umpire in the sky." Again, I'm getting misty.
In the process he all but states that he's only doing this for reinstatement which renders all of the, "It's time to do the right thing," talk meaningless. Has a "confession" ever been so disengenuous?
For comments on two non-sports idiots in the news; Brazil and Howard Dean; see the complete post over at Terrible Swift Word.
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Comments (2)
I think that you guys are b... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Stoney | February 5, 2004 12:18 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I think that you guys are being to hard on old pete! He was a great baseball player and you shouldn't diss him because he happened to make a mistake a few times. Notice how I said a few. We have to remember that watching him play way back when was one of the most amazing things that I and many other people have seen. He should be in the Hall of Fame and be remembered for being a great player and tragically ending his carrer by betting. Think about it guys!
1. Posted by Stoney | February 5, 2004 12:18 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 5, 2004 12:18
2. Posted by Brian | February 5, 2004 1:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Think about what? I never said he wasn't a great player. My point was that his "apology" was anything but an apology.
I say, enforce the rules as they were when he was busted. Apparently they called for a lifetime ban from baseball, so a lifetime ban it should be. If that includes the Hall then so be it. If not, put him on the ballot and let the voters decide. At this point I don't think he could get the votes he needs, because from all I've heard the players are equally disgusted with his shenanigans.
More to the point, I've written an article on this ... you might want to read it. Or if you're just out here as a Rose apologist, write your own article.
2. Posted by Brian | February 5, 2004 1:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on February 5, 2004 13:05