The A-Rod Saga

I lost nearly all respect for Alex Rodriguez last Saturday morning when I found out about his alleged positive steroid tests from 2003. I couldn't help but be completely shocked at the story that flashed on the Bottom Line of ESPN and the stories that headlined Yahoo! Sports and ESPN.com. I couldn't believe that baseball's only hope for a clean future and clean representative for the hallowed home run record was going to be tainted forever. I took a moment to think about it and realized that Rodriguez was no different from Bonds, Clemens, McGwire, Sosa and countless other big-name players who succumbed to temptation. They all merely did it out of greed, which makes this entire steroid saga more sad and disappointing.

How can players this talented and this proven in the sport they have all played since they were kids take steroids? Why would they take these drugs when they have already established Hall of Fame credentials? Simply put, they wanted more. Bonds was a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but became jealous of McGwire and Sosa's home run chase in 1998 and decided to turn his already amazing career, into a phenomenal one.

Rodriguez said he took steroids to prove that he deserved the massive $252 million contract he received from the Texas Rangers in 2001. In Texas, Rodriguez elevated his game to an unreal status, hitting 52, 57 and 47 home runs in his three seasons with the Rangers. Prior to that, he never hit more than 42 home runs in a season, but his career was already taking a turn toward superstardom. His numbers were the envy of nearly the entire league. My problem with Rodriguez's explanation is why wouldn't he simply let his play on the field do the talking. At the time, he was already considered to be a frontrunner to break Hank Aaron's home run record by the end of his career.

Why jeopardize that by taking performance-enhancing drugs that could prove detrimental to your health and career when you're only 26 years old with the rest of your career ahead of you? It still doesn't make sense to me. And it still disappoints, knowing that several accomplished athletes who have all the talent in the world, still feel the need to take shortcuts.

Earlier this week, I saw a poll on ESPN.com that asked whether you would take steroids if it guaranteed you the $252 million contract that Rodriguez received in 2001. Overwhelmingly, 62 percent of the public voted 'Yes.' Apparently, people didn't stop and think about the ramifications that Rodriguez is currently facing in light of his positive test. His reputation is undoubtedly tarnished, he will be booed at every stadium, perhaps even Yankee stadium, he travels to this season and perhaps even future seasons to come, his Hall of Fame status is now in question, he will now join Bonds, McGwire and Clemens as the poster children of this entire 'steroid era' in baseball and he'll have to answer questions about it his entire life. He'll be known as a liar, a cheater and he has lost the most basic right that all professional athletes want.

Respect.

Personally, a tarnished career and a dark cloud hanging over you for the rest of your career is not worth $252 million, but once those dollar signs and zeros appear, all judgment is cast aside, which is why these athletes continue to use performance-enhancing drugs, and why 62 percent of voters said 'Yes' to the ESPN.com poll question.