If You Can Get Away...

2009-02-12
By DeAngelo Starnes

A-Rod 'fessed up.  Had to.  Jose called a bunch of folks out in his books. Wanted to keep his Hall of Fame numbers intact.  Based on that, Barry, Roger, Sammy, Miguel and a bunch of other folks should look for cover. Actually, Barry and Roger already gave the middle finger.

Given a lively debate about this matter, I realized I don't care about performance enhancement drugs.  Steroids?  Give me a break. You still gotta see the ball and hit it.  Can't hit the ball?  Steroids ain't gonna help that.  There was a time when I thought certain things helped my quality of life. In the immortal words of Charlie Murphy about Rick James, "Wrong!"

These guys have done what all of us can be accused of doing.  Cope.  Only they cope on a level we wish we could deal with.  Stop with your self-righteousness.  Throw the first stone if you don't drink coffee to get yourself moving in the morning.  Or take antacids to calm that tummy down. Or anything you take to perform your best. Performance-enhancement is in the eyes of the beholder.  Or definer.  We're a nation of hypocrites if we're mad at A-Rod.  At least, he 'fessed up.

If a brotha could take a pill to make his skin white with the skills he has, think he wouldn't try to get away with it?  Clarence, you still out there? Cheating, according to whom?  The owners have been cheating for God knows how long?  Think your tax dollars to pay for that stadium ain't cheating? That ain't blackmail?

Now, we want to dissect his interview.  I refuse.  So what if he's fake? Wouldn't you fake it if you got caught?

Reminds me of the President who they expected to 'fess up to some indiscretions.  I know I wouldn't have.  Not with my wife in the next room. How can you get mad at any of the above?  You paid your money and loved to see the long ball.

The mirror is a hard thing to confront when you lie.  But when someone else is looking in the mirror, it's very easy to pile on. We as a society try to act indignant.  Michael Phelps ­ hero one minute, pothead the next. You haven't done anything wrong before?

Talk shows ain't got nothing better to discuss?   Creativity has sunk to beating a dead horse?

Let's let the past be the past.  Leave the brotha be,  lest you want to expose your own sins to the  world. 

DeAngelo Starnes is a freelance writer and attorney who resides with his wife and son in Denver, CO. He welcomes direct constructive feedback at deangelo_starnes@hotmail.com.