A-Rod on 'The Slap': 'a smart play..we almost got away with'

[Pacman]

(I swear to you, I'm far more outraged as a parent and Little League coach than as a partisan Red Sox fan, but this one makes my blood boil. I'm not even sure if this is the right forum for this, but I want to see if others feel the way I do about the effect A-Rod's comment will have on young kids learning the game of baseball)

A-Rod talked with ESPN.com
about his failed attempt to cheat home a run in ALCS Game Six by
slapping the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove.

Incredibly, A-Rod called it "a smart play, one I would've made again."

He continued to insert his foot into his mouth by adding:

"I thought it was a smart play, and we almost got away with it. We put
an umpire in the position of having to turn over a call like that in
Yankee Stadium."

Unbelievable. He seems to think it's a great thing to cheat at Yankee Stadium, because often the umps will be afraid to bust you for cheating!


As a parent and coach who just finished helping run 5-weeks of Little
League clinics inside my citiy's high school field house, I'm sickened that
this fraud, who is idolized by so many kids, is basically saying that
cheating is a good thing, if you have a chance of getting away with it.

I'm sure I'll be getting blasted by some for posting this, but I honestly think this goes beyond team rivalry. Imagine if Sosa said about the corked bat incident "I'd do it again... I almost got away with it..." or if Giambi said about his admitted steroid use "it was smart... I almost got away with it."

Cheating is cheating... and A-Rod's comments are wrong.

[Strasil42]

go cry about it like schilling.

[Pacman]

go cry about it like schilling.

Wow, thanks so much for addressing the topic, Strasil.

[eftda]

Anyways...


The article talked about how much time and energy Arod puts into his off season workouts. I can't belive he works out 3 hours before breakfast!

But enough is enough, Arod needs to grow a pair. The Yankees lost 4 games in a row, he didn't lose 4 games in a row. If this was a mother goose story, Arod would be the little pig who cried all the way home.

[blankman]

Who cares? The Red Sox won. It's over. To continually bitch about everything someone says about an event months ago is useless.

[cannonarm21]

I can understand a little where you are coming from, you may just be overblowing this a bit. A-Rod is still a role model in all aspects of the word. The way he carries himself on and off the field is very rare with today's athelete. It's not like he is getting caught with drugs, beating up women or getting busted for drunk driving.

He is saying that he would of done the same thing again. Well yeah, I can see why. He almost did get away with a huge play. The umpires discussed it at length. It's really no different than a player arguing he was safe at first, when he knows he wasn't. It happens nearly every game. Or the phantom tag of second on a double play ball.

A few years ago remember the Tom Brady tuck play? Brady knew he really fumbled that ball. He joked about it. Should he have pleaded with the refs to give the ball to the Raiders. You do what you can to help your team win. I cannot put corking a bat and doing roids in the same category as a little slap during the heat of competition. Corking and roiding is a little more pre-meditated.

[Yoda]

Imagine that. An irrational Red Sox fan!!!

Weren't you guys jumping for joy when you thought you got Arod only to lose him to the Yanks? You're just bitter. Go do something productive rather than continue to cry about a play that no one in the world cares about anymore.

[blankman]

A few years ago remember the Tom Brady tuckld he have pleaded with the refs to give the ball to the Raiders. You do what you can to help your team win. I cannot put corking a bat and doing roids in the same category as a little slap during the heat of competition. Corking and roiding is a little more pre-meditated.

Good analogy.

[LBJackal]

A few years ago remember the Tom Brady tuckld he have pleaded with the refs to give the ball to the Raiders. You do what you can to help your team win. I cannot put corking a bat and doing roids in the same category as a little slap during the heat of competition. Corking and roiding is a little more pre-meditated.

Good analogy.

I was just about to agree with you guys, then you go and kiss this guys ass, blank It'd be more effective if you didn't pat each other on the back after one of you makes a comment towards the other side.

Anyway... it was over-blown. Sure it's damn funny to see those pictures of A-Rod carrying a purse and swiping at Mr. Cornrows, but it's not like he spat on an umpire. He tried to get away with something to help his team. Yeah, it was against the rules, and he paid the price.

[mpoland92]

I agree with what everyone has said, but this is another case of a Sport Icon saying something reatrded and not gettin away with it. If Desi Relaford or someone had done it and said something, no one would have made a case about it. Look at Allen Iverson and all he has said in the past, no one hardly talks about him anymore, he has learned to shut his mouth and say relevant things. Maybe ARod is in the same boat, but last season is over and lets get ready for a new season................