A-Rod: What a *****

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by andymac

It means that he is a 5-star player...I thought that was already obvious, though, considering he just won an MVP.

I guess some people are late to the party.

That was my first thought, but then it seemed like he didn't really like Rodriguez, so I didn't really know what to think.

[QuestGAV]

Originally Posted by Melo

If you live around NYC, you start getting used to his level of PC. Oddly, he was just on WFAN yesterday saying that he was going to play for DR and was discussing his training regimen. When I read this in the AM, I was quite shocked. One of his marketing people must have gotten in his ear. He is ultra-image conscious and I don't think he realizes that if he just let himself be human, he'd probably be loved. Instead he leaves you with the feeling of being a well spoken, cold fish.

Absolutely correct. All he had to do was say "I'm just trying to get ready for next season, I want to be at 100% in April."

[Jason Moyer]

I think we should choose to honor people who voluntarily participate in something rather than criticizing those who don't. This applies to any sort of non-compulsory participation, not just this particular instance.

[CMH]

Originally Posted by Faroo6

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2260948



This pisses me off and if anything dishonors both. He is given a chance to play with the best in an exhibition style format that will put baseball in a glowing light. Instead he wusses out. Every big name is in here, Bonds, Guerrero, Clemens, etc. But Fake-Rod is gonna take his money and go hide. I'm sick of the family card too. A lot of these other guys are gonna miss out on their family time too but this is how the game was supposed to be played. Big names representing their countries without the big dollar contracts. In this everyone is gonna be an equal. He's worried about dishonoring countries. Please. Mike Piazza is playing for Italy. You think anyone gives a damn that he's not playing for America. Its supposed to be a fun event but A-Rod is too damn corporate to even play for fun anymore.

I didn't read the entire article, but where in your quote does Alex ever say anything about missing time with his family?

[Faroo6]

I was referring to every athlete and their "after careful deliberations with my family" comments. It's like the guy at a bar who says "my wife said it was ok." Everybody knows you discussed it with your family. Just come out like a big boy and say this is my decision. Somebody in here mentioned that what he said came across a little to politically correct. In retrospect that may have been what ticked me off.

I don't really care whether he plays or not. Its his choice. Obviously he has other priorities and what not. It just sounded like he was reading from book of cliches. None if it sounded genuine. That is one of my pet peeves. PC sucks.

[CMH]

Originally Posted by Faroo6

I was referring to every athlete and their "after careful deliberations with my family" comments. It's like the guy at a bar who says "my wife said it was ok." Everybody knows you discussed it with your family. Just come out like a big boy and say this is my decision. Somebody in here mentioned that what he said came across a little to politically correct. In retrospect that may have been what ticked me off.

I don't really care whether he plays or not. Its his choice. Obviously he has other priorities and what not. It just sounded like he was reading from book of cliches. None if it sounded genuine. That is one of my pet peeves. PC sucks.

I can't blame the guy, though.

Everything he says gets criticized no matter what or how he says it.

I'd hire the best writers in the world, too, if I knew that people were ready to pounce on anything I said.

[CommishJoe]

Originally Posted by YankeePride

I can't blame the guy, though.

Everything he says gets criticized no matter what or how he says it.

I'd hire the best writers in the world, too, if I knew that people were ready to pounce on anything I said.

Yeah, and I think this thread proves that point pretty well.

[IatricSB]

Nothing to see here, move along

[akw4572]

Who's playing on the Native American team?

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by Faroo6

I don't really care whether he plays or not. Its his choice. Obviously he has other priorities and what not. It just sounded like he was reading from book of cliches. None if it sounded genuine. That is one of my pet peeves. PC sucks.

It only sucks when you force people to the same. Political correctness just shows how well educated and disciplined a person is.

If you think this kind of stuff does not sound genuine, you just haven't spend much time with people with good upbringings.

[IatricSB]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

Political correctness just shows how well educated and disciplined a person is.

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by IatricSB

Seriously, I know a lot of people like that, and they are not fake at all. It is one thing to be shoving political correctness in others face, but it's another just being polite yourself.

[Skipaway]

And for those who can read Chinese, Chien-ming Wang said Rodriguez was the one who took care of the rookies the best:

http://mag.udn.com/mag/sports/storyp...f_ART_ID=24532

Rodriguez not only took Wang out to dinners, but also gave him lots of tips on major league hitters. Rodriguez also gave Wang five sets of suits.

[Skipaway]

Personally I have deep sympathy with those who have identity crisis similar to this. It's nothing close to the American Japaneses during WWII, but I hope people can understand.

[Faroo6]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

If you think this kind of stuff does not sound genuine, you just haven't spend much time with people with good upbringings.

I completely disagree. There is a polite way to say what's on your mind with out trying to be PC. PC is something that has come about because everyone is just to uptight not wanting to say anything offensive that PC itself has almost become offensive. And to say that because PC doesn't sound genuine to someone they were not raised around good upbringings is just dumb. A-Rod could have easily said. "Thanks for the invite but I'm going to respectfully decline."

He didn't have to make it sound like an epic struggle to choose loyalty toward a country. And if I'm not mistaken the WBC is going to be held when spring training would normally be, so you can say he's not participating because he wants to be home with his family. While the world's best will be competing A-Rod will be taking grounders and BP in Florida.

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by Faroo6

He didn't have to make it sound like an epic struggle to choose loyalty toward a country.

He didn't have to, yet he did. And it probably is an epic struggle for him. I personally know lots of people with similar struggles too, torn between different countries or identities in various degrees. If I got more heart, stuff like this could have been some epic struggle for me too.

You failing to relate didn't mean it's not real.

[Faroo6]

Originally Posted by Skipaway

He didn't have to, yet he did. And it probably is an epic struggle for him. I personally know lots of people with similar struggles too, torn between different countries or identities in various degrees. If I got more heart, stuff like this could have been some epic struggle for me too.

You failing to relate didn't mean it's not real.

I agree with this. I really do hope he changes his mind and picks a team though.

[Skipaway]

Originally Posted by Faroo6

I agree with this. I really do hope he changes his mind and picks a team though.

Yeah, I think it'd be great if he realize is that America is a country very different from others. Americans for the most part don't really consider representing other countries such a big deal. There is no need for him or his family ( maybe mother?) to worry too much about it.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by KILLERBS24

If you are born and raised in this country you are American, period. We all have heritage from other cultures. He is not a dominican citizen so to say that he didn't want to let the DR down is ridiculous. Vlad and Tejada are Dominicans, you aren't Alex. And yes the american players of italian heritage playing for Italy is equally ridiculous.

It's not that simple. I came to Canada at age 11 and became a citizen at 19. Although proud of my birthright if I were good enough to play I'd pick Canada.

Canada has a strange inferiority complex with international play, Owen Hargreaves, a Canadian soccer player, was signed by FC Bayern Munchen at 16. The pointy heads at Soccer Canada didn't think he was good enough to play for Canada, however as he got older and caught the attention of the English he had the option to pick England (or Wales) because of his parents nationality. To me he made the obvious choice, but in Canada this is taken personally especially by the media.

Brett Hull, an American was also criticized for not choosing Canada (he also had the choice) even though he was routinely dismissed as a one-way player for most of his career.

It's strange hypocrisy because actors, scientists, broadcasters, writers and politicians have been known to change countries yet nothing is said.

If players are criticized for considering a different country, when they have a choice, then anyone who comes from another country to the US or Canada should be equally criticized if they take citizenship and choose to play internationally here in North America.

[Faroo6]

But don't you have dual citizenship? That changes things.