Athletes I Don’t Like #2
Back with the second athlete that I don’t like — in no particular order of course, just as they come across my TV (or mind).
Back in the mid-1990s a freshfaced teen yet to be known as A-Rod came up with the Seattle Mariners, and proved to be as important to that team as an older teammate, oddly known as Junior. Alex showed his excellence both at the plate and in the field. The fans in Seattle had a very solid team that was shaping up to be a playoff contender for many years to come. One year after Junior skipped town to go play for his hometown team A-Rod did something that will forever make me root against him.
Alex got all Cuba Gooding Jr in Jerry Maguire. “Super agent” Scott Boras went out and got Alex the money; 10 years for $250 million. At the time an astronomical, totally unheard of contract. At the time could he be foreseen as becoming one of the best players ever? Yes, definitely. However, it showed the true nature of most teens who become professional athletes who don’t know any better, and are led by agents looking for top dollar over anything else. Let me explain.
Sure, the idiot owner of the Rangers coughed up the money, and A-Rod (and Scott) took it to the bank. The problem is that Texas never was, and may never be a true contender. Before, during, and after Alex being on the team. When A-Rod signed that contract he became a mercenary. No longer was he playing baseball for the joy of the game. Going to Texas he definitely wasn’t playing for championships. He was following the money, which is what mercenaries do.
You can say that I feel this way about him because he’s a Yankee, and I’m a Red Sox fan. Totally not true. Before he became a Yankee there was a failed trade of him to the Red Sox for Manny Ramirez. I was totally against that trade, and I’m very glad that it didn’t happen. I like Man Ram too much to have lost him to a mercenary. He totally fits with the Yankees, though, because the love their mercenaries.
Most importantly I’m a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, and the only MLB team around is the Mariners. They are the region’s team. The way A-Rod left the Ms totally smacks of the pretty girl who ditches her middle-class prom date for the rich kid who’s driving a Porsche. It’s all superficial, absolutely zero substance. I find it a bit more than ironic that the first year post-A-Rod in Seattle was the best year they’ve ever had.
