A-Rod and Sully: Two Kinds of Heroes
I’m certain I will not be the only blogger/columnist/media blowhard to note the irony of A-Rod’s steroid confession coming on the same day “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot Chesley Sullenberger and his crew got the key to New York City. But it’s worth noting what different definitions of “hero” and “role model” you find when you look at the two situations.
By admitting he took steroids when he was a Texas Ranger, as Sports Illustrated reported over the weekend, Yankee Alex Rodriquez (sure are lots of Yankees with steroid issues.. what’s up with that, all you proud “pride” partisans who believe your team is as close to Godliness as a franchise could be? Might be time to retire that notion along with the old Stadium and all those famous uniform numbers soon to be posted on a shiny new outfield wall) made it something of a clean sweep: by my reckoning, it now means the greatest baseball sluggers of the post-strike era -- Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi (arguably) and maybe Rafael Palmeiro -- have ALL been connected with banned performance enhancing drugs. The Baseball Hall of Fame is going to have a build an entire new wing just to hold all the asterisks.
They might as well rename Major League Baseball the W.B.F. -- the World Baseball Federation. Everybody knows professional wrestlers take steroids, and many people, especially children, still like that "sport" just fine. And those guys are “heroes.” I know that, because I took my kids to Toys ’r us yesterday, and there’s a whole section of hero action figures featuring pro wrestlers, right next to the Batman and the Star Wars sections.. They should just add a section for baseball. It would probably open up a whole new merchandising front for MLB. I mean, the WBF. Of course, the massively-muscled players depicted wouldn’t be realistic role models, being cartoon characters, and all.
Or… you could point out some real life role models to your children. Maybe Captain Sullenberger and the rest of his distinctly unglamorous, un-bulked up crew that saved 155 lives here in New York City a few weeks back would fit the description. All they did was work at their jobs for decades, acquiring the skills and calm to be able to handle an emergency like the one they faced. It’s nice the city gave them such wonderful recognition today. I’m sure they’ll be talked about and remembered by folks ‘round these parts for… days.
But A-Rod? Oh, the newspaper inches and internet pages and radio yakkity-yak and TV time that will be spent on this talented player of baseball in the weeks and months ahead. And I can understand why. Steroids or not, I love seeing that guy hit, just like I love the way Yo-Yo Ma plays cello. It’s fun watching The Best, and I’ll happily watch the Yankees play this season on TV. But I’ll keep in mind the difference between a real life hero and what A-Rod is: a hero*. That's Hero*… with an asterisk.
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Comments: 15
Jim,
So well said. Excellent juxtaposition of Sully and Arod. I wonder if a pilot could land a plane so perfectly in a roid rage.
Laurie from Jersey
Jim,
I have to say that my grandsons love Arod and my eldest grandson has all the stats on the players, as he and his younger brother, are big Yankee fans. I don't think they grasp the magnitude of what Sully did, and they are really too young to understand about "planes landing on the Hudson". I think my 8 year old grandson might have heard about Sully in school, but my grandsons minds are on the Yankees.
Being a Met's fan (by default) *and I'm proud to say I am, I still think Sully is the real hero in comparison.
The sports arena is a form of entertainment. Sully is real life. Can we really compare the two?
I thought about Arod, somewhat lately, because I don't want my grandson to be disappointed in him. I'm not sure exactly how my daughter explained this to him (about the steroids), but on some level *he's a smart kid for 8 years old, he probably would understand.
We don't talk about sports much. I am much more concerned with her health issues, and right now my family is in crisis mode. More tests and hoping for the best. God speed.
Lee
takingitonedayatatime
PIX's MORNING NEWS SUCKS !
LITERALLY, is it necessary to have 2 women do something AS SIMPLE AS A TRAFFIC REPORT !
They just hired two young women in a pathetic way to draw viewers.
Also that sukanya is one of the two most ANNOYING PEOPLE ON THIS SO CALLED SHOW.
I miss when CHANNEL 11 HAD NO NEWS, and cartoons and shows in the morning.
Why is all regular television, ALL NEWS, AND REALITY CRAP.
If media really wanted to shed less light on stupid trivial garbage like what celebrity is cheating on their spouse with whom, whatever-- they should just try to limit how much airtime they dedicate to it.
This whole debacle with Phelps (wow, he smoked a bit of marijuana and now it's a witchhunt in SC, sheriff kicks down doors and arrests those involved in such heinous acts... (that was total sarcasm by the way)) is ridiculous. He's young, he's a role model, but it's like do you really want to drag him through the mud just because? Compared to garbage who knew about steroids, how much it taints records, and yet still decided to keep injecting all in the name of trying to get into that hall of fame. It's sad. Phelps was wrong, but he wasn't doing it while he was competing in his sport.
Anyway-- as I've said before, good news never sell and tabloid scandals always brings in the big bucks. No wonder news media jumped on that bandwagon. People need to talk more about humans with integrity like Sully & the rest of the crew, and less about cheating idiots like A-Rod and all those other overpaid hams.
It's news any way you slice it, Mel...whether you kike it or not!
Yes, I think they make a huge mistake giving these sports idols the ridiculous salaries that they get. I agree with Mel on this issue.
Lee
*justobserving
As usual pix and all these other new york news stations are getting more pathetic by the day.
Colton,
Yes it's news, but does it warrant 'breaking news' status? Especially in Phelp's case.
You're right, Mel. It doesnt warrant breaking news status. However, it's a genre of news that people tend to care more about these days. And sadly news stations will do anything they can to get ratings. It's the world, in which we live.
Colton,
Agreed! Especially nowadays you're hearing about a company's "sponsorship" of a news segment. It's like payola. Something now that when I re-read a previous comment regarding the morning news, it makes sense.
/end tangent
Jim,
My opinion on the whole A-rod scandal---people need to get over it!! He did it 6 years ago, why isn't the media talking more about Clemmens or Bonds? They down and out lied to the police and the courts. Yes, A-rod might have lied in the beginning, but at least now he is being man enough to admit to it. He said he was sorry, and I have forgiven him, as I believe other people will eventually, some will and some won't. He is a great player, and I think some people will get past this, since it happened before he was even a Yankee. I'm sure there are other players out there now that are using, and the MLB doesn't even know about. So why are they picking on A-rod so much?? Well anyway, I am behind him and have forgiven him, like any true Yankee fan should. I wish him all the luck in the coming season.
Jim, listening to you and kaity talk after a story, I just have one thing to say. Keep your opinions to yourself.
When you and your co-workers, especially from other new york stations, say something after a story its pathetic. You get paid reporting on other peoples problems and get very over paid for it. Like six, seven and in some cases eight figure salaries
.
Then you all complain about making it to the weekend, oh gee
is the gigantic paycheck not insentive enough to go to work, which for you is 1 hour of reading a script off of a prompter
Hi Jim
I'm a middle school teacher and it is SO hard these days to have my students understand the difference between being a true hero and just being famous (or infamous, as the case may be). It is ridiculous that athletes and actors are the ones who garner the attention and big bucks. There sure be a degree of accountability. The "story" A-Rod gave is something a 10-year-old would say. He was a MAN--don't tell me he had no idea what the substance was or how it would affect him. Did someone ask him "Then why the heck did you take it if you didn't have a clue??" Will there be consequences for this? No fine? No suspension? Thank goodness Sully proved there are some who have morals and ethics and can be a positive role model for the kids of today.
Hi Jim,
I have a suggestion for the New York Yankees. Has anyone thought of presenting these players with a lawsuit? They have misrepresented themselves and have put their overall health in danger because of their use of drugs. If they cannot play the same without the drugs when will the team realize that they could not play that well in the first place. They signed a contract based on their ability to perform. Now that they admit they were on drugs at the time, can the team get their money back?
Isn't A-Rods current injury something that could be connected to steriod use?
Just a thought...
Hi Jim,
I have a suggestion for the New York Yankees. Has anyone thought of presenting these players with a lawsuit? They have misrepresented themselves and have put their overall health in danger because of their use of drugs. If they cannot play the same without the drugs when will the team realize that they could not play that well in the first place. They signed a contract based on their ability to perform. Now that they admit they were on drugs at the time, can the team get their money back?
Isn't A-Rods current injury something that could be connected to steriod use?
Just a thought...