Do I Really Wanna Do This?

A lot of people re-acted a lot of different ways to the Sports Illustrated report that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids. Some people had the "here we go again" approach, some people couldn't wait to see what the next development was, while others were disgusted. I was one of the disgusted ones, but not for the same reason as everybody else. Yes, espescially as a Yankees fan I'm dissappointed in Alex Rodriguez because he is supposed to be one of the good guys. He, along with Ken Griffey Jr, Derek Jeter, and others were supposed to be the clean Golden Boys of the steroid era. But no, I wasn't disgusted with Alex Rodriguez. I'm disgusted with Selena Roberts and Sports Illustrated. The test Rodriguez failed, which was in 2003, he only agreed to take (along with the rest of the MLB players who were randomly tested) under the agreement that it was anonymous and the results would never be revealed. The purpose of the test was NOT to find out who was taking steroids but how many people were taking steroids. The survey testing revealed that about 5%, or 104 players, tested positive, including A-rod. But the last part, including A-rod, should have never been known to anybody, and the way the testing was constructed it was very possible that it could have. However with the perjury case against Barry Bonds the names of the players and the codes on the samples were matched up. To me this also should not have happened outside of Bonds test but I am not in place to challenge our governments pursuit of Bonds in its destruction of Balco.

I am in a position however to question the ethics of the sports writers who wrote the report. Here is yet another case where I believe the media has outstepped its bounds. Considering I'm now on two TV shows and a radio show, I now would be kidding myself if I didn't consider myself part of the media, however a small of a part, and I can truly say that when I see something like this happen, a persons trust and more importantly rights greatly violated by reporters who obtain information from sealed court documents, I am ashamed of that. It also makes me think twice about wanting to become a bigger part of it. Now I know my parents read this and no, mom and dad, I'm not changing my major (again) and my career goals haven't changed but it makes me think about some of the bad press the press gets.

The media can do great things like re-unite families, but they can also divide them. The media can also give a person, deserved or not, they're 15 minutes of fame which can also be good or bad. However if you're already famous the media isn't typically going to be your friend. Ask A-Rod even before this when pictures of him with a woman who wasn't his wife (which may or may not have at all been significant) surfaced on the back pages of New York papers. Ok so maybe they don't like A-Rod. If say, you're an Olympic hero or something like that you'd be safe. Oh wait. No you're not. Michael Phelps was having a good time with friends at a college party, friends who are his age mind you, and someone took a picture while he had a bong in his face. This picture would have never surfaced if it wasn't for the immense amount of money the photographer was offered by a British tabloid. Something he thought was private became public.

I understand that athletes are public figures and thus must live their lives to a higher standard while in the public eye. And don't get me wrong, I'm dissappointed in Phelps and I'm dissapointed in A-Rod and since A-Rod is guilty he did the right thing as Phelps did and apologized, explained himself (and in A-Rod's case even elaborated) and begin the process of moving on with his life. However what is private should stay private and that used to be the case. What was said off the record stayed off the record. What was supposed to be anonymous stayed anonymous and what happened in a player's personal life we never found out about unless it somehow effected his play on the field. But this seems to have gone by the way-side. What SI should have said to whoever the mole is in this situation is no thanks, we have a respect for the players involved and we're turning you in because you've violated federal court orders. Now, instead we'll eventually find out all 104 names and Alex Rodriguez's career will be forever tainted. To me he's still a Hall of Famer but that's now at risk because of a snitch and reporters that gave him credibility. In a year where Ed Werder was just as responsible as TO, Jerry Jones, and Tony Romo for the circus in Dallas, America's favorite olympian got turned in for having fun in a private setting, and ESPN has played FBI on more than one occasion (Pacman even admitted they're good detectives) this is just another time that the media has outstepped its bounds.

I'm all for shows such as Dateline that catch criminals in conjunction with law enforcement but when the media decides to play law enforcement, or report on something that has been stolen from law enforcement such as sealed court documents they cross the ethical line. It's a cheap thrill. It's an easy commercial tease. Here: look what we found. Instead I have a suggestion: do some real reporting. Go document a basketball player going to a school for the NBA's Read to Achieve program. Show Michael Phelps when he visits kids around the country and helps them out in the pool. Show the NFL doing work with the United Way. Give me more Roberto Clemente and less Roger Clemens. I'm not saying don't tell us this stuff. If it comes out report on it. That's your job. You're supposed to report, not investigate. And thus I conclude with the wise words of the one and only Dr. Gregory House directed towards the national sports media: "Do your damn job."

Man that guys smart.