February 10, 2009
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The Daily News
Blossom Dearie1 So...Blossom Dearie walks into a bar...
2 Once again, so it goes; so it goes.
3 And then there's A-Roid.
4 After I watched the entire Bonds thing unwind a few years back, I vaguely remember wishing my baseball hero had been Alex Rodriguez, because he had done his miracles completely "clean". I was so angry with Bonds for nearly everything in life that I couldn't see straight.
5 I had defended Barry for years, getting in anyone's face who even suggested that he was taking steroids. My argument was twofold: one, Bonds was surrounded by the great Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, and his own father, Bobby Bonds, none of who would have wanted to see him taking foreign substances, and two, Bonds' own attack on reporters arguing why people can't just give someone credit for working harder than everyone else.
6 I bought all of it and insisted that Bonds was the arguably the greatest player in the history of the game. I would a have removed the word "arguably" had it not been for Mays, who was the greatest ever, no argument now.
7 As I read the San Francisco Chronicle reports carefully, it soon became apparent to me that Bonds was lying. I called him on it early, long before any books had been written about it. I felt betrayed because I supported Bonds to anyone who would be unfortunate enough to listen.
8 I now see sports as being completely inundated with juicers, and so when I watched the same story happening to all the others, I no longer believed in any of them.
9 Right now I still like to think that it's all over, and that all the sports are cleaning up, but when nearly every great player is confessing (after belligerent denials) I simply roll my eyes.
10 I just remember A-Rod walking around like he was Mr. Clean, and I wished our own Mr. Bonds had been as smart, because he still would have been a remarkable player without all that stuff.
11 At this point, I don't care any longer. It's all a sham. I'm going to watch baseball and enjoy it as always, but only for love of the game.
12 Bonds is STILL cocky about it all, allowing his friend to rot in jail while he walks around challenging reporters and pretending he did nothing.
13 Hey, it occurred to me yesterday that I use performance-enhancing drugs. I work much better if I have had a cup of coffee in the morning. My lessons are sharper and I feel awake and alive. Yesterday for example, I had one less cup, and my lessons dragged on forever.
14 So I'll take guys like A-Rod and Roger Clemens and throw them over my shoulder.
15 Sports in general mirrors a great amount of our own triumphs and misgivings as human beings.
16 All are punish-ed, I imagine.
17 I lived in a glass house last year, literally.
18 I learned really quickly not to throw too many stones anymore.
19 Welp, I think I'm gonna skiddaddle.
20 I stayed up late to write all this, so I need to grab a strong cuppa coffee now and slip out the door.
21 My public awaits.
22 Have a good day. Work clean.
23 Peace.
~H~
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