Thank You A-Rod!

You know, I used to love baseball. But we broke up. It just didn't work out in the end. We still see each other occasionally, but it's platonic.

However, I do want to say a quick thank you to Alex Rodriguez. Sounds weird, but bear with me. Lots of people didn't like him before. Now he's got a positive steroid test to answer for. How can I be taking his side?

He did it. He got caught. (Here comes the tricky part...) He owned up to it.

"I did take a banned substance."

Compare to: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."

Yes, A-Rod is an idiot. No, it doesn't make him a good person. I'm not interested in determining that. Same goes for Michael Phelps.

BUT... Rodriguez and Phelps both did something they shouldn't have, and when they got caught, they admitted it. No slicing and dicing words, not much spin... Just, "yeah, ya got me."

We've gone too long watching people get caught and then acting innocent and indignant and defiant. Pete Rose. Bill Clinton. Barry Bonds. Roger Clemens. Rod Blagojevich.

Maybe it really went big-time with the OJ Simpson trial. Well, not lying to cover your ass, but having these adamant denials in the face of overwhelming evidence. It almost became a part of our culture, moving from gangster movies to news coverage. Blago seems to have been the pinnacle of this movement, denying without ever actually explaining, and skipping his own impeachment trial. Dragging people in wheelchairs out to try and get sympathy, without ever actually countering the evidence.

You cheat, you lie, you spin, you accuse. Then you do it all again to cover up the prior actions. Place just a few seeds of doubt. Paint just the right picture that your supporters will keep supporting you. Give them an excuse, something to reply with at the water cooler, and the True Believers will buy almost anything.

Well, I'm glad we've got a new trend going now. Let's hope it lasts.

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