THE suggestion that Alex Rodriguez’ participation in Friday’s ugly, $7,500-per-“guest” autograph session was mitigated because, unlike co-star Barry Bonds, Rodriguez would donate part of his take to charity, makes for both a nice notion and a thin rationalization.
If Rodriguez’ presence were predicated upon charity, why not have the suckers, er, patrons write half their checks for the night – the A-Rod half – directly to the charity?
Or was there a presumption that some, if not many, of those attending would try to wash the cost by re-selling what they took away? “Hey, look, I’ve even got photos of me with Barry and A-Rod, getting their autographs, to authenticate my certificates of authenticity.”
Might Friday’s A-Rod and Barry fan-bonding party have been a matter of wink-and-a-nod trickle-down-economics, a presumption that all invited were also invited to get their money back, and then some, or at least try? Who’s to stop them? Heck, some likely were staked to attend.
Charity? I don’t know, if I’ve got a $252 million contract to play baseball, plus many millions more in endorsement deals, I don’t need you to give me money so I can give it to my charity in my name. Charity, to me, would be encouraging you to give to my charity, then you – not me – take the write-off.
But perhaps the ugliest part of Friday’s ugliness remains that Michael Kay, who has to know better, served as the on-air commercial shill, then master of ceremonies for the latest in new lows. Kay claims to be comfortable with his decision. I don’t believe that; I believe that he’s unwilling to admit that he made a bad decision.
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Giants did a fabulous job, yesterday, keeping Ray Lewis off the field, total team effort . . . When my younger daughter, a freshman at Indiana University, told me that she’d programmed the Indiana fight song into her cell phone, I thought she meant the Pacers.
We were kinda hoping that N.Y. Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, in his announcement last week that he’ll run for Governor, would also declare he’s going to find out why, for a second time in 10 years, cable subscribers are being charged for an NHL season that’s not being played.
Everything’s a sell. Just once we’d like to see Tiger Woods appear in one of his do-right-by-kids Tiger Woods Foundation spots not covered in his endorsement-wear. Yesterday, during ABC’s World Challenge golf coverage, a spot found Woods indoors, talking to a classroom of kids – while wearing his Nike cap.
In October, Mike Francesa and Chris Russo ripped Herman Edwards for suggesting staying close to the Pats had its bright side. After all, they said, a loss is a loss. Friday they said that the Jets, if they stay close to the Steelers, “Will take something [positive] out of it.”
If ESPN hired Michael Irvin, retired bad NFL act, to pander to the worst acts in the NFL, he has met the terms of his agreement. Yesterday, on ESPN’s NFL pre-game, Irvin again told trash-talker, show-boater and ESPN’s paid video game spokesperson Terrell Owens that he’s a special kind of special, well beyond football.
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One of the unwritten understandings among those in the employ of latter day ESPN is they needn’t report for work with their dignity. Thursday, ESPN sent Sean McDonough, Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas to Indianapolis – to call a high school basketball game.
Soon, ESPN will again report on the unrealistic, twisted pressures exerted on young athletes by parents, coaches, fans, schools, society. Now stay tuned for ESPN’s live coverage of the Little League World Series East Regionals.
Meanwhile, McDonough’s perplexing fall continues. A credible, versatile play-by-player – a thinking fan’s man – McDonough first got bounced from CBS, and now, after two years ago turning down the Mets to remain a Red Sox broadcaster, he has been let go.
“I didn’t expect it; this really hurts,” McDonough, 42 and a Red Sox voice since he was 25, told the Boston Herald. “They’ve ripped my heart out.”
