About Sounding Off

Ted Robinson of NBCSports.com fires away on what’s making news in Major League Baseball, the National Football League and professional tennis.

Robinson called the play-by-play on NBC's Major League Baseball Game of the Week telecasts from 1986-89. Additionally, he has done play-by-play for the Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets. Since 2000 Robinson has provided play-by-play for NBC Sports on the French Open and Wimbledon. He also previously served in that role at the U.S. Open for USA Network. Robinson is also the play-by-play voice of the San Francisco 49ers on KNBR.



MLB taking some hard hits

Posted: Monday, February 09, 2009 8:01 PM

We have a new rite of February: baseball as a punching bag. The sport sits above a dunk tank and lets every critic take free shots.

 

Just as the calendar turned to the first of the month, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said her "preliminary thoughts" were to exclude from trial three 2000-2001 positive drug tests that prosecutors say belong to Barry Bonds unless there is a direct link that the urine samples came from the former San Francisco Giants slugger.

 

A U.S. District Judge will rule on the tests' admissibility but that doesn't stop the media voices from spouting. A San Francisco columnist devoted an entire piece to the injustice suffered by Bonds if these tests were allowed to proceed in trial. It's hard to imagine a U.S. District Judge finding amusement in a lecture from a sportswriter about the law.

But that is where today's baseball world places the commentariat. We are encouraged, prodded, provoked and occasionally all too willingly, to take positions in areas that we have no expertise. I strive to avoid those subjects. The aforementioned column reinforced my wish that my colleagues would do the same.

 

The bashing continued when MLB Commissioner Bud Selig's salary became public knowledge. Populist resentment over compensation pay is at a high, thus some backlash against Selig’s $17 million annual salary is to be expected. No matter that baseball is not on the TARP list, receives no taxpayer money and as a private business, can pay as it wishes. That Selig is neither Pete Rozelle nor David Stern is enough for many to attack.

 

A prominent Los Angeles writer opined last week than Selig rules "America's most troubled sport" and that his reign was "ineffectual."

Troubled? Define troubled. Revenues under Selig? Record breaking. Attendance under Selig? Record breaking. Adaptation to new media platforms? Miles ahead of other sports. All businesses should be so troubled.

 

Ineffectual? Selig's bosses ask him to steward their investments. The Cubs just agreed to a sale...for $900 million. The bosses are satisfied.

 

Then there was the most incredulous moment of all. An ESPN Radio voice called Selig a "pimp" when commenting about his annual salary. To my best knowledge, this person has never spent one moment involved with or around MLB. Thus, any comment from this person can only be classified, in the immortal words of the great Ice Cube, as lip- flapping. Only this person could begin to explain what possibly could prompt such a classless, tasteless comment particularly without any direct experience in the sport. USA TODAY reports the clueless voice apologized to Selig. The paper qualified the  incident as "being silly on-air," a judgement so absurd as to be unworthy of further comment.

 

Here's what Selig and MLB need most -- a serious public relations blitz. They need to talk to Washington and find the Carvilles, Matalins, Begalas and  Stephanopoulos who can present baseball's successes. Someone who can help baseball punch rather than be punched. Someone who can remind the masses that 104 MLB players failed a performance enhancing drug test in 2003 and does anyone truly think the NFL wouldn't produce a larger number under similar circumstances? Someone who can remind the masses when Curt Schilling opines that all 104 names should be released that those tests and their results were collectively bargained. Any release of information must be mutual and does anyone think the union would ever agree to that?

 

And someone who could present the current A-Rod mess in some context. When Selig and, by extension, MLB is attacked as ineffectual for not confronting test results in the early part of this decade, the masses need to be reminded of context. Anyone who lived through the 1994-95 debacle wanted no part of a repeat. The game went to the brink and anyone who peered over the edge couldn't forget. With a union that had ZERO interest in any testing, MLB had to proceed with caution to advance a program while maintaining some working relationship.

Another reminder is that we were hours from a strike in September 2002 when Tom Glavine led a small group of sensible minds into the union headquarters and accepted the testing program that is now at the heart of the A-Rod matter. As inconceivable as another strike would have been, the union hierarchy was ready to execute it -- over drug testing.

This is not to excuse anyone or any group for the BALCO era. As I have repeatedly posted here, I point no fingers as I was a voice who was passively implicit in the promotion of Bonds through that time. Like thousands of colleagues, my livelihood was tied into the game and NO ONE in such a position wanted to replay 1994.

 

But it is imperative to understand this context when judging the actions of that era. It is so easy for the commentator/critic to sit back and toss barbs. As former MLB pitcher Jim Kaat bluntly and accurately pointed out today on MLB Network, blame should be assessed to BOTH MLB and the union. When doing so, understand the context, the mindset in which everyone at that time operated.

 

Maybe MLB can find A-Rod's public relations group. Most of his confessional was textbook. Direct apology, accept blame and consequence, pacify the fans, refuse to implicate others and promise to continue down a righteous path. It sounded great until an irrational blast at Sports Illustrated writer Selena Roberts. Bad timing for A-Rod there as Roberts' reporting was sound.

 

Watching A-Rod own up, I couldn't but think about Bonds. Reaction to crisis is a window to one's soul. There was A-Rod, apologetic, remorseful and humbled in contrast to the stance Bonds has taken for five years -- defiant, unrepentant and arrogant. While Bonds has apologists in San Francisco, his image outside of that area is destroyed. A-Rod has given himself a chance.

There are many debates ahead -- records, Hall of Fame, more testing, etc. But MLB should stop being a punching bag. Turn today into a positive. Applaud A-Rod (although he didn't confess until he was busted) for coming clean. Acknowledge that each revelation helps clear the air from a tainted era. Emphasize that the truth slowly emerges and it does indeed set you free. Stand tall on the business and game that has only strengthened in recent years. As we were reminded in November, pundits are loud but ineffectual. People vote and baseball's fans are still voting yes.

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Comments

A-Rod is only apologetic because he was caught. Probably said the same thing when caught with Madonna and some Canadian Smiffy. Seriously, he can be forgiven no question, but he should be immediate ineligible from consideration for the Hall of Fame when his career is over. He's a proven liar. He's a proven cheat. Those things considered, you question EVERYTHING he tells you from this point on. As late as '07 he looked into TV cameras and lied to fans of Baseball in an interview with Katie Couric, he never took anything, while he's known for 5-6 years, he tested positive for steroids, and was on this recent list.  He KNEW!  He claims he only took stuff during '01, '02 & '03 seasons and hasn't taken anything since. Why would we believe any of that? Who's to say that he wasn't taking prior to those seasons? Who's to say he hasn't been taking HGH since and currently, since MLB doesn't have a test for HGH in place, as it can only be tested by a blood sample, and both MLB & the NFL Players Unions don't allow their players blood to be tested.  He certainly won't be giving any of that $275m. back to Baseball. He ought to be giving back his 2003 MVP Award. And he should be banned from being considered for the Hall of Fame period. There was no random testing in place granted, but everyone in every sport professional or amatuer, knows what steroids do in providing an unfair advantage for those having no character, to choose shooting up with such. He can be forgiven certainly, but lets not make him out to be some hero for coming clean and apologizing. He got CAUGHT. He had NO CHOICE. He kept this a secret since '03 allegedly. Even as recent as a few days ago, when comfronted by a reporter, his response was, "No Comment...go talk to the Union".  His agent said, "No Comment...I have not talked to my client yet".  His apology was orchestrated by his agent to sell the public with a "buyable apology"..."we'll say you juiced from years 2001-2003, and haven't since and furthermore you tell them you found out you didn't need to take that stuff to be a great player".... that sounds believable as A-Rod said as much, but it's also believable his agent also scripted as much, as they always do with this brainless athletes with no character. No respect for the game. No repsect for the greats before them. And no respect for the FANS that pay the $275m contract. There are still 103 players on that list whom also lack character, and are not coming clean until they absolutely have to and their names have been released, and when that day comes, they'll all run to the microphone just as A-Rod did, and say the same exact thing.  "I was young, naive, stupid, the pressure was getting to me, etc"... If their names aren't released, watch every last one of them remain quiet, never coming clean. NO CHARACTER.  And as a side note, if "they" want to remind us about Don Sutton, Gaylord Perry, and the rest who cheated (scuffing pitches, throwing spit balls, etc.) in their day and are in the HOF, then shame on those writers that put them in.  A-Rod, Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Palmerio, Canseco, Clemens, Sheffield, Giambi, and the rest of those cheaters, will never be considered for the HOF. You never know when they actually began juicing, therefore never really know how good they were, had they not been 'enhanced'.  NO CHARACTER.

T. Laurance (Sent Monday, February 09, 2009 9:42 PM)

In 2003 it wasn't a crime to take steroids in MLB. Get over it & move on. Bury the bone in the sand.

Mimi Neuhaus, Forked River, NJ (Sent Tuesday, February 10, 2009 12:19 AM)

I'd love to know what the taxpayer's price tag of this investigation by the government has been up to this point.  If the government's purpose in the investigation has been to shut down the PED suppliers (which they've stated it is), they're failing miserably.  Anyone with half a brain knows you can get the stuff down at any local gym or over the internet.    

Steve Cha, Virginia Beach, Va (Sent Tuesday, February 10, 2009 9:49 AM)

MLB sold the public, it's fans a phoney product. They need to compensate the fans.. How many fans would have spent their hard earned money on million dollar crybabies who were juiced up on steroids. Not only did the players deceive the fans, but the unions and owners in covering this up.. And what were the fans left with: higher ticket prices and FAKE heroes.. Major leauge baseball should clean house by replacing high paid cheators with younger players who are tested clean... Major leauge baseball should commit 10% of it's earnings to supporting drug/alcohol treatments and research.. It's about time that Billionare owners and multi-millionare players give back to society..

Bob Langfelder (Sent Tuesday, February 10, 2009 12:59 PM)

To call that self-justifying monologue a remorseful apology is to misuse to the term.  Come on A-Rod, come clean.

joe sixpack (Sent Tuesday, February 10, 2009 3:14 PM)

As usual, Ted is right on with his analysis.  One comment is revealing, to some degree we are guilty for the steroid era, including us as fans.
A Rod is taking the Pettite/Giambi path, acknowledge, try to explain, apologize, promise to never do again, then see how the masses treat you.  A Rod's problem is his visability.  When you are paid almost 20% more than anyone else in your sport, you will have a target on your back everywhere.  This revelation and apology may not play as well with the Yankee fans as Pettite, as he was conceived as a choirboy.  A Rod is already known as the ultimate mercenary and not nearly as widely admired.  It will be tough for him this season, home and away.
Bonds dealing with this issue is consistent with all the rest of his dealings, he is Barry Bonds and you aren't.  His arrogance, and possibly Clemens, have taken him down a whole different path than A Rod.  Admit little or nothing, deny any knowledge of taking PED, blame it on underlings and rail against the media for unfair treatment.  That worked fine for them both when you are talking about split fingered fastballs and turning on a slider, but as they are finding out, does not work well when you are under oath in a Federal investigation.
Barry and Roger both say yes, we did it, we're sorry, we won't do it anymore, and they both play in 2008 and maybe 2009.  Instead their arrogance lands them in a Federal court.  They have never been accused of being brainiacs.  

Gary S., Templeton, CA (Sent Tuesday, February 10, 2009 4:32 PM)

Nothing a Cubs World Series win couldn't heal!!!

Go Cubs Go!!!

Randy, Windsor PA (Sent Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:12 PM)



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