The Catch-22 of Hubris.

I have found myself using the word "hubris" more in the past few weeks than my entire life to this point combined. Why? Professional baseball with a hint of Anthony Weiner. 

Rather than focusing on the fact that, "the Rays, A's and Pirates have three of the five lowest MLB payrolls...but three of the five best records in baseball," the story is Performance Enhancing Drugs and the ensuing suspensions.  First it was Ryan Braun who was suspended for the rest of the 2013 season (65 games) without pay for, "violations of the Basic Agreement and its Joint Prevention and Treatment program," according to a statement released by MLB. 

After months (and months) of vehemently denying using PEDs, the 2011 National League MVP had this to say, "As I have acknowledged in the past, I am not perfect," Braun said in a statement. "I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions. This situation has taken a toll on me and my entire family, and it ... has been a distraction to my teammates and the Brewers organization." HUBRIS!

Braun had many people fooled including his good friend Aaron Rodgers (QB of the Packers) who took to Twitter last year to defend his friend going so far as to say he would give up his entire year's salary if Braun was found guilty. It's a good thing Twitter is not legally binding. My heart goes out to the Brewers organization, especially their owner Mark Attanasio who seems like a stand-up individual. It is quite hard for small market teams such as Milwaukee to compete with the current structure of MLB, and so he invested everything in this one guy. A decision that seemed quite founded at the time; unfortunately it appears he was the wrong choice. 

While 12 other guys received 50 game suspensions on Monday, most notably Tigers' shortstop Jhonny (not a typo, that is how his name is spelled) Peralta and Rangers outfielder, Nelson Cruz they were merely packing peanuts compared to Yankees Alex Rodriguez who was suspended through the end of the 2014 season barring his appeal. Now without further ado, A-Rod,

"I'm fighting for my life. I have to defend myself. If I don't defend myself, no one else will," he told reporters after the league announced its decision Monday.

The last seven months have been a "nightmare," he said.

It "has been probably the worst time of my life for sure," said Rodriguez, "obviously for the circumstances that are at hand and also dealing with a very tough surgery and a rehab program, and being 38."

Asked directly whether he had used performance-enhancing drugs, he declined -- repeatedly -- to comment.

HUBRIS!

I cannot muster up even a hint of sympathy for the Yankees, but I will express disappointment that A-Rod was not banned for life. The length of the suspensions do not appear to be enough of a deterrent for players making millions upon millions of dollars. While this amount of money would be a lot to the average person, these men are not average. Until baseball takes a stand, PEDs will wreak havoc upon the game of baseball. Furthermore, I do not think a player like A-Rod has any place in professional baseball, or the public eye for that matter. I would much prefer if he went off quietly in to the night, and take Anthony Weiner with him...

Speaking of Anthony Weiner - look at that seg-way... I can think of no other explanation than pure hubris as to why Weiner is once again subjecting himself and more importantly his family to public scrutiny by trying to re-enter political life. His wife, Huma Abedin's choice to stand by her husband is a personal one that I will never judge, but going through all this nonsense again is beyond me. Personally I would much rather work for Hillary Clinton, but that does not seem to be in my future. On the bright side, I do not have to vote in that race.

Last, but most certainly not least, my choice for "King of Hubristic Behavior," Pete Rose. As much as I love ESPN and Sports Illustrated, at times I think look for new angles just to keep a story going. I have heard an interview with Pete Rose on ESPN Radio, and also read an interview with Rose in this week's Sports Illustrated. 

August 24, 1989, Thursday, 9 a.m. Giamatti, the commissioner of baseball, steps up to a microphone in New York City.

"One of the game's greatest players has engaged in a variety of acts which have stained the game, and he must now live with the consequences of those acts," he tells a packed room of reporters.

With that, Giamatti announces that Rose, baseball's all-time hits leader and one of history's greatest players, has been banned from baseball for life for gambling on baseball.

Nearly 25 years later, Rose does not seem to have accepted the consequences. He left the negotiations up to his lawyers, and appears to still be shocked that they accepted a life-time ban. Nearly $20,000 a day was being waged on bets on virtually every team in the league, including the one that he was managing. Even on the day of the press conference with all the evidence to the contrary, Rose denied having ever bet on baseball, but rather only on other sports. 

Now Rose will tell you that he did in fact bet on baseball, including his own team, but wants everyone to understand it did not affect how he managed since he never bet against his own team. Rose also still holds out hope that he will be reinstated, and thus eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame, preferably before he dies because after his death will not do him any good. His words, not mine. 

While he will concede that both gambling and PEDs are bad, the drugs are worse for the sport than the crimes he committed. While it is an apples and oranges comparison, it is hard to argue/understand that gambling warrants a lifetime ban in both the cases of Pete Rose and 1919 Chicago White (Black) Sox, but PED users are given a mere slap on the wrist when you think about the length of the suspension in relation to the size of the contracts these men have received.

So where is the Catch-22? I was home yesterday using comp time after working over the weekend, so I had way too much time to think (and watch The West Wing). The last season of the show focuses on the election between Republican candidate Arnie Vinick (Alan Alda) and Democratic candidate,  Matthew Santos (Jimmy Smits) to see who is going to follow President Bartlet (Martin Sheen). One of my favorite scenes involves Toby asking Josh whether Santos is really "the right guy," because "that guy" needs to believe that the Gods truly conspired to bring him to this place that he is smart enough; has the hubris to make the decisions that would stump any other person on the planet...

I agree that both politicians, professional athletes, high powered CEOs, etc., do require a certain level of hubris to effectively do their job. I certainly would not want to be in the room when decisions are made that could potentially change the course of history, or stare down a pitcher with an 0-2 count in Game 7 of the World Series with your team down, or try to sink a free throw with seconds left to win the championship... Yet,  that does not give one license to act like an arrogant A-hole, (ahem, A-Rod). 

I much prefer players, politicians, and public figures that exude class and dignity, perhaps choose to embrace and live this quote from Norman Vincent Peale, 

“Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.”