A-Roid

Baseball has been dealt yet another terrible blow from the heavyweight boxer that is the steroids era.

As it turns out, Yankees third baseman, Alex Rodriguez, used steroids during his years with the Texas Rangers from 2001-03. This was the man who was supposed to lead the baseball's public image out of a tainted era. What are they going to tell us next, that Roy Hobbs from the Natural did cocaine?

This story is somewhat a combination of two similar stories that have unfolded recently. Like Barry Bonds, A-Rod tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Like Michael Phelps, A-Rod was the golden boy of his sport, caught doing something he should not have been. However, the responses by these three athletes to the accusations have been a significant factor.

While Bonds still refuses to admit to any wrong doing, both Rodriguez and Phelps came clean. Admission of guilt is like pulling off a band aid: better to do it all in one foul swoop that allowing it to linger. The fallout from the revelation cannot be altered, but I for one have a greater respect for A-Rod for telling the truth.

At this point, the question is not longer 'who has done steroids?' but now 'who has not done steroids?' Admittedly, most of the substance abuse occurred in years past when baseball was more willing to turn a blind eye on such things. Today with legislative punishment in the way of players caught for positive tests, hopefully they will think more seriously before choosing the easy way into a major league clubhouse.

Another question is whether or not A-Rod has continued to use these banned substances since the confidential test in 2003. Even he said he was a little hazy on the details during that time because of the then lax culture of the sport. One thing that is certain, he played his best baseball in those years, winning the league MVP in 2005 and 2007.

With already 553 home runs at the age of 33, some fans hoped that he would surpass Barry Bonds as a seemingly legitimate home run king. With his future now in doubt fans are not yet sure who to turn to. I just hope that Albert Pujols is smart enough to stay off the juice.