Reduce, recycle, reuse: ARod

Note: This was written by Newspaperman before the Alex Rodriguez aka Purple Lips interview by PeterGammons at ESPN at CardboardIcons. – The Jon

Am I wrong for not being passionate about the steroids issue?
This is the question I am asking myself after hearing the news that Alex Rodriguez tested positive in 2003 for using two steroids. Some fans are furious; others see this as a no-brainer issue. For me, I’m intrigued, but not so much that I am ready to write some 5,000-word diatribe expressing my disgust for A-Rod and the game of baseball.

I guess the way I see it now is the same as I have seen it for the last five years — it happened, it is a part of the game’s history and we cannot dismiss the era completely.

Baseball purists are the ones who are the most angry about this because they think this is a black eye for baseball. But did it ruin the game? No.

Fantasy baseball frustration: Dodger Dog

TheBaseballStarsNote: We will look at the players that have been disappointments on our respective teams. Obviously Newspaperman has no disappointments because he is the Michael Jordan of baseball. We start off with PoiDog and find out the event that made him the miserable Fukudome that he is. Enjoy.

The Jon was talking about karma recently and I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to get mine. As an A’s fan, it’s in my DNA to hate the Dodgers. Not just because they are from SoCal, but because of the worst highlight in the history of baseball, that old gimp limping around the bases at Dodgers Stadium after going yard while a bunch of front-running fans wet themselves and danced around like little girls. Suffice to say that it scarred me for life about as much as the infamous Roger Craig fumble against the New York Giants that prevented The 3-Peat but that is a subject for another blog.

But in fantasy sports, you have to take the guy who is going to produce even if you hate him or his team, unless it’s Barry Bonds, and this year I had to make an executive decision. I drafted Russell Martin.

The Jon knows these things to be true: Week 2

Should The Jon’s Panzer Dragoon edit have his finisher as the Fish Stretch Sleeper or the Super Rana? This is what the Jon could be deciding right now instead of serving The Jon’s loyal readers with another edition of “The Jon knows these things to be true.” It is probably a good thing The Jon isn’t playing Fire Pro Wrestling returns. When The Jon gets anal retentive about finishers in video games, it isn’t a good thing.

PoiDog knows of this. The Jon has called PoiDog many a time during WWF No Mercy’s heyday for the N64. “Hey PoiDog. Do you think my Cools edit would be better off with a Forward Front Russian Leg Sweep?”

The Jon’s a loser. let’s talk fantasy baseball: Week 2. Shall we?

Shut up, Al Sharpton

Al Sharpton throws the race card around more often than Newspaperman threw Jody Reed cards around in the mid-’80s. Of course this is not news to anyone. Any American who has owned a television over the past 20 years has seen the reverend stand up for African Americans he feels has been wronged many times over. In principal, I have no problem with famous people using their power to improve the rights of minorities and the oppressed. We all know the history of racial equality in America, and in baseball for that matter, has left a lot to be desired over the decades. However, for Sharpton, or anyone else to bring race into the equation in regards to steroids is ridiculous.

Fernando Vinatastic knows rap

After mesmerizing audiences last week, Fernando Vinatastic goes from the Gridiron and Brett Favre to the rap game. Check this video out at the 3:37 minute mark unless you like Jermaine Dupri and PuffDaddyPDiddyWhatever his name is.

Poi Dog: By popular demand, we are back with the second installment of our series of interviews with Fernando Vinatastic. Fernando, how are you doing today?

Vinatastic:OK, maybe.

Threads of greatness

Shame on me for never not thinking about this before, but as I got dressed this morning I suddenly realized that three of my baseball jerseys are of players who are suspected of using performance enhancing drugs. I know Oz will love the McGwire jersey, as Big Mac punked him as a little kid. The Jon will love Bonds because he never mentions his name. The only other baseball player jersey sitting in my closet is David Ortiz (Thanks George Mitchell) … which I guess I’ll be wearing to this year’s fantasy draft. Afterall, got to represent my Red Sox.