The Media and Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez finally said he was sorry to the public with a handwritten apology on the eve of his return to the New York Yankees.

A-Rod should be given credit where it is due. No matter how he apologized, he would be criticized for it. But the fact is he did apologize. Rodriguez should realize every time he does something, anything at all, writers are going to kill him for it.  If it had been a typed apology, he would be criticized for being disingenuous. If he held a press conference, he would be criticized for his body language and tone. A lot of people are criticizing him for handwriting the note, but it does add a personal trait to the apology.

Apologizing is hard to do, as evidenced by the difficulty Lance Armstrong has with them. He went on with Oprah to confess that he cheated to win all seven of his Tour de France titles in an appearance that was widely panned as staged and insincere. 

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Athletes have a distinct responsibility as a public figure to have class and an attitude that Rodriguez hasn't always exemplified.  There has always been a lot of comparison between Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, but they have become complete opposites. Alex Rodriguez is the most hated player in baseball and Jeter serves as a role model to many people and his career is often considered to be done "the right way." 

Let's face it, Alex Rodriguez has cheated with PEDs, lied numerous times, and attempted to sue the Player's Association. His behavior was inexcusable.The punishment fit the crime. 

But while he does seem to be the poster child for Performance Enhancing Drugs in the MLB, people seem to forget there are other players that have used and lied. He is the sole punching bag for sports writers and baseball fans. 

Does anybody remember Ryan Braun? Let's take a walk down memory lane for a second. 

The Brewers star told players around MLB prior to 2012 spring training that the man who collected his urine sample that tested positive for synthetic testosterone was anti-Semitic in an attempt to discredit him. He took oath upon his own life that he was telling the truth. He stood before microphones a few years ago and talked about how he would never cheat, and how he was offended at the accusation, and that he literally would stake his very life on his integrity. "I would be bet my life that I'm clean," Braun told CBS Sports in 2012.

Here a few questions: What makes A-Rod so different from players like Braun? Why does he remain the reoccurring joke of baseball? When will it finally be the time to move on? 

Yes, Alex Rodriguez did lie and cheat, but there are far worse things that other have athletes have done off the field, yet are welcome back to play their sport. The media and fans have moved on from those athletes. While I think Performance Enhancing Drugs have greatly hurt baseball, I don't think A-Rod is that different from the rest of us. I think many people would take a drug to improve at their occupation to get paid more money. 

#FORG1V3

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @christineeeeO

Triple H breaks Flair's Hip and Another *NSFW* Photo Leaks, Matt Striker's Penis!

Just kidding, but in my opinion you could have tuned into Raw at 10:53 and not missed a thing. After the Kane/Reigns match was interrupted with more than a few "YES" chants. Roman wanted to sit ringside and cause a distraction for Little Daniel Bryan. Thinking that signing autographs and taking selfies with the crowd would rev up their feud, Roman got in the ring causing Big Show to win by disqualification. For the last few minutes Raw was on air it was an all out brawl that almost looked real(almost). Definitely the most exciting build Fast Lane has seen.

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Every once in awhile I get really lonely and need CM Punk in my life. Normally I put his name into YouTube and search for a match I haven't seen before. Last night, a particular oldie but goodie caught my attention because I've finally been introduced to Striker's skin flute. Keeping up with last week's trend of dick pics, here is Matt Striker's penis.

P.S. If Colt Cabana could release his wiener schnitzel soon I would be so greatly appreciative. If not, next week I'm writing about Chyna. 

Willie Randolph, Bernie Williams, and Half of the Core Four to be Honored at Monument Park

The Yankees announced today that they will retire the uniform numbers of Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte in pregame ceremonies at Yankee Stadium this season.

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Willie Randolph, a member of the Yankees' 1977 and 1978 world championship team, a former Yankees' co-captain and was a coach for 11 seasons, will also be honored with a plaque in Monument Park. Randolph played 18 Major League seasons (12 with the Yankees) where he hit a career .276/.373/.351 with 54 HR’s and 687 RBI’s.

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Bernie Williams, who played center field for the team that won the World Series four times in five seasons between 1996 and 2000, will be honored on May 24 before a Sunday night game against the Texas Rangers. Williams played his entire 16-year career with the Yankees, hitting .297 in 2,076 games, and is fifth in franchise history with 2,336 hits. He is the club leader with 22 postseason home runs and 80 postseason RBIs.

Jorge Posada also played on four Yankees championship teams, including the 2009 team that beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. (He appeared in eight games for the '96 team but didn't play in the postseason.) Posada played his entire 17-year career with the Yankees, hitting .273 in 1,829 games. He is second all time with 125 postseason games. He will be honored on Aug. 22 before a Saturday afternoon game against the Cleveland Indians.

Andy Pettitte finished his career with a 256-153 record and 3.85 ERA. He has won more games (19) than anyone else in playoff history. His postseason ERA is 3.81 in 276 2/3 innings. Pettitte, a member of five Yankees world championship teams, will be honored on Aug. 23.

Their numbers join those of Billy Martin (1), Babe Ruth (3), Lou Gehrig (4), Joe DiMaggio (5), Joe Torre (6), Mickey Mantle (7), Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey (8), Roger Maris (9), Phil Rizzuto (10), Thurman Munson (15), Whitey Ford (16), Don Mattingly (23), Elston Howard (32), Casey Stengel (37), Mariano Rivera (42), Reggie Jackson (44) and Ron Guidry (49).

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

A Summary of NBA All Star Weekend in NYC

The City had a huge weekend and was host to many events this very cold February weekend. There was the NBA All Star Weekend, Fashion Week, the star-studded Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special and a huge concert full of hiphop heavyweights. What do these events have in common? Kanye West was at each one of them.

Image Credit: sandrarose.com 

The stars migrated from L.A. for the Grammys to New York for Fashion Week. On Thursday, Kanye West presented his first Yeezy collection with Adidas Originals, and all the big names were in attendance.

The front row was a who’s who of music and fashion elite including Beyoncé, Jay Z, Rihanna, Diddy, Cassie, 2 Chainz, and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. Pop queens Rihanna and Beyonce snapped a photo together backstage, while hip-hop moguls Jay Z and Diddy supported Kanye and his new collection.

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History was made on Thursday night when the East Coast and West Coast united for Hot 97’s “Tip-Off” concert hosted by Diddy and Snoop Dogg at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. The star-studded event, which kicked off NBA All-Star Weekend, featured surprise guests, reunions, and plenty of nostalgia, bringing out guests such as Busta Rhymes, French Montana, Dr. Dre, T.I., Lil Kim, The Lox, Kanye West, Nas, and many more during an unforgettable live event.

Diddy’s all-star lineup of guests included Busta Rhymes, Jermaine Dupri, and Kanye West, who performed “Can’t Tell Me Nothing." Black Rob guested on “Whoa!” and Diddy reunited R&B group 112, who performed their 2001 hit “Peaches & Cream” and the Notorious B.I.G. tribute “I’ll Be Missing You,” backed by Faith Evans and a choir. Nas hit the stage for “Hate Me Now” and “Made You Look,” while Naughty by Nature served their classics “O.P.P.” and “Hip Hop Hooray.”  Snoop Dogg brought out Dr. Dre for “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang." Then T.I who performed “About the Money.” The crowd went crazy when Lil’ Kim and The Lox  performed “Money, Power & Respect” and “It’s All About the Benjamins,” and Diddy’s son Christian Combs filled in for Ma$e on “Been Around the World.”

Other guests included Big Sean, Keyshia Cole, Doug E. Fresh, 2 Chainz, French Montana, A$AP Ferg, O.T. Genasis, Troy Ave, and ILoveMakonnen.

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It was NBA All-Star weekend, but it seemed as if all the stars in the celeb world were taking part in the swanky dinners, posh parties and concerts before Sunday's big game.

 

Official All-Star events, like Friday's celebrity game and Saturday's skills competition, attracted Rihanna, Kevin Hart, Mo'ne Davis and Floyd Mayweather, but other events had star power, too.

On Friday night, Nas and Drake gave a concert that featured Kanye West, while James held court at a dinner thrown at the Italian eatery Carbone by Beats. Farther away, All-Star John Wall had his own dinner at STK with Luc Belaire, where he mingled with guests, including rapper Pusha T and actress Keke Palmer.

On Saturday afternoon, Derek Jeter gathered his former Yankee teammate C.C. Sabathia, quarterback Russell Wilson, and others to discuss the launch of his after-career venture, the Players Tribune, a digital media company designed to give athletes a platform to tell their own stories; a late night launch party followed with a performance from rapper Common.

Sunday's game attracted some big-name musical talent, including a performance by Christina Aguilera and Nas before the start of the action. Among those attending the game was former President Bill Clinton, who sat with former NBA basketball player Dikembe Mutombo. Others seen at the game include film director Spike Lee and comedian Chris Tucker.

Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj provided the halftime entertainment, while Tamia sang the Canadian national anthem and Queen Latifah performed an acoustic version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Russell Westbrook with his 3s, dunks, and swagger, was perfect for the All-Star Game. The Hawks played best when they were together, sharing the ball and making plays. LeBron James  had 30 points, five rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. However, much like the weather in New York, Carmello Anthony was frozen this weekend.  

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

MLB Possibly Changing The Strike Zone?

​Image Credit: espn.com 

The MLB is reportedly considering changing the strike zone due to the declining offense.

Since officially taking over for Bud Selig in January, new Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has been proactive about trying to speed up the game and add more offense. The most recent plan would be the biggest so far.

It's no secret that offense across MLB has been in decline. In 2014, the number of runs scored during the regular season fell below 20,000 for the first time since 1995, according to FanGraphs.

Any formal rules change would have to be approved by baseball's Playing Rules Committee. The committee will monitor the strike zone this season and potentially look to implement changes in 2016 at the earliest.

Over the past five seasons, the strike zone has expanded about 40 square inches, from 435 square inches in 2009 to 475 square inches in 2014, according to research conducted by Hardball Times writer Jon Roegele.

The largest part of that expansion is in the lower area of the strike zone, with umpires more frequently signaling strikes for pitches below the kneecap. Low pitches are generally considered more difficult to handle for batters, most of whom have a tougher time driving the ball when reaching down for it. Not surprisingly, the walk rate across the majors is down while the strikeout rate is up.

The last time MLB officially changed the definition of the strike zone came after the 1996 season, when the boundary for the bottom of the zone was lowered from the top of the batter's knees to the bottom.

Christine O'Connor

Alex Rodriguez Says Sorry

In a hour and a half meeting at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, Alex Rodriguez apologized to New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner and team executives for his suspension for performance-enhancing drug use and the inappropriate behavior he exhibited in attempt to defend himself. 

A joint statement was issued on behalf of four key Yankees executives as well as Rodriguez and his legal counsel.

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"Today we held a meeting at Yankee Stadium between Hal Steinbrenner, Randy Levine, Brian Cashman, Jean Afterman, Alex Rodriguez and (legal counsel) Jim Sharp," the statement read. "Alex initiated the meeting and apologized to the organization for his actions over the past several years."

A-Rod was suspended without pay for the entire 2014 season for his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The suspension was ultimately reduced to 162 games, or the length of a complete baseball season.

A-Rod was then was out of the spotlight. He appeared at a couple of sporting events and took to social media a couple of times, but he remained quiet. Rodriguez dropped his lawsuits against the players' union and the Yankees' medical staff. He stopped giving obnoxious interviews proclaiming his innocence in the wake of a massive investigation that found him guilty of using performance enhancing drugs from the Biogenesis clinic in Miami.

Yankees pitchers and catchers must report for spring training in Tampa on Feb. 20, and position players such as Rodriguez have a reporting date of Feb. 26. The Yankees reportedly told the 20-year veteran to schedule a press conference before then, in order to clear the air as much as possible before re-joining the team.

The Yankees owe Rodriguez $61 million over the next three seasons, not counting the potential home run bonus money. They signed Chase Headley for four years and $52 million to play Rodriguez's position of third base. The general idea is that A-Rod will be the DH if he shows that he can still keep up with fastballs at 40 years old. 

Some of Rodriguez's teammates such as Ivan Nova and Dellin Betances have spoken out and showed their support for the fellow Yankee. If his teammates can support him, Yankees fans should be able to rally behind him, especially after a season with such an offensive struggle. A-Rod wants to prove himself and earn those home run bonuses. The Yankees organization should support him and keep the incentives on the table in order to boost the offense. 

"He's going to be there (in spring training)," Hal Steinbrenner said during last month's owners' meetings. "And if Alex is Alex, he'll show up in shape; he always does. There certainly are some unknowns for all of us, including him. His age. Two surgeries. We'll just have to see. He'll be there, but the situation is the situation. We just need to concentrate on keeping him healthy, and he needs to concentrate on staying healthy, and we'll go from there."

If A-Rod sees support from Yankees fans, teammates and the organization, that might be the motivation he needs to get back to his old ways.

 #FORG1V3

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO

Two Major Hip Hop Collabo's To Look Out For in 2015: Kanye, Missy Elliot, Timbaland, and...

There seems to be a lot of exciting collaborations coming this year. Some exciting, some reminiscent, and some completely unexpected. 

Has hell frozen over? Kanye West and Taylor Swift are headed into the studio together, the Kanye said Wednesday. 

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"Yeah, she wants to get in the studio and we're definitely going to go in. Any artist with an amazing point of view, perspective, fan base, I'm down to get in the studio and work," West, 37, told On Air with Ryan Seacrest. 

"I that think everyone loves music, whether they love hip-hop, alternative, country," he also told Seacrest. "If I could be involved in giving people any type of energy, advice in the studio, whether you're Beyoncé, whether you're Taylor Swift, whether you're Jay Z whether you're Beck, whoever, and they can be reciprocal with that, I'd like to be involved with that."

A more expected collaboration is underway with Miss Elliott and Timbaland. They are answering hip hop fan's prayers by reuniting in the studio.  

Image Credit: billboard.com

Many have been impatiently awaiting new music from Missy Elliott -- even more so after her performance alongside Katy Perry at the Super Bow Halftime Show on Feb. 1st. 

Last week, the 43-year-old visited ‘Sway in the Morning’ and said her and Timbaland are taking it step-by-step with the music they’re creating. She also doesn’t want to set a release date and get her supporters’ hopes up too much.

Missy revealed that the dynamic duo was scheduled to return to the studio. “We gonna get in and get some work done,” she told Sway, adding, “I don’t want to say too much because in this day and time, boy, you say something, they will come back two weeks later like, ‘Where your album at?'”

The two last worked together on Missy’s 2005 album The Cookbook.

Article by: Christine O'Connor

Twitter: @ChristineeeeO