I heard his interview on ESPN, and while he seemed close to tears, I’m not buying it. He attempts to justify his actions on the basis of the pressure placed on him after signing the largest contract in MLB history. What irked me the most is him stating that he wasn’t sure what substances he was taking. How does an athlete that is worth a quarter of a billion dollars allow substances to get into his body without knowing exactly what it is. In my opinion he’s just lying to keep his statement short and sweet. And while I can understand the pressures and expectations that come along with a contract so lucrative, cheating shouldn’t be the answer.

Rodriguez is widely considered one of, if not the most talented player in the league. And this was obviously the case in his latter years in Seattle, so much so that Texas signed him to the big deal. This is where I have a problem. Why would a player with endless upside, with the record books at the mercy of his bat, risk it all for just that edge. Rodrguez possesses the skills that your average player couldn’t dream of attaining through any steroid. Maybe this is why i feel so let down. While people question A-Rod’s heart, clutch hitting and scrutinize his personal life, he was never suspected of being a cheater. Love him or hate him, I have always been able to appreciate his world class talent. But all of that just went down the drain.

I have a feeling that this news becoming public is what was needed for the MLB to finally start taking it’s steroid problem seriously. Baseball has roots in the base of American culture, and what a shame that one of it’s premier players is nothing but a cheater. America’s national pastime deserves to be played on an even playing field, and stricter penalties for steroids should be implemented. Rodriguez has tarnished his name and image, and all his achievements must now be questioned.

Was A-Rod on the juice for all of his great moments? Probably not, but those 3 years will taint everything. Funny how A-Rod will receive tons of negative press, but no pay cut or suspension. Maybe Michael Phelps should’ve just done steroids and played baseball instead of hitting that bong.

“When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure. I needed to perform, and perform at a high level every day,” Rodriguez told ESPN’s Peter Gammons in an interview in Miami Beach, Fla. “Back then, [baseball] was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naïve. I wanted to prove to everyone I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time.

“I did take a banned substance. For that, I’m very sorry and deeply regretful.”‘

Alex Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan, an anabolic steroid. In his ESPN interview,

Rodriguez said he did not know exactly which substance or substances he had taken. In 2003, there were no penalties for a positive result.

“Overall, I felt a tremendous pressure to play, and play really well” in Texas, the New York Yankees third baseman said. “I had just signed this enormous contract I felt like I needed something, a push, without over-investigating what I was taking, to get me to the next level.

“I am sorry for my Texas years. I apologize to the fans of Texas.”

This is no excuse for such an elite athlete like Alex Rodriguez, not to know which substances he took from 2001-2003.  There is no excuse for cheating!!!

We also fault the MLB for not having strict testing for these performance enhancing drugs back in the day.  Yes these athletes cheated because they used performance enhancing drugs but is it really considered cheating if they were not banned by the MLB?  That’s the real questions

This arguement will go on forever so will leave it up to you if you think Alex Rodriguez is a cheater and all his stats have not been tainted!

Read the full article at ESPN.com