Murti To A-Rod: Just Shut Up And Play
Via Sweeny Murti today -
Being a member of the media, I rely on speaking to athletes every day to do my job. I ask them questions, they give me answers…this is how the job works. If they don’t speak, I don’t have much to go on. That said, I’m going to suggest that Alex Rodriguez never open his mouth again. Seriously.
This is simply a guy who proves time and time again that he can’t talk and chew gum at the same time. Last week A-Rod had his cousin (who is apparently guilty of transporting a controlled substance into the U.S.) meet him at the ballpark to give him a ride home (the Yankees response was something like, “Just how stupid are you?”). This week A-Rod stumbled in the simple act of trying to compliment Jose Reyes. He rolled out the Welcome Wagon, only to run over Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon in the process.
Former Yankee 3rd base coach Larry Bowa and bullpen catcher Mike Borzello used to fine Alex $100 a pop every time he said something stupid. I was surprised to see that both men are still working, joining Joe Torre’s staff in LA. I just assumed Bowa and Borzello had taken their winnings and retired to a small island in the Caribbean.
If saying stupid things were an Olympic sport, A-Rod would have won a gold medal by now. While trying to defend himself from Mike Lupica, he hammered Derek Jeter (the famous 2001 Esquire article). While confessing to steroids, he accused Selena Roberts of breaking and entering. He once forgot the name Sandy Koufax, referring to him as “the Jewish gentleman.” He referred to his slap at Bronson Arroyo in the 2004 ALCS as a “brilliant play” even though he was called out because it was illegal. Oh, and he keeps calling him Brandon Arroyo.
Listen, I’m not asking for The Gettysburg Address. I’m just hoping for something better than Jeff Spicoli. At this point I really wonder how much our work would suffer if we didn’t get any more pearls of wisdom from A-Rod.
An interesting point. In my lifetime, the Yankees have had a few characters on the team who would say crazy things from time to time. Take Mickey Rivers. However, as uneducated as The Quick was, he never got into hot water as much as A-Rod. Ditto Rickey Henderson. Perhaps the closest to Alex, in terms of having diarrhea of the mouth, as a Yankee, would be David Wells? Still, it seems like Rodriguez says things that are even dumber than what Boomer sometimes offered.
Am I missing someone? Has there ever been a Yankees player who has said/done more “stupid” things while they were in New York than A-Rod?
Am I missing someone? Has there ever been a Yankees player who has said/done more “stupid” things while they were in New York than A-Rod?
————–
On the depth chart, Rodriguez isn’t on the level of Pascual Perez (suspended for a year), Brien Taylor (blown shoulder in brawl), Luis Polonia (statutory rape charge), Darryl Strawberry (soliciting),etc, etc, etc…
Reggie. He was definitely the king of stupidd, quotes. A-rod has never joined a team of established veterans and referred to himself as “the straw that stirs the drink”.
FWIW, Reggie Jackson claimed to have an IQ of 160
FWIW, Reggie Jackson claimed to have an IQ of 160
—–
Not only that, he spoke the truth. He didn’t come to NY to be a star, he was already a star with the A’s.
FWIW, Reggie Jackson claimed to have an IQ of 160
—–
To which Mickey Rivers supposedly replied, “Out of what, 1000?”
Am new to this site… Having never followed it, I was wondering if “Was Watching” sees himself as a counterbalance to The Scooter… (in which case, he holds himself in extremely high esteem…)
Athletes are paid to play; they are not signed for their oratorical skills. These “by-products” are the tidbits that give “Was Watching” a stage and a paycheck. Be mindful that you are not being asked to play God – or even the priest in the confessional. Don’t tell us what we should think…ask us what we do think about (whatever). And always, be glad you are able to collect that paycheck. Without the (dumb/dumber) droppings, you’re SOL.
For some reason I can’t explain, no one comes close to Arod for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Some of the players mentioned in this thread weren’t that great so no one cares. And the others were so good on the field that their off the field image didn’t matter.
Also, unlike some of those others, Arod cares desparately about his image so it’s all the more meaningful (pathetic?) that his own actions and words hurt this concern of his.
[...] Murti To A-Rod: Just Shut Up And Play / Parsing A-Rod’s compliments [...]