March Madness

It's that time of the year again!

We could be heroes......

Sources tell SI Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003

In 2003, when he won the American League home run title and the AL Most Valuable Player award as a shortstop for the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for two anabolic steroids, four sources have independently told Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez's name appears on a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball's '03 survey testing, SI's sources say. As part of a joint agreement with the MLB Players Association, the testing was conducted to determine if it was necessary to impose mandatory random drug testing across the major leagues in 2004.

Phelps admits 'bad judgment' after marijuana-pipe photo

Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps admitted to "regrettable" behavior Sunday and vowed it wouldn't happen again after a British newspaper published a photograph of the swimmer smoking from a bong.

"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," the record-setting American athlete said in a statement issued Sunday.

"I'm 23 years old, and despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me," Phelps said. "For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public -- it will not happen again."

One week ago, the sporting world in this country basked in the high of a thrilling (if slightly controversial) finish to the Super Bowl, the showpiece event of the most popular league in the country and even felt the euphoria from continents away of another classic showdown between the two biggest giants in the men's tennis world at the Australian Open final - itself one of the four showpiece events of the tennis world.

Today, two startling revelations in that one short week have rocked the same world and reminded us once again that the very foundations upon which we as sports fans erect this pedestal we place superlative athletes upon are nothing more than the humanity which we all essentially suffer from. This very same humanity that has the potential to achieve some amazing heights also has the propensity to cause us to experience some abysmal depths.

I am one such sports fan. Almost by impulse, one of the first stations I look for at home or on the road is ESPN. If it's not ESPN, it's Fox Soccer that my television set spends inordinate time on. I have ridden the rollercoaster of emotion that comes with living vicariously through the efforts of particular athletes or teams. Some of my best memories involve championship-winning moments that I had nothing to do with other than sharing a bond with millions thanks to the wonders of television technology.

It disappoints me to hear of these stories. Swimming is largely seen as an activity more than a sport in this country, but it's undeniable that its popularity surged in the wake of Phelps' superhuman achievements in the pool at the Beijing Olympics. Now it seems that his oversized diet are now destined to be nothing more than fodder for late-night talk show hosts and comedians. The now-famous pictures showing Phelps' fingertips extending just far enough to win him a gold in one of the all-time closest finishes in any Olympic sport have since been replaced with pictures of Phelps' fingers involved in another far different activity.

This isn't a question about the merits (or lack thereof) of marijuana use and the issue of its legality. That's another debate for another day. The bottom line is that for where he was, what he was doing was in fact against the law. If nothing else, it's set a poor example for the many people who looked up to him, even before what he achieved in Beijing. At least he's accepted responsibility for his actions and taken ownership of his missteps.

"Bad judgement," "inappropriate," "I'm sorry." All the right words were there. Sponsorships have been revoked and suspensions issued. The cynic in me is forced to wonder just how much of this was motivated by a self-protection instinct rather than actual contrition, and now that the fallout has begun, was that a failed instinct?

Regarding A-Rod, I am not a Yankees fan, and I am most certainly not a moneyball fan. The amount of money thrown around in baseball nowadays (heck, in pro sports in general nowadays) and the amount of attention centered around what the Yankees do in baseball disgust me. This really has nothing to do with my reaction to his news, though.

As a fan of baseball in general, I couldn't help but look at A-Rod ply his trade and admire one of the sweetest swings in baseball today. An effortless, fluid motion that wasn't forced or hesitant. A swing that connected for 500 homeruns faster than anyone in the sport had ever done so in their careers.

A swing, it now seems, that has been at least partially-enhanced by the use of steroids. A huge dark cloud in an already gloomy time for baseball.

Now, I firmly believe that there is no drug yet produced by mankind that allows a baseball hitter to slow down time enough so that they can judge the flight of a piece of equipment smaller than a foot in diameter flying at them from 20 yards away at speeds sometimes approaching 90-100 mph and adjust their swing quickly enough so that the point of contact between the bat and the ball does enough to send the ball out of reach of opposing players sometimes more than 400 feet away. If that sounds overly technical, that's really a pretty simplistic view of the batting function.

With that being said, physical strength DOES become a factor. This is where steroid use does provide an unfair advantage. Unnecessary, even: If 2003 marks just the one time that A-Rod has tested positive for steroid use, the numbers over his career prior to then reflect that he didn't need a power boost. However, we'll likely never know if this reported test in 2003 was the only time, before or after. This is why it's not just one isolated test result. It's a test result that will hang over him for his entire career.

I still want to believe that athletes are capable of heroism. That when I choose to consider the achievements of any particular athlete or team that excels in their sport, I can rest assured that I am backing true champions in every sense of the word. Everybody wants to believe that. Everybody wants to believe in something bigger than themselves. Something they can adopt as their own. Why else do millions the world over invest so much time, money, effort, cheers, and tears in sports?

But then I get weeks like these, when it all comes crashing back down. And I'm reminded once again of just how human they all are. Just like me. They just happen to be able to do certain things a heck of a lot better than 99% of the rest of us. That, however, does not issue them a free pass to be exempt from the consequences of their actions, be they legal or in the eyes of public opinion.

And at the end of the day, there's really only one hero whom I tend to get distracted from. One hero who doesn't need performance-enhancing drugs, endorsements, big-money contracts, entourages, and agents. A hero who laid his life down for me and for everyone else. A hero in the truest sense of the word.

I can only wish the ones we lift up as role models and heroes in today's world could meet that standard, but there's a reason why that's a divine standard. All I can hope for is that we have more examples of people who strive daily in that direction - starting with me.

Of Hope, Change, And Ethics

August 27, 2008. Denver, Colorado. Democrat Party National Convention:

Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise.

January 20, 2009. Washington, DC. Presidential Inauguration:

And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly

January 21, 2009. The Times, London:
Tim Geithner apologies for tax gaffe

Tim Geithner, the man whom Barack Obama has chosen as his Treasury Secretary, has apologised to senators for failing to pay $34,000 in tax dating back to 2001.

The gaffe is particularly embarrassing because as US Treasury Secretary, Mr Geithner would also be head of America's tax agency - the Internal Revenue Service.

February 3rd, 2009. CNN.com:
Daschle withdraws as HHS nominee

Daschle, the former Senate majority leader, apologized Monday for failing to pay his taxes in full. He said earlier he was "deeply embarrassed" for a series of errors that included failing to report $15,000 in charitable donations, unreported car service and more than $80,000 in unreported income from consulting.

Obama's budget czar quits in new tax storm

President Barack Obama's government ethics crusade took a fresh blow Tuesday when Nancy Killefer, his pick for White House budget czar withdrew, and become the latest nominee to fall foul of tax issues.

"I recognize that your agenda and the duties facing your Chief Performance Officer are urgent," Killefer said in her letter to the president.

"I have also come to realize in the current environment that my personal tax issue of DC Unemployment tax could be used to create exactly the kind of distraction and delay those duties must avoid.

"Because of this I must reluctantly ask you to withdraw my name from consideration."

Reports had circulated that Killefer had in the past failed to pay unemployment taxes due for employing a household helper.

February 3rd, 2009. Oval Office. Washington, DC:

"I think I screwed up"

Ok, there's really not much comment needed, but besides the obvious questioning of exactly how President Obama intends on justifying these nominations in the first place (nevermind that they're not even getting to the confirmation process for the most part), another question I have to ask is this:

With all this newfound emphasis on creating a culture of transparency surrounding American politics, with all this bluster about ethics reforms and a change in how Washington works, and with the mantra of change and hope and a new vision for America as championed during the election campaign, how is it that when we now move from talking about what to do and having to actually put some substance to the rhetoric and DOING it, we see politics as usual?

If I could offer some advice to the new President right now, it'd be this: get a new vetting team. I say this because the guys he has running background checks and screening potential nominees for appointments are making the Keystone Cops look like a highly-organized marvel of efficiency.

Just a quick blurb

I'm pretty much swearing off blogging lately. Far happier to do it on Facebook.

Anyway, I'm watching the Duke/Michigan game on tv, and let I just say that Michigan's maize/yellow/corn/lemon/taxicab/whatever the heck else anybody wants to call it is just plain ugly.

Let me also just say that this whole business of charging USC a timeout simply for deciding to wear a jersey that in no way clashes with UCLA's is lame.

And finally, the mighty have fallen: after 3 years of domination, Appalachian State finally falls. S'alright. You did the state proud, Mountaineers. Well done.

Aftermath

And so it has come to pass........

First, let me just say that Senator McCain's concession speech is the McCain we should have seen all campaign long. The McCain that fought with passion for what he most strongly believed in and because of his devotion to this country saw how it could be pushed further. The McCain who didn't concern himself with divisions imposed by ideology and vision and reached out to all corners. The McCain who, in spite of any protestation that he milked his service to this country too much, is who he is precisely because of that service and damned well earned his right to talk to the country about it.

Instead, we got a McCain who tried to pander to the very political elements he railed against at times. A McCain who tried to hit below the belt in front of an electorate fully expecting to see it but disappointed nonetheless, and who tried to punch it out cleanly after the fact and too little, too late.

Whether we care to admit it or not, Senator McCain is an American hero, and will continue to be one. The plaudits coming from supporters of Senator Obama seem so empty and hypocritical now, considering the bricks that were thrown up until barely 24 hours ago, but the online medium being the way it is, there's always hope for sincerity. Like him or not, his presence in this election is why the ideals of a country like America thrive.

And now, on to the President-elect.........

Sir, you will be taking the reins of a fractured, divided country in desperate need of good news on a lot of fronts.

I've already talked about the absolute need to demonstrate the very type of leadership promised. Whether unpopular or not (and this will certainly happen, as the initial euphoria can only subside), decisive steps must be taken in the right direction. It is my earnest hope that in spite of his track record as one of the most left-leaning Senators, President-elect Obama will steer far away from the extreme left-wing agenda in this country and realize that if he is going to make real progress, it's not through stubborn partisanship, particularly to extreme elements. That's not the kind of steadfastness this country is looking for.

And as for the people, we/they must, absolutely MUST move on from the "First Black" prefix to the title of President of the United States. Celebrate it, for sure, and recognize that this is a very important milestone in the country's history. And then once we've placed this historical marker in its rightful place, on we go. Once the buzz surrounding the election result starts to fade away, recognize that no matter the color of the man's skin, the winner of any Presidential election faces a daunting task even in the best of times. Recognize that when the time comes for criticism - and it surely will - it is not borne of racism or unfair expectations of a minority. It will be borne of high expectations set by the highest office in the land. And one assumed voluntarily.

I do not dislike President-elect Obama for any particular reason. I do not hate him, either. In fact, there is no level of personal knowledge of him whereby I may transmit those very personal emotions. However, there is much for me to dislike in terms of what he stands for and has fought for, and those I do approach from a personal standpoint, which I've gone into on previous posts leading up to the election.

From a faith standpoint, I have heard from many Christians that the social justice platform and the effort to create a level socioeconomic playing field as espoused by President-elect Obama is what Christians should support, because it's "what Jesus would have done" or "it's the Christian thing to do." Here's the problem: I do not feel that entrusting a government established by Man to do what God has charged and called all of His followers to do is "the Christian thing to do." The government's history of wealth redistribution attempts has seen the creation of a culture of entitlement that seeks and looks to Washington for handouts, and as long as this country provides more than basic assistance for people to pull themselves up from the scrapheap of mediocrity, this culture will only continue to breed its own lowered expectations.

And what are we really interested in when it comes to this level playing field? Ensuring equality of circumstance? Does it stop there? From a strictly socioeconomic standpoint, does it logically follow that there's going to be an interest in ensuring equality of outcome as well? Where does personal responsibility for where we are in life come into play? When you have an entire culture built around credit and "instant approval" and there's little emphasis given to reading the fine print and really understanding terms and conditions, where is the line between "social justice" and accountability?

And finally from the standpoint of faith again, I have found the essentially messianic zeal surrounding the campaign and election to be at least slightly disturbing. I know of friends who have been condemned as acting un-Christlike for expressing opposition to Senator Obama's campaign and even urged to "repent" for doing so. I've seen imagery that borders on cultlike. I even chanced upon a comment made on a message board last night that went like this:

Last night for the first time in my entire life, I prayed. I got down on my knees and put my hands together and asked God for this one thing. I felt it was worthy of the occasion.

My faith in a God is still deep in the mist, but my faith in the American people has been restored.

It is this line of thinking that needs to stop among Christians. Pray for the direction of the country. Pray for wisdom from its leaders. Pray that right decisions are made and the firmness and clarity shown to carry out those decisions. Definitely.

But praying for one candidate's victory and being thankful for it is no different than praying for a favorite sports team, and is hardly how I personally think God would have us go about things.

Only time will tell where we go from here, and ultimately, my first allegiance is to God and continuing on this long and arduous road of sanctification (sometimes admittedly going backwards). In the meantime, it'll certainly be interesting.

Election Night

Darned Facebook and family/personal life and work taking up all the time previously used to blog........

Well, barring a miraculously unprecedented turnaround, looks like this one's decided.

It doesn't pain me to say this. It merely disappoints: Congratulations to President-elect Obama and Vice-President-elect Biden. You've been given the charge by the people. To whom much has been given, much will be expected. Enough about the "failed policies of the past 8 years" or talking about a 10-year plan when the most you can serve is 8 yourself. This country wants to......needs to move on.

Now, do what it takes to come through. Reach across the aisle, build bridges, negotiate, whatever, Do what it takes and show the leadership you've sold enough of the country on. Don't compromise yourself either. Your record and history shows where you stand and where you come from on a variety of issues. Stay true to yourself.

Otherwise, your rhetoric of change and hope will have been nothing more than exactly that: rhetoric. And empty rhetoric, at that. You promised a lot - good luck and God bless. You'll need it.

In 10 Years...

...I'll be the ripe old age of 44.
...maybe England will have won another World Cup by then.
...my daughter will be working her way through her last year of elementary school.
...I'll have been married a dozen years.
...I'll have been in ministry over two decades (provided I'm still there).
...there will be a salary cap in baseball.
...the country will be facing midterm elections.

...and if we're still dependent on any foreign country for oil by then, we won't be able to call on Senator Obama for accountability on his "In 10 years" promise regarding dependence on foreign oil should he happen to win the White House (which seems to be a distinct possibility), seeing as how...

(a) There's no way he'll be in office anymore, and
(b) There's no way to call on him for accountability before that, since it'll be within the 10-year window.

Why hasn't the media jumped on him for such a crafty statement regarding such an important policy issue?

That was a rhetorical question, by the way.

No wonder he's grinning.

Likewise, why is the ACORN story only NOW beginning to get more press? This was breaking quite some time ago, and it's a story that had been relegated to the inside pages before. Hell, Mickey-freaking-Mouse almost got to register as a voter. Motor voter laws the only association you've had with ACORN, huh?

Oh, and you were much older than 8 years old when you kickstarted your political career under Ayers' roof, Senator.

Of course, there will be plenty willing to accept what the man says as fact and truth.