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MLB

Tabloid Cover Boy A-Rod at It Again

Posted Mar 22, 2009 1:30PM By Ed Price (RSS feed)

Filed Under: Yankees, MLB Gossip

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Alex RodriguezThe front page of today's New York Daily News reads, "A-ROD & THE MADAM."

Underneath it says, "BLAZING STUPIDITY."

That's an unrelated story, but it often applies to Alex Rodriguez as well.

The story on A-Rod, written by the Daily News' gossip columnist, includes supposed e-mails between Rodriguez and a madam -- how he hired escorts and wooed her as well.

Sigh.

We'd detail the A-Rod timeline here, but even the Internet might run out of room.

Here's the gist: He's the highest-paid player in baseball, and twice he agreed to play in New York. It's an explosive combination, especially if blazing stupidity is added to the mix.

Athletes and coaches often accuse writers of "trying to sell papers," but reporters rarely set out with the goal of anything but a good story. The New York tabloids, however, and the editors there, are locked in a ferocious battle for the juiciest stuff.

A-Rod is only too happy to oblige.

Alex Rodriguez Controversies

    After a report is released that he tested positive for steroids during his AL MVP campaign in 2003, Alex Rodriguez admits to injecting performance-enhancing drugs obtained in the Dominican Republic with the assistance of his cousin during his time as a Texas Ranger. Click through to find out more about A-Rod's checkered past.

    Chris Carlson, AP

    Former manager Joe Torre's recently released book, 'The Yankee Years', included details of A-Rod's tumultuous stay with the Yankees. In the book, Torre claims A-Rod was known by teammates as "A-Fraud" and paints him as mentally fragile.

    Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

    Rodriguez's decision not to play for the United States at the upcoming World Baseball Classic put him in the middle of another firestorm. A-Rod chose to join David Ortiz's Dominican squad over the nation of his birth.

    Kena Betancur, AP

    There have also been rumors that Rodriguez dated pop star Madonna, with numerous reports of the two spending time together.

    Jim Rogash, Getty Images

    In May 2007, many called this slide into the Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia to break up a double play dirty, as part of the heated Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.

    Nick Laham, Getty Images

    He filed for free agency during Game 4 of the 2007 World Series, drawing the ire of fans and officials. Some accused A-Rod of trying to grab the spotlight as the Yankees' big rivals were closing in on their second title in four seasons. He later re-signed with New York.

    Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

    The New York tabloids had a field day after the Yankees star was allegedly caught with a "mystery blonde" at the end of May of 2007. The woman was later identified as an exotic dancer, and his wife filed for divorce from him just over a year later, citing his infidelity.

    New York Post

    Things have been frosty for A-Rod and Derek Jeter since Rodriguez dissed his buddy by saying Jeter was "never your concern" when facing the Yankees.

    Tony Gutierrez, AP

    Despite being named AL MVP (48 homers, 130 RBI) in 2005, Yankee fans called out A-Rod by saying many of his homers came in meaningless situations.

    Morry Gash, AP

    A-Rod's awkward slap that knocked the ball from Bronson Arroyo's glove in the 2004 ALCS enhanced his reputation as a player who folded in the clutch.

    Amy Sancetta, AP


Despite a large contingent of advisors, some explicitly for public relations, Rodriguez hasn't figured it out. If you lie, you will be caught. If you do something tawdry, you might be caught. If reporters think you haven't told the full story (i.e., steroid confessions full of holes), they will keep digging.

And when you're the big star in the big city, that means the papers, with their full-time stable of gossip writers. And national sports magazines. And national gossip magazines. And TV celebrity programs. And book authors.

A-Rod's presence on the Yankees has provided us with one of the great contrasts in sports. Rodriguez is the man who tries hard to do and say the perfect things, and usually fails. Derek Jeter is the man who -- effortlessly, it seems -- does and says the perfect things.

Jeter makes the gossip pages, to be sure. But he isn't married, so being spotted with 10s, 11s and 12s isn't objectionable.

And Jeter doesn't have the same bullseye on his back. Perhaps because TV tends to fawn over him, but that's just taking a cue from the fans, who have put him on a pedestal and don't care to see him brought down.

He got up there by playing great baseball, looking good and -- get this! -- winning championships.

Rings cure almost anything, although A-Rod needs a handful to erase all his escapades.

Tags: alex+rodriguez

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