Another icon falls

Another icon falls

Philadelphia Inquirer: Again, it’s been revealed that another one of the biggest stars in baseball abused steroids. It’s become part of the new annual national pastime.

Alex Rodriguez, the third baseman for the New York Yankees, said he used performance-enhancing drugs when he played for the Texas Rangers from 2001 to 2003.

A-Rod apologized and said he felt pressure to perform after signing a then-record 10-year, $252 million contract. He said that back then, the culture of baseball was looser.

Rodriguez’s apology would look more sincere if it hadn’t been prompted by a Sports Illustrated report about the steroid use. He had been on record denying steroid use.

Certainly, Major League Baseball can’t be trusted to police itself, even now that it has finally begun testing players. For years, the owners, players, fans and sports reporters looked the other way as more and more athletes turned into Hulk Hogans and smashed home run records.