Charlie Klein
I personally do not understand why so many people love Manny Ramirez in a fashion that few other athletes have ever been unconditionally adored in human history. First of all few could ever say that Manny is a "team player." His me first attitude has been personified by his many attention grabbing stunts which include high-fiving a Red Sox fan at an Orioles game in Baltimore last season and taking the field late in the middle of a game at Dodger Stadium because he could not manage to take a leak in the apporpriate time. While these are all surely charming stunts, are they indicative of a player who cares at all about his team? And all of these objections do not even scratch the surface of the failure of Dodgers fans.
Fact: Manny Ramirez was suspended 50 games for using a banned substance. Fact: the substance Ramirez used is known to help steroid users coming off a steroid cycle. Fact: Manny Ramirez did steroids. Fact: Los Angeles Dodgers fans still go gaga for Manny Ramirez.
The sheer hypocrisy of their adulation is what bothers me the most. The same fans who booed Barry Bonds for his steroid use and the same fans who boo any player for his use of steroids all give Manny a free pass whenever this issue is raised.
Why Manny is given this free pass is a sociological wonder. Pretty much every other player who has been guilty of using steroids has been died with the same cast of "cheater." All with the exception of Ramirez. What makes people let Manny off the hook? Ramirez has never done anything for them. He certainly helped the Dodgers make the playoffs last season but failed to lead them past the Phillies in the NLCS. Furthermore the Dodgers prospered without him during his suspension.
During Ramirez's first press conference following the news of his suspension, Manny dearest commented that he had not killed anybody. Basically this is him saying, I violated the cardinal rule of sports (honesty in performance), but what is the fuss about?
Whatever my misgivings and grumblings people will continue to love Manny, whether I like it or not. All I ask is that people are aware of what hypocrites they are for loving him.
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