The fallout from the Alex Rodriguezsteroid scandal has distilled down to one essential takeaway: A-Rod tried to fight the media and lost.
Whatever your opinion on Rodriguez's taking steroids, the narrative evolution of his "confessional" statements from Katie Couric, to Peter Gammons, to the general New York media at-large tell the tale of an individual man thinking he can outsmart the mob. Never letting go of his need to control the message; never closing his eyes and placing total trust in those that will pass judgment on his career. Never deciding to not think about it, and in the words of the old baseball maxim, just let it rip.
Ironically the same immature egotism (or existential fear, depending your slant on the human condition) that would dispose someone to taking steroids or performance-enhancing drugs in the first place, also leads to these drawn out public media debacles. The logic goes: if you work hard and take the best drugs, you can be the perfect player. Subsequently, if you think hard enough and get the best spin doctors, you can craft the perfect alibi. The ends always justify the means.
And if a player has the talent, the media has shown it will accept athletic perfection in place of the Golden Rule. By many accounts Michael Jordan was an overbearing, gambling philanderer; but we still all want to be Like Mike. Short of that Jordanesque level of dominance, however, the media will then only accept that most human and endearing of character traits: humility. The media wants repentance for imperfection.
For some athletes, like Andy Pettitte, the contrition comes easy. For others, like Roger Clemens, they can't swallow their pride and take on the challenge of fooling the media. This sets up a scenario, like A-Rod's, where we watch athlete and media play "Press Conference Poker" to see who's bluffing and who's got the goods.
We see Press Conference Poker all the time; some recent examples include players like Michael Vick, Barry Bonds and Plaxico burress. Or outside of sports with the recent Chris Brown and Rihanna drama. Whenever a public figure has crossed the ethical line, so often their whole reputation and public perception will be dictated by their performance -- their air of authenticity -- at a press conference confessing their sins. The media inquisition is a rite of passage for many egomaniacal celebrities; if you can hold your own then you survive, if not your career -- whatever it is -- could be over.
None of this is to say that A-Rod's PR agenda thus far has been a disaster; but much like getting a walk in a pressure situation when the team needs a hit, it's a move that may get you to the next base and pay dividends down the road, but also does little to get people on your side. It's better than nothing, but doesn't win the game.
All told, Rodriguez does have a lot of baseball in front of him, and if he manages to get into a Jordan (or even Jeter) championship groove his sins will probably be forgiven. But short of that, there might not be enough room in this town for his ego and the collective ego of NYC sports media. Only one can play the fool, something will have to give; last check media is undefeated, and they always get the last word.
Patrice Evans outsmarts the media at his blog The Assimilated Negro.
