Jay Mariotti’s Irresponsible Pujols Article

Thanks God for steroids?

The fervor over a sports blogger’s post about Raul Ibanez and possible steroid use is just now dying down and yet columnist Jay Mariotti continues on, ‘undaunted’.  In case you don’t remember, a writer at Midwest Sports Fans posted an article, which questioned whether Ibanez could possibly be having the season he’d had up to that point without at least putting him into suspicion of taking PEDs.  Ibanez and the mainstream media were outraged.  Debates on the issue dominated the airwaves.  Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria.  The main beef most ‘respectable journalists’ had with the article was that it called out a player with no actual evidence, nothing beyond speculation.  Jay Mariotti was among the critics, but now he’s authored his own speculatory column, putting Albert Pujols between the cross-hairs. 

The title of this irresponsible speculation, “Undaunted, I Put My Trust in Albert Pujols”.  For shame, Mariotti.  What right do you have to pen an article suggesting Pujols is not taking PEDs without any real proof?  Before I publish a post claiming an athlete is completely innocent, I want to have witnessed him being completely innocent for his entire life.  Can you, Jay, say that you have witnessed Pujols not injecting himself with steroids for the last 29 years?  If so, please fill me in on avoiding a restraining order.  Marisa Miller is really breaking my balls.

Mariotti’s article states:

“His training regimen is too dedicated. His past is too humble. His soul, on and off the field, is too grounded. His diet involves too much chicken and rice. His monstrous numbers haven’t wavered since testing kicked in six years ago. And his words are too powerful.”

These are dangerous allegations he’s putting out there.  It’s like Jay’s on his own little not-on-steroids witch hunt.  Why not call out all of baseball for not cheating while you’re at it?  It wouldn’t be any less irresponsible.  He trains too hard?  That’s your proof?  I guess David Wells, Tony Gwynn and John Kruk better watch their asses then, eh?  His past is too humble?  Are you trying to say Ken Griffey Jr. is a ‘roider?  His diet involves too much chicken and rice?  I think that might be racist.  Besides, my parents used to make a dish called ‘Super Chicken’ that was comprised primarily of chicken and rice.  I hated it.  Little did I know that would put me under suspicion of steroids. 

I guess part of what angers me most about Jay Mariotti’s reckless writing is that it will widen the chasm between bloggers and mainstream media.  Even though Jay writes for a blog, he’s still considered by most to be a newspaper columnist.  And he won’t be getting the ‘think before you hit enter’ speech from ‘respected’ douches like Ken Rosenthal.  What a sickeningly despicable double-standard. 

The real losers here, as always, are the children.  If the media continues to spout this unfounded nonsense about the existence of steroid free superstars, kids will believe it.  They will assume that their heroes made the big leagues by working hard, staying humble and obeying their parents and coaches.  What kind of lesson is that for our nation’s young people?  The next time you’re at a ball game, you might hear a kid sitting near you cheer without a hint of sarcasm or doubt, like he truly believes the player he’s cheering has done nothing wrong.  You can blame Jay Mariotti for that.

Tags: Albert Pujols, baseball, Jay Mariotti, Marisa Miller, MLB, St. Louis Cardinals, steroids

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