SPORTS
‘Sorry’ Rose has gambling thorn
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by Michael Poppy
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Pete Rose is at it again.
Two years after publishing his tell-all autobiography with the unsuccessful intention of being reinstated to Major League Baseball, Rose is aiming for another sympathy vote by signing baseballs with an apology: "I'm sorry I bet on baseball."
Even if it's too little, too late, Rose needs to cut the crap.
Rose's recent actions in a dire attempt to make the Hall of Fame don't depict the type of player he was.
Rose was arguably the greatest hitter of all time, setting the major league records for most career hits at an astounding total of 4,256 and, thus, earning him the title of "The Hit King." He was also one of the hardest working players, as he also owns the major league record for most games played (3,562), earning him another sweet handle, "Charlie Hustle."
I would say he left it all on the field, but that's the one thing he didn't do.
Throughout the '90s, Rose insistently denied betting on baseball, and he really didn't seem the like the guy to do such a thing, even despite the heavy evidence against him.
But once it became apparent his reinstatement efforts were going nowhere, he decided to go with the alternative route — coming clean. Rose confessed to betting on baseball in his autobiography, "My Prison Without Bars," but he made sure to clarify one thing — he only bet on the Cincinnati Reds, his team, and never against them.
Well then that seemed reasonable, too — Rose loved his team so much, he bet insane amounts because he was so confident in them. Even though it's still a crime, it's not nearly as bad as throwing games because he bet against his own team — that would be the biggest crime in all of sports, a la "The Longest Yard."
Since Rose may not seem like the kind of guy to bet on his team as a player, then one must take a look at Rose the person.
How Rose, the money-hungry gambling person, ruined his legend as a player is a sad thing, really. In just a matter of years, he went from one of my favorite players whom I hadn't seen enough of to a sports persona I may actually dislike more than Barry Bonds or the Chicago Cubs franchise as a whole … wait, not quite that much.
It's obvious all Rose cares about is money. His book and signed baseballs with a lame line are both publicity stunts simply to rake in the dough, although he says didn't know the "I'm sorry" balls were being sold for profit. Furthermore, Rose currently calls Las Vegas home — what better way to get rid of that gambling problem.
It's quite ironic how Rose is still making money off of baseball, even with MLB's lifetime ban against him. I'm sure not even Rose would have bet he'd still be able to cash in on his mistakes to this date.
The only reason Rose so desperately wants to make the Hall of Fame is for the financial perks that come with being enshrined in Cooperstown, but the funny thing is Rose is more known for not being in the Hall than he would ever be for actually being in it.
Either way, Rose's chances at making the Hall of Fame are slim to none. It won't matter what the next sympathy move he makes is — maybe selling T-shirts, blimps or (sorry for the cheap pun) roses to say he's sorry like a depressed ex-boyfriend — the fact of the matter remains: he bet on baseball and, even worse for his hopeless ambitions, he admitted it.
With that said, I'm taking over on the date Rose is inducted, because it isn't going to happen.
Michael is an upset ex-Pete Rose fan in shame of all his recent actions. For questions or comments, he can be reached at mpoppy@badgerherald.com.
Anonymous (September 20, 2006 @ 1:50pm):
You're taking over? I confuse
