Jack’s Blog

In this day and age (actually, in every day and age), superstar athletes are idolized by a fairly segment of society.  It’s human nature.  We are always in awe of people who can do things we can’t do.  Especially when those skills are televised.

Long ago, a coaching friend of mine from Ohio told me a story of he and his wife attending a party shortly after they had returned from a fantastic vacation.  When the host asked him how his vacation was, my buddy was excited to tell the group.  Until he looked to his immediate left and the guy standing there was John Glenn.  The astronaut.  Shortly after Glenn had returned from the first-ever trip to the moon.  My friend his vacation was OK and moved on.

Usually, astronauts aren’t as likely to be recognized as great running backs.  And Adrian Peterson is in that category.  The adulation is fun but with it comes responsibility and when an athlete - or some other entertainer - makes the wrong move, what follows isn’t fun.

Adrian Peterson is charged with resisting arrest, following an altercation in a bar at, or around, 2:30 am.  One way all of this could have been avoided is Peterson could have followed the rule, “Nothing good happens after midnight.”  While it might be poor judgment to be out that late, it’s not against the law.  Resisting arrest is.

Peterson has hired high-profile attorney Rusty Hardin, the lawyer who got Roger Clemens a not guilty verdict when he was facing a charge of lying to Congress.  Why, skeptics say, would AP have to hire him if he was innocent?  There is a simple answer to that.  Because he wants the best lawyer available!  It’s not like innocent people don’t want the best representation.

Peterson tweeted the famous Winston Churchill line - “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth gets its pants on.”  Whether that idea was Peterson’s or Hardin’s (or someone else’s) doesn’t matter.  (Note: I wonder if Churchill would have used light years had he known the Internet was going to be invented.  For that matter, I wonder if he would have tweeted it himself if he could have).  From my perch, all the talking heads at ESPN and I are in agreement - because of how Adrian Peterson has thus far conducted himself.  In summary, the feeling is:

“His record is squeaky clean up to now.  I give him a pass.”

My first back surgery was in 1987.  An additional eight have followed.  The latest was replacing a pain pump that had reached “EOL” (end of life) with a newer version.  The doctor whose care I’m under told me that the medicine that’s now in the pump will probably be the last to be approved for pain pumps.  Its name is Preault (or, medically, ziconotide).

The discovery of this powerful drug is quite a story.  Decades ago, deep sea divers in the Philippines noticed when fish went to eat certain snails, the antennae of the snails would squirt a liquid.  The fish would take in the liquid and become paralyzed, thus allowing the snail to turn the tables and eat the fish.  This phenomena led the divers to realize that the liquid needed to be further studied.  The snail venom was studied in the lab with the conclusion it could be used in controlling pain.

Scientists kept researching until studies were done and the results apparently were that this liquid, in small doses, could have a similar paralyzing effect on pain signals to the brain.  Keep in mind that because I have nowhere near the knowledge of the world class scientists who made this discovery, my representation of it could be flawed but that is my understanding of how this new drug came to be.

One thing I am sure of is its potency.  The medication I initially had in my pump was morphine.  After three-and-a-half years of some pretty good pain relief, I developed a tolerance to the drug which, then, turned toxic.  The morphine was removed and replaced with dilaudid, a medication which is 3-5 times stronger than morphine.  Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me and after a couple years of adjusting the dosage - with no positive results - I was weaned off of it.  Each of those meds were delivered from my pump to the catheter in milligrams/day.  To understand how incredibly powerful this latest medication is, I’m receiving around two micrograms/day.

The pain has decreased considerably.  Naturally, nothing’s quite that easy and now I have to deal with some pretty nasty side effects.  The doctors say this is not unusual and that it may take a while to find the optimum dosage level at which time the side effects should have disappeared - or at least lessened to a tolerable level.  The entire ordeal has been nothing short of amazing (as well as frustrating).

That the human mind can achieve such a discovery is remarkable.  On the flip side we see the actions of Pacman Jones and the prosecution team in the Roger Clemens trial and realize the following statement is probably true:

“The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.”

In the news, we are now reading and hearing about running back Cedric Benson of the Chicago Bears and his multitude of legal issues (operating a boat while intoxicated, failing a sobriety test, refusing to take another, resisting arrest & being pepper-sprayed by the police).  Naturally, his side of the story is 180 degrees from the officers’ and his lawyer is outraged, claiming his client was cooperative, compliant and innocent of all charges.  (I always wonder exactly how lawyers, who, although they weren’t present at the time of the arrest, are so absolutely certain the charges are unjust - must be a course they’re taught in law school).

In another story, this one in which there was more violence, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver, Marvin Harrison, either was or was not involved in a case where a man was shot near a bar owned by Harrison.  The gun was specially designed and the cartridges that were found were a match to those of a gun owned by Harrison.  The wounded man was, allegedly, involved in an altercation with the Colts’ receiver.  His lawyer has gone on record as proclaiming his client’s innocence (although he wasn’t present, either).  Come to think of it, I wouldn’t want the guy representing me to hedge when questioned about my guilt or innocence.  “Well, I’m not entirely sure; let me wait until all the facts are in before I let you know what I think of my client’s involvement,” probably isn’t a strong enough message from a guy who’s defending you and better be doing all he can to keep you from having “unwanted roommates” - and, also, is on your payroll for beaucoup bucks.

If there’s any sympathy for the well-known athlete, it’s the intense media scrutiny players have to deal with.  As if Roger Clemens isn’t in enough hot water, info on some new chick enters the picture.  Even when an athlete tells the truth, he can find himself in trouble.  Josh Howard thought he made an innocent remark about smoking marijuana during his off-season and, presto!, those remarks are plastered on every paper in every city.  It’s like all the old relaxation techniques are now off limits.

One of the major concerns of the public at this point has to be that the economy is going to hell in a hand basket.  Professional athletes have for many, many years made obscene amounts of money.  (Remember when the guys who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers had off-season jobs so they could have enough to make ends meet)?  Now, the average guy-on-the-street is really hurting and is fed up with the unrealistic outlook on life and behavior some pro jocks think is acceptable.  Yet, so many of them, in many cases, because of their being endowed with purely natural ability to perform acts the rest of us could only dream of doing (or actually do, but only in video games), see themselves as nothing short of great.  Physically, this may, in fact, be the truth, but as far as acting like decent human beings is concerned,someone named Andrew Bonar Law stated it perfectly:

“If I am a great man, then a good many great men must have been frauds.”

        Â

Another scandal with a highly visible individual in the United States?  What in the name of Benedict Arnold is going on?  Can’t people act in a “normal” fashion anymore?

Now it’s the (now former) governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer, who has disgraced his constituency and disappointed everyone who has the slightest ability to think rationally by cavoting with a prostitute, albeit a high-class one, when he had run on a platform of cleaning up New York from the very thing he allegedly dropped five figures on.

Not long ago, Kelven Sampson, one of the top basketball coaches in all of college basketball, was dismissed from his position for breaking NCAA rules - which happened to be the same NCAA rules he’d been caught breaking at his former job.  Although he didn’t run on a platform of compliance, he did make a speech while president of the Coaches’ Association about an Ethics Committee that had been formed regarding cleaning up college basketball and its many infractions - for the good of the game.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens steadfastly deny using steroids and human growth hormones, but even if they’re not guilty (and to many, that’s a stretch), Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmeiro and Ken Caminiti (each a star player in his own right at one point or another in his career) have admitted to using illegal drugs to enhance or prolong their stays in the Bigs.  People are so upset at what’s going on in MLB they’re talking about throwing out record books or using asterisks. 

Kenneth Lay is a name millions will remember as the “leader” behind the Enron fiasco.  His crimes must have weighed on him unmercifully so much so that he died before being sentenced, possibly from the guilt at having turned so many lives inside-out.

Then, there was the story of Pete Rose.  How long did he maintain his innocence before finally admitting to illegal gambling activities?  In a case dealing with the identical subject, Tim Donaghy, an NBA referee (a position which can influence the outcome of a point spread on a game, so that only gamblers would be suspicious), was caught in a sting operation that many have said was only a matter of time before he turned himself in because he feared for his life.

Pamela Turner and Debra Lafave are names that have made the news.  If you don’t recall who they are, they’re among 54 (yes, fifty-four) teachers who’ve been accused of having sex with their students, all of whom were, naturally, minors.  Florida’s Orange Circuit Judge Bob Wattles was quoted as saying to such offenders who appeared before him, “Don’t have sex with your students…this is against the law.”  Really?  I can’t recall reading that in the teacher handbook.

The obvious question in all of this is: “WHY?”  Is it because people in a position of “power” feel immune to getting caught?  Or is it the thrill or excitement, the rush they get by committing an illegal act?  Maybe their job isn’t challenging enough to them (although with many of the names, their occupations certainly would seem challenging enough).  Obviously, there’s no one answer and maybe there’s no answer, period.

Yet, the title of the blog mentioned the “good” in these type of people.  It’s really not the people, but their transgressions that have some redeeming value.  What could it possibly be?  The simple fact that the majority of the nation becomes so outraged shows most everyone does know right from wrong and is appalled by such behavior.  It gets us talking about these social problems, promotes dialogue, in many cases between parents and their children to further strengthen the proper way to conduct oneself in society.

If nothing else, it may be a cure to those who feel that fame is the key to success and nothing is off limits.  For anyone thinking that’s the ticket, keep in mind what Lily Tomlin once said:

“I always wanted to be somebody.  Now I see I should have been more specific.”

It is so disturbing to see Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee siiting a few feet apart and one of them blatantly lying to Congress (while the other one is probably not telling the whole truth either).

One of the greatest pitchers of all-time who some people want to believe because he was, and still may be, their idol - because of his accomplishments, work ethic or they made money betting on him when he took the mound, not because of any evidence they have or know.  The same guy who others know for certain is guilty because they’re believers in the theory of “strengthening the weak while weakening the strong,” i.e. they’re jealous of anyone who’s had the success, adulation and made the money and won the awards Clemens has (that they feel, with a break or two, here or there, could easily have happened to them).

On the other side is an SRG (some random guy) who a number of people are positive is looking for his 15 minutes of fame and/or to cash in (maybe out of greed, maybe to get out of serious debt) by writing a future book or making a movie deal - all the things “those kind of weasels” do.  However, there exists a strong contingent who would swear that McNamee is giving it straight (although, this side has nor knows no more evidence than their counterparts).  He’s an average Joe like many others out there who are sick of the rich and famous being given breaks they themselves would never be privy to if and when they break the law.

The most ironic part is that Clemens doesn’t want his career (or “name”) tarnished - both of which are synonomous with mega-success (a good deal of which was accomplished before all this illegal activity took place) - assuming he’s guilty.  And if he’s innocent, the cynical mind set of this country/group of people who envy others who can do what they cannot will pin a guilty tag on him even if it’s proven beyond a doubt he’s not.

The worst part of all of this from my perspective is what our young generation sees and hears, both from TV, their parents and parents’ friends.  Here are the choices: 1) it’s OK to cheat if it makes you better at what you do, 2) it’s OK to lie about it because of 1), 3) if you need money or are jealous of someone, rat him out because in today’s society, there are many who’ll believe you, but, worst of all, 4) Ti-Grace Atkinson’s wonderful lesson is lost, and that is:

“There is at least one thing more brutal than the truth and that is the consequence of saying less than the truth.”

After watching Roger Clemens do his 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace, the thought that crossed my mind was not whether Clemens used steroids or HGH or anything else illegal, but what percent of the people viewing the show thought he did?  Once that number was disclosed (although it’s something we’ll never know), I would wonder how that percentage differed from what the people who were polled had thought prior to the interview.  I doubt there difference would be significant.

I never thought it was true when I used to hear the media (or even someone else in the general population) say, “In America, we build up our heroes so we can tear them down,” but I have to admit now that belief is pretty naive. 

I am absolutely certain that the feeling of this country changed - and this is a little out there for a guy who started blogging last April and has no statistics or information to prove anything - during Watergate.  Although it’s a little bizarre to tie in what people think of Roger Clemens and his possible steroid use to something that happened in the ’70s, no one can convince me that the nation didn’t become cynical (and maybe justifiably so) when the President of the United States looked directly into a camera and said, “I am not a crook,” only to have us find out he was blatantly lying.

After that, all bets were off.  The general thinking was, “If the President of the United States, the number one citizen in this land, can lie when it comes to admitting he made a mistake, why should we believe anyone?  So now, we believe nobody - and are content in the feeling never will anything be put over on us again.  Clemens’ assertion is that in the country today, the premise is “guilty until proven innocent.”  I don’t think the general population believes even that - and there have been several court cases nationwide that have made the country’s motto, “It doesn’t matter whether you did it or not, just whether your lawyer can get you off” (and a hefty settlement, of which he or she gets approximately a third) because people are going to think what they want anyway.  So to hell with my dignity, let me get mine.

Every relationship in life we have comes down to trust and as I said in my 12/17/07 blog, “Trust, once violated, can seldom be regained.”  Yet, there do exist innocent people and it would be wonderful to go back to the “innocent until proven guilty” standard, but there are too many people out there who are looking to put something over on somebody, to make a fast buck, to get their 15 minutes (now, with inflation, much longer) of fame.

Is Roger Clemens telling the truth?  I’d like to think so.  But, first, let’s get something clear.  I have no “fan” interest in this case.  My mother’s side of the family was from Brooklyn and my father used to say I was “brain washed” by them at a very young age(the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn at that time).  By the way, my dad was a Yankees fan.  Well, there couldn’t have been a bigger Dodgers fan - until I got to about 16 or 17 and pretty much became a fan of teams I actually played on, thinking it was silly spending time in angst over something you couldn’t do anything about.  Since then, I’ve rooted for teams if someone I know plays on or coaches them.  

I’d like to think Clemens is telling the truth because he’s been an outstanding player and I like to see people who work hard (not too many trained harder than the “Rocket” - even his detractors would have to admit that) and having role models with strong work ethics right about now (meaning 1- the state our country is in and 2- as a father, it’s a good thing to be able to point out to your kids that effort helps get you to the top).

All in all, this boils down to what Oliver Wendall Holmes said way, way back in what seems like the dark ages:

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”Â