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Gee, where is Penn and Teller when you need them? "We're Penn and Teller and Selena Roberts is bull----!!!"

People have been asking me why I haven't written about the book A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez by Selena Roberts. Well I have been a little more politically motivated these days and not really paying attention to sports books. I'm a little too interested in reading, currently, the Iran Elections. However, as a quick read, I happened to pick up the book from my local book store and, quite frankly, this was not the book I was expecting.

Putting it mildly, in the words of Christopher Hitchens, as if he were describing the deceiving Mother Teresa, "I would describe Selena Roberts as a fraud, a fanatic, and (instead of a fundamentalist as the so-called "Saint") a feminist."

First of all, I am not saying that Miss Roberts is a sort of Pinocchio. From reading the text, it is as if she had put a lot of work and time into this personal attack at Alex Rodriguez, who has had to deal with a great amount of innuendo these past couple of months due to the relevations of PED's during his stint with the Texas Rangers (2001-2003) and some personal trouble with his marriage. As a unbiased Yankee fan, I was extremely disappointed with these new facts about the third baseman, but I had to accept that during the so-called "Steroid Era," I have to assume that everybody who was playing in Major League Baseball was or had experience with steroids or other PED's. I sort of had the assumption that Rodriguez didn't just do all of his hard work with just lifting.

However, you cannot tell me that I have to take this book seriously and take all of the "evidence" and look through it critically. This is for an obvious reason; because this is a work of mostly speculation, not investigation. The evidence is based on players' personal accounts with A-Rod and what they thought he was doing. There is no scientific evidence that his 25 pound gain in high school before his junior year was either benefitted with the use of PED's or just the natural Darwinian process of puberty. The only credible source of information she gets is basically a reiteration of what Jose Canseco has said publicly and through his two works (for the sake of cashing in) Juiced and Vinicated. This was as if I was reading an opinion page from the New York Times as if no evidence was required to show a point of view. There is no question, from whatever Miss Roberts' point of view, that she has a problem with men in the spotlight like Alex Rodriguez, and there is a mountain of text from the book that portrays this jealously of his wealth. 

Speaking of the New York Times, I invite you to read this little piece of opinion: When Peer Pressure, Not a Conscience, is your Guide

Please read, because you will fully understand her agenda in comparing these two writings that span within a brief period of three years. Whatever her sexual orientation is, she A.) obviously has a problem with the male gender, and B.) doesn't comprehend a understanding of college sports culture. I implore you to select C.) Both are correct.

Before you dare read this book of just accusations and not information, know that this is the same woman who was completely against the three Duke lacrosse players who were wrongfully accused of rape. Her comments on that page are that of an uninformed mother (not that she actually is or will be) who doesn't know a thing about sports. She has this preconception that teammates would never rat anybody out if something were to come up that would trouble a team. Now, as a former lacrosse player and a teammate first, this is not what coaches advocated; whenever an issue came up, someone, or more likely the whole team, would take responsibility because it was our duty to show character. It was fortunate for the Duke players to be found innocent later on. However, when it comes to Selena Roberts, who are you really going to trust?

In concluding this piece, I hope that you share my knowledge that she is in the least bit interested in telling the truth to the public (just like charlitain Bud Selig, who apparently has not owned up completely to this debacle of lies and deception called the steriod era), but rather getting her share of wealth (which would probably never be the same as A-Rod, but is similar to what Selig blabbered about the revenue in baseball during the era because of the moster stats from Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa*, etc). It is unfortunate that ESPN, MLB Network, and the media in general were made to be fools because of this personal attack not just at A-Rod's steroid use, but his entire personal life which is entirely uncalled for (his religious experiences, his nightlife, which by the way Roberts called the waste of a website TMZ.com as a "source" of information). Writers should seriously look at Selig as a pioneer of not taking action or responsibility for involvement and not just the player's union and players, because for Selig, I hope he doesn't get into the hall of fame for "his actions of duty to clean up baseball", because it is a pity there is no way to ban a commissioner This is a book that should have stayed as an article for Sports Illustrated. 

*Am I surprised by the relevation of Slammin' Sammy? Not at all.