Little Leaguers, high-school players, and hometown fans alike were disappointed to see yet another of their baseball heroes, Alex Rodriguez, added to the list of players who admitted to using performance enhancing substances. Parents and coaches who have used idolized players like Rodriguez as examples of those who get ahead by playing healthy have to be shaking their heads, wondering what news will break next.

On Saturday, Sports Illustrated reported that Rodriguez had tested positive for two anabolic steroids (testosterone and Primobolan) in 2003. In an interview with ESPN, A-Rod admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-2003. Here’s what Rodriguez said:

“When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure, felt all the weight of the world on top of me to perform and perform at a high level every day. Back then, it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid, I was naive and I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth, you know, being one of the greatest players of all time. And I did take a banned substance. For that, I’m very sorry and deeply regretful. And although it was the culture back then in major league baseball overall … it was very … I just feel that … I’m just sorry. I’m sorry for that time, I’m sorry to my fans, I’m sorry to my fans in Texas. It wasn’t until then that I thought about substance of any kind, and since then I’ve proved to myself and to everyone that I don’t need any of that.”

As parents and caregivers, what do you think of his statement?

P.S. Want to learn more about performance enhancing substances so you can be informed when you to talk to your teen? The Partnership recently launched a website to provide parents and teens information on the heath risks from steroids, stimulants and HGH.

• 	Posted by: Joe Keenan | 3 Comment(s)
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Michael Phelps, Santonio Holmes and Bob Hayes: Three sports legends and one unprecedented weekend.

For those who don’t regularly follow sports, Phelps is an Olympic legend with 14 gold medals, Holmes is a football star with a Super Bowl ring and the Hayes was both - a multiple gold medal winner and one time “world’s fastest man” and also Super Bowl winning wide receiver from the Dallas Cowboys.

And, this past weekend, they gave us three very different perspectives of the intersection of sports and drugs.

On Saturday, Hayes was posthumously elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Whether Hayes would ever make the Hall has been an ongoing debate for nearly 30 years. He had what most considered a Hall-worthy career, but the taint of a 1979 drug arrest for delivering narcotics to an undercover police officer and the resulting 10-month prison stint had long been considered the reason he was not getting inducted. He finally made it, but didn’t live to see his long time dream realized.

In a story that developed over both Saturday and Sunday, Phelps acknowledged that a picture of him smoking marijuana at a University of South Carolina party was authentic. This has been followed by a series of spin-control, PR moves and apologies and has resulted in Kellogg’s not renewing his endorsement contract and a 3-month suspension from USA Swimming. It is much too early to know how this will impact his standing and legacy.

Then, on Sunday, Holmes who has admitting to dealing drugs when he was in elementary school and was arrested for marijuana possession earlier this year, had a breakout performance in the Super Bowl which ended with him scoring what is already considered one of the greatest touchdowns in football history and being named MVP of the game.

As a parent, these give us plenty of topics to discuss with our kids. We can talk about Phelps’s poor judgment and the contradictions of his supreme physical conditioning and his unhealthful behavior. We can talk about the way that the consequences of our actions follow us much longer than we might realize. We can talk about the brave decisions that Holmes made to change a dead end course into a productive life, but also how that battle still continues. But most of all, we can share with our children the knowledge that brilliance in sports does not make a person a role model and that no one, no matter how wealthy or famous, is immune to the negative impacts of drugs.

• 	Posted by: James Ponti | 3 Comment(s)
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Oops, he did it again. News reports of Olympic swimming phenom Michael Phelps’ latest embarrassing brush with drugs and alcohol last weekend almost outpaced news of our troubled economy and that other big sports event that takes place every February.

Following the 2004 Olympics, Phelps was caught drunk driving, and promised his fans it would never happen again. Just four years later, Phelps was photographed taking a bong hit at what was reported to be a party at a university Phelps was visiting. (View the photo here.) The US Olympic Committee said, “Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people…in this instance, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities.”

Many of us know by now that the brain doesn’t fully develop the ability to make good judgments until age 25 — Phelps is 23 — but I’m still surprised at seeing that this unfortunate decision was made so publicly. Reports that Phelps has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder also pique my concern — some research studies have shown a greater risk of drug abuse among kids with this diagnosis. It’s not my place to be a parent to Phelps, but it’s definitely my place to talk to my kids about this situation.

Have you talked to your kids? What did they say — and what did you tell them?

• 	Posted by: Joe Keenan | 6 Comment(s)
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I like sports.  My son, Tank, REALLY likes sports.  But, we don’t have season tickets anywhere because, frankly, you have to have been on a waiting list since your great-grandfather got off the boat.  We are lucky enough to get tickets from friends sometimes and it’s a real treat to take my son to a game.  Especially a football game. (Don’t know if you’ve heard that Brett Favre recently became a Jet – not too many people are talking about that one.)

Unfortunately, sometimes when you go to a game, especially a Jets game for some reason, the fans can be a bit unruly.  (Don’t know if you’ve heard that Brett Favre recently became a Jet – not too many people are talking about that one.)  Spectators can be seen throwing things, fighting, harassing others, making obnoxious comments and gestures, flashing various parts of their anatomy, usually fueled by several too many beers.

Last week, the NFL announced a recommended “Fan Code of Conduct” for its teams and yesterday the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, which operates Giants Stadium where the Giants and Jets play, weighed in with detailed guidelines that echo the NFL’s approach.  (Don’t know if you’ve heard that Brett Favre recently became a Jet – not too many people are talking about that one.)

Parking lots will open only five hours before events instead of seven (I’m pretty sure five hours is enough time to grill a hot dog),  authorities will be restricting alcohol purchases and revoking season tickets from unruly fans - or from season-ticket holders who have given or sold their seats to misbehaving fans. 

Jets owner Woody Johnson said, “As a father, I find it completely unacceptable if fans are uncomfortable bringing their children to a Jets game.”  With these new guidelines, it’ll be a lot more likely that we can enjoy Jets’ games with our kids.  Even more so since Brett Favre recently became a Jet – not too many people are talking about that one.

 (Getty Images)

Recently became a Jet
(Not too many people were talking about that.)

• 	Posted by: Sarit Catz | 1 Comment(s)
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My colleague Jim Siegel attended last night’s Home Run Derby and has the following to share with us:

Last night at Yankee Stadium, before the Home Run Derby began, the crowd cheered when hometown stars Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Alex Rodriguez and Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson were interviewed live from the field over the Public Address system.

But those cheers were low volume compared to the chant that engulfed the stadium later in the evening. That’s when Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers was smashing one homer after another on his way to hitting 28 in Round One of the Home Run Derby.

No one’s ever done what Hamilton did last night.

Fifty-seven thousand plus voices — me included — roared, “Hamil-TON! Hamil-TON! Hamil-TON!”

From my seat amidst the noise, I watched Hamilton down at home plate.

It seemed as if he was the one calm person in the whole place.

He did all the normal ballplayer things – take a pitch, take a practice swing, check his batting gloves, knock dirt off his spikes with his bat.

But you could sense from his manner, from his stance, and from his swing that he was filled with some sort of calm.

Later he told the press that he was “in the zone.”

What’s the source of that inner calm?

Hamilton says his calm comes from “a higher power” that helps him stay drug-free after years of terrible drug addiction that came this close to ruining his life.

Drug addiction is a complicated disease. To overcome it requires tremendous self-discipline every single day. To overcome it requires help from others.

The story of Josh Hamilton’s comeback this year and his accomplishment last night is – and I choose this term carefully – heroic.

But no less heroic are the stories of many people we know personally – teenagers, young adults, older adults. These are people who have struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, people who are in recovery today – some for days, some for months, some for years. I bet if you asked Josh Hamilton, the calm guy amidst the roars that filled Yankee Stadium last night, he would agree that they’re heroes as well. And that we should applaud each of them, too.

P.S. If you don’t know Josh Hamilton’s story, check out this Sports Illustrated cover story from June 2, 2008.

• 	Posted by: Joe Keenan | 5 Comment(s)
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I’ve been a die hard Boston Red Sox fan since I was nine-years old.  (See picture to the right as exhibit A.)  As such, my rooting passions have almost exclusively rested on those who call Fenway Park home.  Still in rooting, reveling, groaning, screaming, crying and cheering for the Sox, I don’t think I ever have rooted against someone else.  To me, that’s just not what sports and being a fan is all about.  I can hate the Yankees as an evil empire.  But it is a hate tempered with respect to their amazing traditions of success.  And it is attached to my admiring awe for the likes of Derek Jeter, Mo Rivera, Hikdeki Matsui and Jorge Posada.  Okay, so I didn’t include A-Rod, still you get my point.  I root for my team, not against the other.  Which is why I was so appalled last year when I went to my first game at Wrigley Field.  The Cubs were playing the Reds and my friends and I were seated in the outfield.  Sitting near me was a group of fans who were openly jeering and taunting one of the Reds outfielders.  Even though I’m not one for taunting, I’ve got no problem with others doing it if it is clever and in the spirit of fun. 

This was neither.

The player’s name was Josh Hamilton and his story is both legendary and cautionary.  A can’t miss prospect and former #1 draft pick, Hamilton’s career had been sidelined and derailed and his life expectancy dramatically cut short by his severe addictions to drugs and alcohol.  He went from can’t miss to can’t live.  There are numerous media accounts of his struggles and I suggest you read some.  They are sobering in more ways than one. 

 And, here he was making a brave attempt to right that life, conquer those demons and play his way back into the major leagues.  And in addition to his demons, he had to put up with drunken fools taunting him about those addictions.  This is no indictment of the Cubs and their fans.  (Surely, they’ve suffered enough.)  I have read that he faced similar reactions in a number of ballparks.  But, this was the moment I became a Josh Hamilton fan. 

This season Josh is playing for Texas Rangers and he is playing like a man determined to break records and not hearts.  He is the American league leader in Home Runs and RBI’s and is among the best in Batting Average.   And none of these things matter compared to his true victories.  He is beating his addictions and reclaiming his life.  He is doing great, but he has such a long, long way to go.

I’ll be rooting for him the whole way.  (Except when he plays the Red Sox of course.) 

• 	Posted by: James Ponti | 0 Comment(s)
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With the arrival of Opening Day, baseball fans have their eyes focused on the upcoming season.  A number of outlets from ESPN to talk radio to print media have commented on the fact that it’s nice to be able to finally talk about baseball instead of steroids.  Both of these are true for me.  I’m looking forward to my beloved Red Sox trying to defend their World Series title.  And I’m glad to no longer listen to debates about whether or not we should trust Roger Clemens or Brian McNamee.  But just because it’s out of the headlines, doesn’t mean the problem has been resolved.  It only means that it has burned out its freshness in our 24-hour news cycle.

It has been my experience that families work much the same way.  A problem like an addiction will come into focus and will drain all of the family’s attention for a period of time.  During this period, discussions will take place, plans will be put into motion and - most importantly - promises will be made.  During the crisis period we are at our best.  Eventually, the family trauma exhausts everyone and fades into the background.   They try to move on and hope that the problems have been solved.

We do have to move on.  And we do have to keep from dwelling on a single problem at the expense of all other considerations.  But, just as Baseball will only truly heal if the powers that be do the tough work and revisit the problem without the headlines in order to check on progress, our families will only heal if we go to the trouble of checking in on hard to talk about issues and make sure that everyone is following up on those promises.  

Just because something is out of the spotlight, doesn’t mean that it’s no longer there. 

• 	Posted by: James Ponti | 4 Comment(s)
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Thank goodness the writer’s strike has ended.  (For the record, I was part of the 90% that voted to end the strike.)  In the absence of traditional Hollywood fare, a slew of reality shows developed in their place.  Many of these had a surprisingly high drug and alcohol content.  In case you missed them, here are some scenarios:

Liar, Liar - The West Wing meets Sports Center in this political drama that pits rivals battling it out in Congress.  Only in this drama the rivals aren’t Republicans and Democrats, but a legendary athlete and the trainer who claims to have supplied him with Performance Enhancing Drugs. 

Full (Wine) House - This popular awards show features a star with a drug problem severe enough that the US Department of State won’t allow her a visa to enter the country.  Therefore she has to accept her awards on a closed circuit television.  Amazingly, one of the awards she wins is for a song called Rehab.  (That, children is what we call irony.) 

American Idle - Like the similarly named talent show, this series features an attractive young woman with a good if not great singing voice who, with the help of high production value, big-time packaging and hype, is turned into a superstar.  Only during this series, she doesn’t sing.  She is just a pawn as others move her in and out of therapy and medical care. 

• 	Posted by: James Ponti | 0 Comment(s)
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The Mitchell Report, which examines the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs in major league baseball, is different things for different people.  For columnists and talk radio hosts, it has provided fodder for debates and questions about who did what and when.  For young athletes hopefully it has been a warning of the dangers of such drugs.  But for parents, it has presented an inspiration. 

Forget the names.  Forget questioning the thoroughness.  Forget the ugliness involved.  The Mitchell report has done one very significant thing.  It has taken something that most fans suspected - that drugs are a problem in baseball - and it has turned that suspicion into a conversation.  No matter how uncomfortable it is, the communication is necessary to move in the right direction.

Likewise, there are many families in which despite the veneer of normalcy, there is the underlining suspicion of a problem - whether that problem is drugs or alcohol or something else.  And like baseball, that problem needs to be discussed.  The good thing is that you don’t need hire a senator and a team of investigators.  You just need to face the problem and commit to making it better. 

• 	Posted by: James Ponti | 2 Comment(s)
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