Major League Baseball Should Fold in Its Poker Game with Alex Rodriguez
August 4, 2011 · Gary Ayd · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Commissioner, League Brass Must Stop “Poking” Their Head in ARod’s Business:
By: Gary M. Ayd
I am not here to be Alex Rodriguez‘s publicist. Nor am I going to claim in this space that he is a stand-up or likeable guy because he is not.
That said, he also is not Albert Haynesworth, stomping on people’s heads, Ugueth Urbina going Freddie Krueger on some farmers, or even Barry Bonds fighting his teammates in the dugout and ignoring them after the game.
ARod, a millionaire many times over, plays poker.
The same game that you (and I) play with our buddies over a few cold ones while watching the football game and eating greasy pizza and hot wings. The major differences between the game you and I play in and ARod’s game, besides MLB’s paranoia of course, is money and celebrity.
I understand that baseball is afraid of ARod becoming Pete Rose II, and I follow the train of thought that says: well if he enjoys this form of gambling he may progress to betting on games.
That said, it is not illegal to play cards with your buddies. In ARod’s case, the fact that he lost several thousand dollars according to reports is not even irresponsible, as we all know ARod has plenty of paper.
Suggestion for you Commish—why don’t you figure out how to make your game, sport and league more appealing to people other than media types, hardcore ballplayers and old people before getting on your high horse to disparage ARod for engaging in a perfectly acceptable and perfectly legal activity?
Bottom line: there is nothing illegal about poker in the greater context of American law (unless of course it’s online…arrh this angers me), so there is no way you can convince me that it needs to be illegal in your sport, or any other sport for that matter.
As long as the players are not betting on their teams to LOSE in games they are directly involved in, who cares if they bet on their own sport or even their own team? It does not jeopardize the integrity of the game in any way.
The players would not have any reason to try and lose if they bet on their team to win; in fact they would try harder to make sure they won so they could get paid!
Poker is a game. ARod, the public and yours truly enjoy playing it. We do not enjoy some old man who is out of touch with reality poking around our affairs.
Bud: quit poking your head where it does not belong.
Sincerely,
Progressive and clear-thinking citizens everywhere.
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