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Well, it's between innings (seasons as it is) and I'm sitting in the stands of personal awareness looking out over this vast field of dreams, where dreams indeed do come true, under the heavy realization that players currently under persecution, their deceptions being brought to the light of day, were and still are, my childhood heroes. I've watched the scrutinizing media and social harrassment of Barry Bonds for the past 4 years, many arguing that they are upholding the "purity of the game" and coming to the rescue of those legends who have been surpassed in this era by Barry himself. Now, in 2008, we are all witness to the unravelling of the ex-greatest pitcher of this era, Mr. Roger Clemens, and the open attack on his character, his legacy, his wife and life. All I can feel is ... compassion.
They weren't/aren't the only ones. This truth, too, has been revealed. Many of those baseball comrades that were in the same game of deception have slipped under the radar, while others have the red dot circled and aimed on their forehead. Thus, here I am, a lover of this beautiful game, an open admirer of all of these men, in the silence of winters inactivity, awaiting springs bursts of life and baseball (beautiful how they go together) and really ... just wanting to be over it ... and this is how I am going to do it.
Compassion (an overrideing theme in my current graduate school studies).
Imagine ... YOU are the greatest hitter/pitcher in the game. Imagine that after 10 or so years of displaying how great you actually are, your abilities begin to wane, your bat speed begins to slow, your fastball loses its life ... and the fame that you have held for these past 10 years is also going down the toilet because now you become old news to the new kids that want nothing more than to dethrone you. But, not only is this all happening to your life and the dream you have held since you first picked up a mit and ball ... but you also can't leave this game alone. Let's not even think about the added financial factor and the prospect of losing out on millions of dollars that players that you perceive as being worse than you are going to be getting. You think to your confused, battled, conflicted self, "What can I do to get it all back? I know I can still play." Many people - fans, family and friends alike ("f" 'em) - have stopped believing in you, but you know you still got it ... you just need a little extra. We are all well aware of what follows.
Is this a product of the pressure that we place on these individuals in our admiration, following and idolizing? Is this the product of the "American Dream" for financial prosperity and the lifting yourself up from your bootstraps into financial independence that is cultural value of American culture? Is this also the product of being a kid and looking out onto this beautiful field of dreams and from that early age realizing and understanding on a deeply profound level that, "All I want to do is play baseball for the rest of my life." Roger idolized Nolan Ryan. Barry idolized Willie Mays. They both wanted to live that life.
I feel for/with them. Empathy comes from a german word, einfuhlung, which means "in feeling". Many of us, on the outside looking in with microscopic scrutiny, have never been in that situation. We don't know what it's like to be on top then be dropped by the very people that have said they love you and support you for so many years. We don't know that level of insecurity. Have compassion. Not only for Barry and Roger, but for ALL of the guys that were caught in the trap of trying to compete for notoriety against a bunch of guys who were getting ahead by artificial means. You can call it cheating, you can call it lying, but I honestly cannot say what I would do if I were in a situation where I was going to lose millions of dollars, fame and my ability to perform in this game that I love. So, I have compasion and ...
I'm over it.
Play Ball!!
They weren't/aren't the only ones. This truth, too, has been revealed. Many of those baseball comrades that were in the same game of deception have slipped under the radar, while others have the red dot circled and aimed on their forehead. Thus, here I am, a lover of this beautiful game, an open admirer of all of these men, in the silence of winters inactivity, awaiting springs bursts of life and baseball (beautiful how they go together) and really ... just wanting to be over it ... and this is how I am going to do it.
Compassion (an overrideing theme in my current graduate school studies).
Imagine ... YOU are the greatest hitter/pitcher in the game. Imagine that after 10 or so years of displaying how great you actually are, your abilities begin to wane, your bat speed begins to slow, your fastball loses its life ... and the fame that you have held for these past 10 years is also going down the toilet because now you become old news to the new kids that want nothing more than to dethrone you. But, not only is this all happening to your life and the dream you have held since you first picked up a mit and ball ... but you also can't leave this game alone. Let's not even think about the added financial factor and the prospect of losing out on millions of dollars that players that you perceive as being worse than you are going to be getting. You think to your confused, battled, conflicted self, "What can I do to get it all back? I know I can still play." Many people - fans, family and friends alike ("f" 'em) - have stopped believing in you, but you know you still got it ... you just need a little extra. We are all well aware of what follows.
Is this a product of the pressure that we place on these individuals in our admiration, following and idolizing? Is this the product of the "American Dream" for financial prosperity and the lifting yourself up from your bootstraps into financial independence that is cultural value of American culture? Is this also the product of being a kid and looking out onto this beautiful field of dreams and from that early age realizing and understanding on a deeply profound level that, "All I want to do is play baseball for the rest of my life." Roger idolized Nolan Ryan. Barry idolized Willie Mays. They both wanted to live that life.
I feel for/with them. Empathy comes from a german word, einfuhlung, which means "in feeling". Many of us, on the outside looking in with microscopic scrutiny, have never been in that situation. We don't know what it's like to be on top then be dropped by the very people that have said they love you and support you for so many years. We don't know that level of insecurity. Have compassion. Not only for Barry and Roger, but for ALL of the guys that were caught in the trap of trying to compete for notoriety against a bunch of guys who were getting ahead by artificial means. You can call it cheating, you can call it lying, but I honestly cannot say what I would do if I were in a situation where I was going to lose millions of dollars, fame and my ability to perform in this game that I love. So, I have compasion and ...
I'm over it.
Play Ball!!
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