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Ortiz: Forever tainted or still our Big Papi?

Reaction from some local bloggers about the news about Ortiz (Ortiz's statement):

Noternie, who was at game 5 of the 2004 ALCS - which Ortiz won - is disgusted if the news is true:

... All the good feelings he generated and good will he enjoyed were based on lies. He cheated. He lied. He marketed himself and allowed himself to be marketed as the "good guy," the big lovable hero. All the time he knew it all to be lies? ... He is a liar and a cheater. I will not forgive him for the shame this brings to the franchise and the World Series wins in 2004 and 2007. ...

Jimmy isn't buying the outrage:

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that upsets me about this whole situation is the tidal wave of insane reactions and irrational sanctimony that is is sure to drown us all over the next few days. ...

If this Times article is shocking to you, it means that you are either a) not paying attention, or b) not very perceptive.

I'm headed down to Baltimore to see the Sox play in "Fenway South" tomorrow and Saturday. Just yesterday afternoon, I bought a brand new authentic home jersey to wear to these two games at Camden Yards. Can you guess what number is on the back of my jersey? Of course you can – #34. ...

Michael Gee, who, as a sportswriter has a vote to decide who gets into the Hall of Fame, writes:

... I don't give a shit. If it's possible to give less than a single shit, that's what I give about news of drug use that took place in the increasingly distant past. ...

Curt Schilling's first reaction was disappointment:

... David is a close friend, and my goal at home is to make sure that my kids understand that being a good person, treating people right and being kind doesn’t excuse you from making stupid mistakes and bad decisions. As long as you own up and are accountable. ...

Pink Hat Hell explains why Tony Massarrotti's reaction to the news means Mazz is either a hypocrite or somebody who needs to be checked by a neurologist.

Teddy Kokoros writes:

... The reason PEDs where so prevalent was because MLB did not really have a coherant drug policy. Thus, I do not feel The Sox wins are at all tainted. ...

Jeff Louderbeck: Now the bashing of David Ortiz for reported usage of illegal performance-enhancing drugs can justifiably begin.

Josh Turiel says it's unfair to criticize Ortiz for possible PED use in what was a different, pre-testing, era:

... So long as he doesn't use them nowadays, he's cool by me. Even A-Rod - I don't hate him because he did steroids. I hate him because he's a douche. ...

Ed Cafasso considers the PR ramfications of the news, concludes:

... Ramirez's handling of the crisis should be the baseline for Ortiz. But Big Papi's reputation is bigger and better. As a consequence, he is going to have to apologize a lot more.

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Comments

The hardest thing about the Ortiz and Ramirez situations is that 2004 meant so much to the city and these guys were keys to that incredible season. Now that year and 2007 are forever tainted, and if you're a diehard Red Sox fan it's absolutely heartbreaking.

As a sports fan you can get fixated on a special season for your favorite team. It's weird, but it becomes a part of you. I have been a Chicago Bears fan for decades and suffered through some dreadful seasons in the 1970s. The 1985 Bears team (of Super Bowl Shuffle fame) will forever have a place in my heart. They don't have to win another championship; hell, they don't even have to ever get into the playoffs again. (Though I hope they will!) I'll always have 1985.

That's how many Red Sox fans feel, or maybe felt, about the 2004 season. It's a huge blow when some of the icons of that team so disappoint you, and spoil the meaning of that year. Say all you want about sports being overemphasized in our society, but there are those special seasons.....

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EVERYONE else was doing it. Give up your self contrived outraged.

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I'm not outraged. I'm not a Red Sox fan. I'm not a Yankees fan. Good grief, I'm a lifelong Cubs fan, they of Sammy Sosa fame, not to mention 1969, 1984, and...I can't go on. As such, I spend more time these days managing my fantasy team than following real life...

If you're looking for outrage, I think you need to look in the mirror.

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do you think there were any steroid users on that team? does it spoil it for you?

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do you think there were any steroid users on that team? does it spoil it for you?

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It's unambiguous that taking this stuff to improve your performance is against the rules of baseball, perhaps because they provide an unfair advantage or because the substances are controlled according to the FDA or becuase they can cause irreparable long term harm to the player.

Whether we care about the rules anymore is better question anyway.

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It is now, but it was not against the rules in 2003, when these tests were taken.

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What I'm curious about is what sort of performance-enhancing drug for which he tested positive. That description covers a wider range of things than steroids. I acknowledge my Sox/Ortiz fan bias here, but I feel like if it were steroids Ortiz would have admitted it today. I hope I don't have to eat my words on this, but I hope that the whole story comes out soon.

And the rest of the names on the list, for that matter. If a few people are going to be called out for it, everyone should.

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... and see just what is was he tested positive for, before we all jump on him with spikes. There are any number of substances that can cause a positive result on various drug tests, and not all of the positives mean that a person is automatically worth dissing.

Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com

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... we need to apply that same standard to players we 'hate' (A-Rod, Barry Bonds, etc.)

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So, was the curse ever really reversed? Don't think so.

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Well, it may be that the whole era should be considered a separate, tainted period of the game's history. I thought the 1998 McGwire-Sosa HR derby was the defining event, but if the use of performance enhancing drugs basically permeated the game, we're looking at a solid decade-plus of juiced-up play.

Maybe we're moving past it. If you look at major league rosters, you see the influx of some incredible, amazing talent over the past few years. This includes some top-flight young pitching, which may be a partial indication that the generation of 'roid enhanced sluggers is starting to fade away.

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