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A thorny issue Readers torn on whether Rose deserves place in HOFPosted: Tuesday August 05, 2003 4:34 PM
The voters -- well, the e-mailers, anyway -- have spoken, and a slight majority deems Pete Rose worthy of a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Just don’t bet on hardball boss Bud Selig taking our very unscientific poll too seriously. The findings come from responses to a recent column on Rose's desire for reinstatement. The hit king obviously believes he’s served his time and that his return -- Cooperstown induction and a managerial gig -- would help invigorate the game. Rose remains a fan favorite, for sure, but only 54 percent of our respondents supported his induction. And there was plenty of negative feedback, as well. On to the mailbag ...
Pete Rose played baseball the way it is supposed to be played; that's why so many people love him. Do I believe he bet on baseball? Yes, I do. I believe Pete had a problem, much like an alcoholic or drug addict. Gambling is proven to be a disease like these others. But what do we do for the guys with these other diseases? The league gives them second, third and even fourth chances. Give him a chance to learn from a mistake -- Lord knows we all get them. I want my boyhood idol back! Larry, the comparison with the sins of others in the game is a defense heard frequently. If Rose has a gambling problem -- and the closest I’ve heard is his admission that “I made some mistakes" -- then he’d be best served to make such an admission and seek professional help.
It's a shame that a great player like Pete Rose is being kept out of baseball. He may have bet on baseball, but I doubt he ever bet against his team. Pete Rose only knows one way to play the game, 100 percent effort. He's not perfect, but he's a lot better role model than 90 percent of the active players today. The idea of betting against his team is hard to stomach, and that is also the gravest fear about wagering by athletes and others around the game. Who is to say how folks might react if they get heavily in debt to a bookie? As for a role model, Rose was a great contact hitter and played the game hard. Leave it at that.
That Major League Baseball would even consider re-instating Pete Rose is odious. It certainly lessens my attraction to baseball. Bud Selig has perfected the art of shooting MLB in the foot with every major decision he has made as commissioner. David, I share your thoughts on Bud Selig’s job performance, but reinstatement of Charlie Hustle would probably win him points with a fair number of fans. But, yes, it would sully the game’s image. The solution might be to get an admission from Rose on what he did and an apology. Then let him have his rightful place in Cooperstown -- but don’t let him manage or have an official role in the game.
If Pete Rose were reinstated, would I let him manage? I don't know about that one. I do know that he's right about hitting. I was at a church picnic last night and I was talking to another dad. Neither of us are professional athletes, but we agreed to the word about what Adam Dunn needs. He needs to learn to hit. Just like Pete says. Rose knows hitting for sure, and Cincy manager Bob Boone and hitting coach Tom Robson have been fired since his critique of Dunn. Maybe Pete should jump the lucrative card-signing gig and set up outside counsel to big league hitters.
Even today Pete Rose's concerns center on himself and not the game: “When I'M in the Hall, I will sell tickets, because people wanna see ME." Rose is one nasty, worthless, stupid, egocentric human being, and if he deserves to be in a hall, it should be the Hall of Detention. Wow, what do you really think, Jamie? Let’s just say that all great athletes come equipped with healthy egos and Pete Rose is no exception.
I have the same problem as former manager Dave Bristol on why Pete Rose took the “lifetime penalty" and didn't fight it. That, to me, proved his guilt and Pete probably thought that might prove his guilt as well and he'd get reinstated quickly. I still think that Pete Rose should not be let back into baseball. But I also think he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I think that a partial "reinstatement" to allow this is really the best thing for baseball. Good points. Maybe Rose got bad legal advice when he accepted the lifetime penalty, figuring then-commissioner Bart Giamatti would cut him some slack a couple years down the road. Except that Giamatti died of a massive heart attack eight days after Rose was banned in 1989. Fay Vincent, Giamatti’s successor and good friend, wouldn’t hear of a deal and Rose is only now getting the attention of Selig.
So Pete Rose is willing to do whatever it takes to get back into baseball. BIG DEAL. He needs to go away. He disgraced the game and himself. I am sure there are lots of people who wish they could get back into their old profession after getting caught in legal or ethical violations. He is no different. You’re right, but these same disgraced folks do occasionally resurface. Rose should have his plaque in Cooperstown -- and his accomplishments spelled out, as well as his sins.
Everybody makes mistakes, as we are only human. Pete Rose was one of the best players ever in baseball, and he certainly entertained a lot of people. And for that he deserves to be back in baseball and inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is a role model for everybody concerning the game of baseball. You won’t get an argument on his Hall of Fame credentials. But a role model for the game? Please. Give me someone with enough character to play by the rules.
An excellent story on Marshall University, which long ago replaced Memphis and Houston as the biggest outlaw in NCAA football. We agree that Marshall hasn’t run the cleanest shop. Not sure if it’s the biggest outlaw, though. It’s tough to top the funny stuff happening recently in places like Alabama and Kentucky.
Currently, Marshall is on NCAA probation for academic fraud, illegal payments to athletes and lack of institutional control. Additionally, more than a dozen Marshall football players have been arrested for various offenses, from DUIs to stabbings. Many of these players have not missed a minute of playing time as a result. This track record, far more than the Herd's fine home game results, is why the bugging story had legs within MAC circles. The suspicions floating around the MAC about Marshall having bugged the visiting locker room is definitely juicy. I suspect there is nothing to it. But, yeah, Marshall has a bunch of other issues and it’s clear the program hasn’t made many friends in the conference. Folks might want to keep an eye on the lawsuit that former compliance director Dave Ridpath is pursuing against Marshall.
You have to look at the history. NASCAR promised Bruton Smith a race date for Texas Motor Speedway. Bruton went out and bought half of the track at North Wilkesboro and moved the date to TMS before NASCAR had awarded a date to TMS. Then NASCAR said, “Well, there is your date." The fact of the matter is that Bruton jumped the gun. Everyone always says, "You snooze, you lose." It is true. But if you jump the gun, the penalties can be worse! Just ask Bruton. It’s business, Henry. So it’s hard to blame Bruton Smith for being pro-active in his NASCAR dealings. We’ll let the high-priced lawyers and courts decide who displayed the best timing. Mike Fish is a senior writer for SI.com. Comments? To e-mail Fish, click here.
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