Well, well, well. Look who’s come crawling back to the Bronx.
Word on the street is that A-Rod has put his agent, Scott Boras, on the bench and is talking with the Yankees directly about returning. Why? Because they are the only team that can offer him the kind of money he’s looking for.
Surprised?
I know who’s “surprised”: People like my roommate, who think that A-Rod’s feelings are hurt by the constant booing and his lack of acceptance as a “true” Yankee. People like Michael Wilbon, who are always yammering about how he needs to go to a city that “appreciates” him and will stick by him when he turns in another 2-for-18 postseason.
Ha!
The thing that’s killed me about A-Rod discussions from Yankee/New York haters is the constant idea that his feelings are so incredibly hurt when the fans don’t accept him. Look, I’m not saying he likes to get booed, or hear “You suck!” Nobody does. But for some people, that’s not always the only thing. And for some people, it’s not the worst thing in the world.
A-Rod has determined that yes, the fans don’t love him the way they do Derek Jeter, and how he’s always going to hear it from these people until he wins the World Series.
But you know what, he’s got his money, he’s got his fabulous apartment with a stunning view, his tanning sessions in Central Park, the finest assortment of built strippers in the country this side of Vegas, he’s got poker rooms all over the city, he’s got museums, he’s got celebrities to hang with, and he’s got a private plane to get him to Miami anytime he wants.
You really think a little booing is going to depress him? Keep him in the house eating TV dinners? Make him cry himself to sleep every night? You’re sadly mistaken, folks.
Once upon a time, a feisty but untalented New York Jet cornerback named Otis Smith was complaining about getting booed when he whined, “People don’t go to where you work and boo you.” At that time, I worked on a foreign exchange trading floor, where angry traders could always ring you up on the intercom, or “squawk box” as we called it, to yell at you.
When Smith said that, I said to my brother, “What’s he talking about? I get booed all the time at work! Screw him!”
“Why don’t you quit?” asked my brother.
“The money’s good,” I muttered.
The point is, for every Otis Smith who can’t deal with booing because they have feelings, there are some people who can, because, hey, the money’s good, and they can take it. Surprise! A-Rod is one of them. And for far too many people who hate their jobs, apparently, he’s one of you.
A-Rod didn’t really get rid of Scott Boras, he may be involved in the finalizing of negotiations. A-rod is going to get his $27 million a year even though the yankees should offer him no more than 20.
how do you think Jeter feels right now. i’m sure he’s been feeling like a weight had been lifted these last few weeks and then…a-rod comes crawling back.
sorry bout your luck yankees,
Keith
November 15th, 2007