Rodney Harrison is lucky. He didn't star in baseball. For if he had, no one would be discussing him as they are now in the wake of his announcement on Wednesday that he decided to retire from his game, pro football.After all, Harrison is Manny Ramirez. He is Alex Rodriguez. He is Rafael Palmeiro. He is -- it seems forgotten in all the laudatory talk about his standout 15 years as a safety in the NFL -- a busted and admitted drug cheat.
Just a couple seasons ago, Harrison was suspended for the first four games of the year for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He was 34 then and his Pro Bowl seasons were well behind him. He was able to keep going, apparently, not just by lifting weights and attending OTAs, but by using HGH, human growth hormone. Harrison admitted to obtaining HGH while pronouncing quite directly that he'd never taken steroids. It was almost as if he considered steroids an uglier stigma than his banned substance of choice.
In baseball, which we've picked on like no other sport for its mishandling of performance-enhancing drug abuse, there is no distinction between HGH or steroids or any other substance deemed against the tenants of fair play. At least there is no distinction made by those of us who support the game with ticket purchases and television packages, or write about it and broadcast it for a living. Most of us think that Ramirez, Rodriguez, and Palmeiro – and even those suspected, but not proven, to be drug cheats, like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire – don't deserve to be celebrated anymore. Indeed, McGwire's capture of Hall of Fame votes is decreasing with time. He will never get into the Hall unless he buys a ticket like the rest of us.
But Harrison is being talked about as a Hall of Fame football player after a career starring mostly in San Diego and the last several seasons with the perennial Super Bowl-contending Patriots. He isn't being talked about as he would if he was an equally successful first baseman – a would-be Hall of Famer who blew his chances after being discovered to have, in part, cheated his way to the top of his game. What's the difference between juicing your body to hit home runs and juicing your body to wallop wide receivers? There isn't any in my book.
The different lens through which Harrison is being viewed as a football player who got caught – in a federal investigation into illegal drug dealing, no less – is clouded, too. Indeed, his announcement also revealed that he would be joining NBC as an analyst on the football games it carries. Imagine that.
What's the difference between juicing your body to hit home runs and juicing your body to wallop wide receivers? There isn't any in my book.I don't think any of us would be walking out on a limb with a prediction that Manny, A-Rod or Raffy will never remain in baseball as color men in the booth. And even though Roger, Barry and Mark have only been convicted of PEDs abuse in the public opinion court, who among us could envision them ever taking over for Joe Morgan? Such would be the height of disingenuousness when it comes to broadcasters' hiring of ex-jocks, which is already difficult to digest when they embrace former stars like Sterling Sharpe, who refused to engage the media as a player, and retired coaches like Bob Knight, who exhibited little more than disdain for most workers in the media.
Rodney Harrison's retirement announcement is a reminder of a double standard in sports from which the marvelous athletes in the collision sport of football benefit mightily and those in the supposedly non-contact skill sport of baseball do not. We all but expect muscular physical marvels that are football players, who slam into each other and then flex in exultation, to be running on something other than training table grub. We aren't shocked when a Rodney Harrison, whose playing style was highlighted by hitting as hard as possible, is asked to sit down for using something like HGH. Maybe Harrison's banned substance use explains why he was one of the most financially penalized players for being aggressive beyond the call of duty – dirty, some charged.
"People have called me a dirty player," Harrison said Wednesday morning in a conference call. "I'm a very passionate player. I also understand that this is not volleyball. This is a very violent, physical game, and if you hit someone in the mouth, they're not going to be your friend. That's what the game of football is."
But let a baseball player start looking like an outside linebacker and start slamming baseballs further than we recall before, and we ring the alarm and plead with the gendarmes to toss him from the game for a good spell, if not forever.
Harrison has always been one of the more insightful and even candid players to talk to after a game. He sounds good and looks good expressing his point of view on his game. I don't doubt that he would make for a fine commentator on the game he played with a frightening abandon for so many years.
But if the NFL is to be serious about keeping banned PEDs out of its game, it can't afford to let those it has caught reap post-playing career rewards as faces of the game in the media. That sends the absolute wrong message.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
The only wrong message that I really see here is the Uncle Thomas who is writting this article and diminishing the glory of a great athlete that has paid his dues and his debts and is now ready to start the second career in his life. Crabs in a barrel I guess, the more thing changes the more they stay the same.
Harrison is one of those players who is loved by his home team and hated by everyone else. Seems like every team has a guy like that. As a result, this article will draw hateful comments from around the country, and defenders from New England and San Diego.
Bottom line is that Harrison really is a super nice guy and a great teammate. He took HGH while healing from an injury. Unlike many others, he immediately issued a heartfelt apology.
It is unfortunate that Mr. Blackstone has chosen to embellish his story by using slanderous lies in saying that Harrison was using substances during his active playing career (i.e., to wallop wide receivers, hit hard, etc.) Mr. Blackstone has made himself into a lesser human being than he is accusing Harrison of being.
Great article, it really disgusts me that there's never as much as a second thought to football players who cheat the game..whether it be Harrison or Shawne Merriman, but a baseball player who even thinks about steroids will forever be condemned.
So because Blackistone pointed out what most of us with brains (sadly, this apparently doesnt include you, Uncle Chris) are aware of as the obvious...hes an Uncle Tom?
Really.
Harrison wasnt just caught mooking about with a needle he bought from the towelboy...he was busted in part of a massive drug dealing ring, and his cooperation spared him the charges of distribution himself. This clownhole was passing along the fountain of youth drug to players either way beyond their prime, or werent as talented as they seemed in the first place.
Seau - shouldve been done, heck, WAS done, before he "graduated" to the Pats with his junkie pal Roidney. Coincidentally ALSO Roidney best pal at San Diego, where he looked unnaturally huge as well. Seau in Miami, however...yeah.
Mike eighth string LB at Pittsburgh...-ahem- blossoms into a holy terror from the position, noted for his "engine", and hustle, despite severely average talent, at best. Yeah, he wasnt buying from Roidney either.
How many other Pats were buying from Roidney, huh? Because thats what the F.B.I. discovered him doing. SELLING BANNED SUBSTANCES.
His career is a sham, plagued by dirty hits, most likely amplified by roid rage, and prolonging a career that was basically over before he got to New England by sustaining it with more drugs. Dudes a joke, so is Chris and/or anyone else who believes this guy has ANY credibility whatsoever.
He doesnt belong calling games...he belongs in an ESPN:Outside The Lines special on how to cheat your way to glory, and wind up calling games and being revered for it.
You couldn't be more right, claytor. All the professional sports governing bodies need to mandate a zero tolerance policy, you get caught once and your banned for life.
Completely false! Where do you get your information? National Enquirer? He never dealt to anyone and no one else on the Pats was ever part of this story. Harrison was caught receiving HGH in the mail for his own personal use -- which he only used while injured (to heal) and NOT while playing.
I wish more people played like RH. He played every down like it was the superbowl. Ronnie lott took bitches that crossed the infield out like garbage. Everyone called him cheap or a late hitter. RH took steroids and got caught and never lied. Story over. He was still a great player and wideouts would rather drop the ball then take his hit.. with or without steroids.
Difference is baseball players are sissys. Football players earn there careers in pain and suffering.
Such Hypocrites. But we know that NBC got to keep them ratings up.
RH was an above average football player seen by his peers as a cheap shot artist who was also busted for using HGH and could have been charged with distribution as well if not for his cooperation with the feds. Those who think he did right should also be happy when their kids use vet quality steroids in high school to get the same edge then suffer the consequences. He is a cheater and NBC should be ashamed for promotiong this type of person as the face of their NFL empire.
Rodney at least had the balls to stand up and say yes I took HGH while the baseball players all said no way will I ever put that stuff in my body then to have been found out that most of them did do illegal steroids football players play a very rough sport compared to baseball players and get paid a lot less per year and have way shorter careers and they are just one hit that can end their career also baseball players contracts are guaranteed no matter what they get their money that they were signed for football players are not unless it is a signing bonus and they can be cut for any reason so I really can't blame them for trying to extend their careers a few years to make some money to live on the rest of their life's yes it is wrong and illegal but I bet 95 % of us would do the same thing if we had the chance to make a few million a year extra to use roids for a few years rather than work for $6 a hour let's be honest people do not say no way come on now stop smiling and be truthful
There are a few simple reasons the public looks differently at “PED’S” in Football as to baseball. Steroids have been a part of the football culture especially in the NFL for a much greater period of time. I remember watching an interview with Todd Christianson and Gene Upshaw and them both saying “you knew what days to avoid Matuszak and Alzado on, those where they days they got their Shots” .. Steroids are a relatively new concept in the public’s eye in baseball. How I have no idea, my friends and I were chanting steroids at the “bash brothers” way back in the 80’s. football has always been played by bigger than life “MONSTERS” that we loved but never truly identified with. While baseball, we all played and even long after our own glory days were gone the guy playing first for the sox or dodgers still looked like we did. We identified with Hank and Yaz and Lefty. They looked like our neighabors. because we played too and in the back of our minds we all thought we could still. It was comforting. That’s why it’s Americas past time and not football. In football your supposed to be bigger and badder than EVERYONE watching. We hold the baseball record book sacred. Lineups for 35 years ago still argued about in barber shop seats. no one ever shouted out of a dark fox hole to they guy coming at them claiming to be American “ who was the starting left tackle for the Bears in 41”. Football may be the most watched sport in America but it will always be Baseballs little brother in the hearts of Americans !
Harrison is one of those players who is loved by his home team and hated by everyone else. Seems like every team has a guy like that. As a result, this article will draw hateful comments from around the country, and defenders from New England and San Diego.
Bottom line is that Harrison really is a super nice guy and a great teammate. He took HGH while healing from an injury. Unlike many others, he immediately issued a heartfelt apology.
It is unfortunate that Mr. Blackstone has chosen to embellish his story by using slanderous lies in saying that Harrison was using substances during his active playing career (i.e., to wallop wide receivers, hit hard, etc.) Mr. Blackstone has made himself into a lesser human being than he is accusing Harrison of being.
Dude...he was caught DEALING them. How in the world is that anything like rehabbing an injury???
You sell PED's to your teammates to make your knee better? Who knew.
Seau demonstrated Lyle like roid rage constantly while with the Pats, and Harrison was his teammate on the two teams Seau didnt underperform heavily on...is that merely coincidence? A known drug DEALER who turned what shouldve been an alright 7 year career into a 15 year one with PED's, and his blown up teammate freaking the hell out on the field in SD AND NE, while epic failing in Miami??? Theres a BIG reason why most vets were flocking to NE, and im guessing it was the cocktails Roidney was serving up, the guy is garbage. I dont care if he saved burning oprhans from a building, he bilked people endlessly, was an insanely dirty player (how many times did this guy never let go of a tackle, trying to roll and ankle or knee?!?!?). If the Enron guys donated to charity, would they still be cool people? Or just the cheats and criminals they truly are. This is Kevins case.
Roidney was selling drugs, not just taking them, and he kissed F.B.I. ass to keep playing.
Completely false! Where do you get your information? National Enquirer? He never dealt to anyone -- and no one else on the Pats was ever part of this story. Harrison was caught receiving HGH in the mail for his own personal use -- which he only used while injured (to heal) and NOT while playing.
The only thing people keep forgetting is that Mark Macguire at the time confessed to taking Androstine which at the time was not illegal to take and any one of us could have bought from GNC! now I don't condone taking steroids I actually think all that take them are stupid and cheaters but with Harrison it seems this is a witch hunt
what about painkillers and antidiflamitoreys these drugs are performance inhancers , i think players should be able to use HGH if they are injured or recovering , your never going to stop it ,
Here is the apology from Rodney Harrison:
"I want to make it clear that not once did I ever use steroids. I did admit to the commissioner that I did in fact use a banned substance. My purpose was never to gain a competitive edge. Rather my use was solely for the purpose of accelerating the healing process of injuries I sustained while playing football.
I have not made excuses nor will I make excuses. I made a mistake and I am very sorry for that. I understand that I am a role model from high school, to college, to young kids. I do not condone my business, my behavior. I am very, very embarrassed by it. I am disappointed in myself. To any young person, any high schooler, any college athlete, I sent the wrong message with my actions. And I would ask and I would want to be the example for them to never jeopardize what they believe in and never jeopardize their health. And they always have to love themselves."
Kevin, the only people who care about steroids in baseball are the media and Congress. The fans don't care. Andy Pettite, Jason Giambi, Manny ? The fans still like them. The reason Bonds and Clemens (who coined the word "misremembered")receive the fans' scorn is because they are jerks, not because of steroids. Of course you're right that when football players (even stars like Merriman) get caught "using" it barely gets mentioned on Sportscenter. I think that's mainly because you can measure home runs but you can't measure how much stronger or better a football player is due to steroids. Of course other types of cheating is fine and readily accepted, like spitballs (Gaylord Perry) and knowingly breaking a rule of not filming an opponents' practice (Patriots).
Amazing how many patriot and charger fans love this guy; I guess sports trumps everything. He was to be put on trial on felony charges until he squealed on his friends, and now he is a great guy. The concept that everyone else does it is a cop out; the list of players busted by the NFL is actually quite small. The guy is a cheater and extended his career illegally, thus depriving someone else of a job in the NFL. If he were not an NFL player, how many of those protecting him would want him as a next door neighbor? Zero!