FOLKS ARE RUSHING TO DEFEND A-ROD.  THEY ARE USING HIS GREAT STATS AS PROOF OF HIS ABILITY.  THIS IS AN ERROR.  THOSE VERY SAME STATS SHOW THAT HE IS A PAPER TIGER WITH THE GAME IN THE BALANCE. 

        A-ROD IS A NICE GUY.  A-ROD IS A GOOD MAN, A DECENT PERSON, A SUPPORTER OF CHILDREN'S CAUSES.  A GENTLEMAN.

           A-ROD HAS TALENT.  A-ROD HAS MANY VIRTUES, ON AND OFF THE PLAYING FIELD.

             HIS MAJOR FLAW IS A FATAL ONE -- NOTHING IN HIS RESUME CAN OUTWEIGH HIS INABILITY TO HIT WHEN THE GAME IS ON THE LINE.

            STATING THIS FACT, IS NOT AN ATTACK ON A-ROD - IT IS AN ACCURATE EVALUATION OF THE MAN. 

              A PILOT  THAT CAN'T LAND THE PLANE IS FATALLY FLAWED.

               ALL HIS OTHER SKILLS AND TALENTS ARE OF LITTLE OR NO VALUE, IF HE IS

UNABLE TO LAND HIS CRAFT SAFELY AT THE END OF THE JOURNEY. 

               A-ROD IS ABLE TO DO MANY THINGS, BUT AT THE MOMENT OF CRISIS, THE MOMENT OF HIGH DRAMA,  HE CAN'T PERFORM AT A SATISFACTORY LEVEL, NOT A GREAT LEVEL, JUST A DECENT ONE.

                 ALL PLAYERS FAIL AT TIMES --- I HEARD A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION ON THE MIKE AND MIKE RADIO SHOW, WITH TREY WINGO --  THE IDEA WAS THAT REGGIE JACKSON OFTEN STRUCK OUT IN KEY SITUATIONS AND NO ONE WENT  AFTER HIM, LIKE THEY GO AFTER A-ROD.

                    THE POINT WAS MADE THAT REGGIE STRUCK OUT LIKE A WARRIOR IN BATTLE AND A-ROD  GOES DOWN LIKE A LAMB GOING TO THE SLAUGHTER.  STRIKING OUT LIKE REGGIE WAS MAKING A STATEMENT, EVEN IF THE OTHER TEAM WON THAT TIME - THERE WAS GRANDEUR IN REGGIE'S STRIKE OUTS AND A MESSAGE THAT, THE OTHER TEAM DODGED A BULLET - REGGIE'S STRIKE OUT WAS A WARNING FOR THE NEXT TIME.

                         NOW, A-ROD WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO MAKE WHAT I THINK MAY BE THE GREATEST QUOTE IN BASEBALL HISTORY --- REGGIE SAYING ---->

WHEN I STEP INTO THE BATTER'S BOX, THERE IS A MAN IN SCORING POSITION.

                   IT IS NOT IN HIS PERSONA TO BE SO BOLD AND THAT IS FINE - A-ROD SHOULD BE A-ROD -- ONLY GET SOME HITS WHEN THE GAME IS ON THE LINE.

                        A-ROD SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE MVP OVER BIG POPPY LAST SEASON -- A-ROD RUNS UP NICE NUMBERS AND THEN CRASHES THE PLANE -- BIG POPPY, PUTS OUT THE FIRE AND LANDS  THE CRAFT SAFELY, WHEN ALL SEEMED LOST.

                       IT IS TRUE THAT NEW YORK IS TOO BIG A STAGE FOR ALEX -- HE IS A BIG FISH, WHEN IN A SMALL POND - BUT PLAYING NEXT TO A MAN LIKE DEREK JETER,

A-ROD LOOKS SMALLER AND SMALLER EVERYDAY.

                         A-ROD IS A GOOD MAN, IN THE WRONG PLACE -- THE HEAT IN THE KITCHEN IS TOO INTENSE  IN THE BRONX.  HE NEEDS TO MOVE AWAY AND THEN CONTINUE TO RUN UP HIS HALL OF FAME STATS --- BUT I SEE NOTHING TO TELL ME THAT HE WILL EVER LAND A PLANE IN THE WORLD SERIES VICTORY CIRCLE.