Thoughts

Random thoughts pop up in my head like an AIM window. I like to think about things other than sports but usually my best thoughts flow when it comes to thinking about something related to the sporting world.

So as I was riding the train, doing my best to stay awake long enough for my stop, I started doing one of those mischevous laughs. I tried best to hide it and had a smile on my face. I didnt want people to automatically just assume I was crazy (I'd rather people get to know me and come to that conclusion by themself). So I did my best to hide it.

I was thinking about Alex Rodriguez admitting to getting together with Derek Jeter and having sleepovers.

The guy actually said "sleepovers". COME ON A-ROD. We know you're a bit wound up, with this season probably being the most nervous you've been in a while. We understand the frustration of having to deal with the question of Jeter every single day.

We understand having the Esquire magazine article from 2000 brought up every single time, in which you said Derek Jeter could never be a leader, is a bit much.

But COME ON A-Rod. You told the press that you had a sleepover. What I want to know more than anything is who told him to say that? Did his psychiatrist advise him to say sleepover? I mean this is proof that the there were three men having sleepovers over the age of 20 in the 90's, Jeter, A-Rod, and Michael Jackson.

Now Mike, we understand he's a bit of an...umm...yeah, there's not a word in the dictionary for what Michael Jackson is anymore. But now A-Rod is in that group. Not only that, he included Jeter in that group.

Imagine what Jeter was thinking when he read the quote about the sleepover. He must've rolled his eyes and thought to himself "come on A-Rod." He probably broke some expensive vases and glasses and then calmed himself down.

No way do you get to be Derek Jeter, king of cool, the best known ladies man since James Bond, multiple World Series Rings on his finger, with sleepovers on your resume.

The point I guess I'm making is that A-Rod's head was in the right place. But think about it, couldn't he have taken the macho stance and said "I crashed at his place for a few days and we'd chill."

No, there is no pencil-neck geek way of saying that so he said "sleep-over". I guess that is what they actually did. They played scrabble, talked about the girls they liked (jeter taking that list seriously and crossing off each name like an assasin), saying what they would do when they would grow up (Arod say be the greatest player, Jeter say winning championships), and do it all in sweats, eating ice cream while watching the Color Purple.

I suppose none of that happened (i'm betting on 2/3) but hey, A-Rod did say it happened.

Its nice to know that their relationship has deteriorated now where they are just teammates and root for each other.

Jeter meanwhile gave his cool, calculated response by saying "I root for him just as hard as anyone else". All while gritting his teeth and wanting to say how absolutely fourth grader-like A-Rod sounded.

Some like to assume that A-Rod was right to just put his relationship with Jeter out there for everyone to see instead of continuing to lie about it, but in many ways, this probably cracked that exit door for A-Rod just a bit wider. He never fit in here at NY. He is still a great player, but almost 7 years after that Esquire article, Jeter has become the leader that A-Rod can't be. Jeter is the guy with the championship rings and the toast of New York that A-Rod might've been had he signed with New York.

But in the city where he has not proven himself, A-Rod chose to have the New York Yankee faithful suffer him while this, his final year with the Yankees (unless a miraculous shift happens) plays out.

Beyond all this, where is A-Rod's head at? Is that what he needed to get his mind clear? To unlock Pandora's box and reveal things about his life? He tried and look what he told us? Do we really want to know more?

Needless to say, the year in the Bronx should be mighty interesting.