LAST week it was was Michael Phelps who was made to look like a dope and now an American sportsman who is even more arrogant, rich and unlikeable – and sleeps with 50-year-old pop stars more muscley than himself – has admitted to a drug habit.
The bombshell that Alex Rodriguez took steroids has rocked the world of Major League Baseball and the New York Yankees star apologised to fans after being fingered for taking steroids while he was with the Texas Rangers.
After a storm of publicity, A-Roid owned up, saying he took drugs from 2001-03, after he signed a record £175m deal to move from Seattle to Texas.
The 33-year-old said: “It was a different culture. I was young, I was stupid and I wanted to prove to everyone I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time and I did take a banned substance. For that, I’m very sorry and deeply regretful, although it was the culture back then in baseball overall. I’m sorry for that time.
“Since then I’ve proved to myself and to anyone that I don’t need any of that.”
A-Rod joined the Yankees in 2004 and signed a £195m deal with the megabucks outfit in 2007, making him the richest player in any American sport.
The home run blaster insisted he has been clean since moving to the Big Apple and did not even know what drugs he had been taking in Texas.
But the US Justice Department are now on his case and his career hangs in the balance.
Come on guys, this bloke recently shagged Madonna. Hasn’t he been through enough suffering already?
SPORT ROUND-UP
• THE SIX nations once again looks to be there for the taking this year – unless you are from the rugby backwaters Italy or Scotland, obviously. The first round of matches provided some fine rugby. And in the case of England’s win over Italy, some rugby.
Ugly England returned to the dark ages as their forward-based attritional style gradually ground down the inept Italians in a game which did nothing to ease pressure on coach Martin Johnson.
Wales and Ireland proved why they are the bookies favourites with wins over Scotland (26-13) and France (30-21) respectively.
• AFTER months of wrangling and attempts to choose which brother he will be knocked out by, the world heavyweight title fight between IBF/WBO champion Wladimir Klitschko and bolshy Brit David Haye is set to be rubber stamped, with London’s 02 Arena the likely venue.
The Haye-maker was initially linked with a challenge to the WBC title belt currently owned by Klitschko’s elder brother Vitali, but Wlad told a German paper the siblings had flipped a coin to see who’d meet the Londoner in a June 20 showdown.
Another fight which may also be given the go-ahead this week is Carl Froch’s super-middleweight title defence against Jermain Taylor.
Mandatory WBC challenger Taylor slagged off Froch ahead of a possible fight in mid-April, saying he is no Joe Calzaghe.
Wannabe-Einstein Carl then decided his best means of endearing himself to the British public was to slag off national hero Calzaghe.
The Cobra said: “He’s right, I’m not Joe. But it took Joe 10½ years to fight in the US and 44 fights to win the title I hold. I respect Joe, but uninspiring wins over Hopkins and Jones hardly make him a legend.”
Bad Intentions replied with a decent comback, saying: “Other than in his hometown Nottingham, a bare few know the name Carl Froch – or how to spell and pronounce it for that matter.”
OK boys shut up from now on please, or else we might find ourselves actually wanting the mouthy Yank to win.
• ANOREXIC dwarf Tony McCoy stormed to the 3,000th jumps win of his career to add yet another record to his amazing career.
The 13-time champion jockey started the day at a cold, wet Plumpton on 2,998 and without a win in 11 days, but won on Hello Moscow and Restless D’Artaix.
To put the Northern Irishman’s achievements into perspective, the next most wins is 1699. He really earned that celebratory custard cream.
LEGENDS LIVE
IT’S typical of the British media that they search high and low for the next big British superstar and don’t recognise a true legend who has been in their midst for years until he’s just about to jack it all in – but we doubt Joe Calzaghe CBE will be too bothered after retiring with his mind, looks and huge bank balance all safely in tact.
The undefeated Welsh boxer called it quits last week with a 46-0 pro record, becoming only the third European to retire as undefeated world champion.
After notable wins over the likes of Chris Eubank, Jeff Lacy, Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr, Joe hung up his gloves as the Ring Magazine (the only title worth having) light heavyweight champion after reigning as super-middleweight world champion for more than a decade – including being undisputed for the final two.
The longest-reigning world champ of modern times was finally recognised by the public enough to be named 2007 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Still, the end of his glittering career at least gives fight fans respite from the sight of him giving dad/trainer/Super Mario lookalike Enzo a long lingering kiss on the lips after a win. We’ve got nothing against incest and homosexuality, but always felt uncomfortable when they were combined. In the sweaty ring.
