CAN WE FALL IN LOVE WITH AROD AGAIN?

What to do about ARod? I am a big believer in reputation and representing yourself. There are many things that we don't have control over in life. We can lose our jobs, we can lose a loved one, or something else that is out of our control. Our integrity though is ours to lose. That can't be taken from us. We can choose to surrender it but at the end of the day we decide what happens. It is the only thing that we will truly own and if we lose it, it isn't something that you can get back. Knowing everything that has happened with Alex Rodriguez and the BioGenesis scandal I have to wonder.....if he comes back to us and is the productive player we need him to be again, do we fall in love with him again? Is this a clean slate?

It's a valid question. Don't get me wrong, I am not throwing him under the bus here. Some people may read this and sat I am being a "hater" or that I am not supporting the team. This is not the case. We have always been fair here at Bleeding Yankee Blue. We have always supported him even when others have not. We are fair, but we still have to ask the question because it is an important one.

I will always support him as a player on our team. It's not about one person. One person does not win or lose a game or a World Series title. It's a dynamic. If there is no chemistry, then the team does not play to their potential. There are many teams in recent history we could point out here to make that case, but that isn't the point. The point is...he's still a Yankee.

Personally speaking, I will never be able to "fall in  love" with him again. I will give him my support though because the last thing I want to do is go to Yankee stadium and "boo" him or give him the Nick Swisher treatment from 2012. That doesn't help the team in the long run. I can, and will like ARod as the player because as long as he is contributing to the team then he is going to need the fans support, whether he acknowledges that or not. It is easier to play hard for your team when you feel supported.

What if he comes back and he doesn't perform well? What if he falls flat of expectations and he doesn't contribute at all? Then I wouldn't be surprised if he does get the Nick Swisher treatment. We are a passionate fan base. We have a legacy in New York that we have come accustomed to thanks to George Steinbrenner. Things may not be the same anymore, but we still expect to win. When we are doing well then we stand up and cheer all day. When things are bad, things can get ugly. We saw that last year. If ARod does not perform then I can foresee people's personal feelings about ARod getting in the way. Not only will they ridicule him for performing poorly, but also for his own personal choices. I guess it is hard to come out ahead in this situation. No matter what happens, ARod will be facing an uphill battle against fans and their personal feelings.

I will always support the Yankees, no matter who is on the team. I guess what it comes down to for me is watching a player and liking him just as much as a role model. They may not be my role model, but they will for someone else. You can still support someone without loving who they are. We are still here ARod, we haven't left you.

--Jeana Bellezza, BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ

 
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