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According to ESPN, Alex Rodriguez might be in trouble for his participation in illegal poker games. It must be pretty serious if if ESPN of all places is reporting on it, since MLB is a business partner on fairly good standing with them.
From the article:
CHICAGO — Major League Baseball is taking “very seriously” the allegations that Alex Rodriguez took part in some illegal, underground poker games, one of which reportedly turned violent, and he could face suspension if his participation in the games is confirmed.
“We’re talking to people involved in the investigation and we’re taking this very seriously,” said an MLB executive who spoke to ESPNNewYork.com on condition of anonymity. “Because he had been warned about this before, I would say a possible suspension would be very much in play.”
As noted in the article, this isn’t Rodriguez’s first brush with gambling. His bad habits when it comes to games of chance have been an open secret in the MLB for years. The Yankees and even MLB Commissioner Bud Selig himself have both warned Rodriguez in the past to distance himself from the activities.
While it would seem harmless outside the context of professional sports, the concern professional is that access to illegal high-stakes poker games gives bookies and other undesirables who might try to shave points fix games access to high-profile active players. Pete Rose, one of the best and definitely the hardest working player of his or any generation, is still serving a lifetime suspension that has prevented from getting his rightful spot in the Hall of Fame due to his gambling associations.
According to sources, Rodriguez was present at a game straight out of a bad Jason Statham movie: coke everywhere, a sketchy billionaire, and a fight breaking out after one player lost half a million dollars and refused to pony up the cash.
Obviously there’s a deeper issue personally with Rodriguez when it comes to this stuff. He makes an ungodly amount of money playing the game he loves and is a highly valued member and cover boy for the top franchise in all of professional sports. What on Earth could be gained, on the surface, from an illegal poker game? Why would he take such a substantial risk, especially when he’d been warned already in the past? Possibly the same reason why Rose did: gambling addiction.
Cue the conspiracy theorists who will now point to Rodriguez’s poor performance in clutch situations as evidence that he was in collusion with bookies.
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4 Responses to A-Rod: card shark?
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A-Rod! I’m ashamed. But not surprised. An addiction is an addiction though so I hope he gets help. He certainly can afford it.
I’m sure MLB wouldn’t have a problem if he was just simply doing coke or getting into fights. I mean, they don’t seem to care about players that beat their wives or drink and drive. But an playing an illegal poker with Ben Affleck? That’s crossing the line!
He’s arrogant and full of himself. He has no respect for his team, his fans or – apparently – himself. He’s a pimple on the face of baseball, and the Yankees.
I think (but am not positive) that gambling of any kind is against the code of ethics to which players are supposed to adhere. Just like you said, even a poker game potentially puts him in position that could affect his team, or the sport.
So they should take it seriously – and I hope they do. The problem is he – unlike Pete Rose – is making a lot of people very, very rich. Sometimes that’s enough to make them look the other way.
Wait…they’re still playing ball in the American League?