Shut up, Alex. Just shut up already.

All these mea culpas ad nauseum are making me sick ad nauseum. Christ.

Alex Rodriguez: 'I made a stupid mistake'
By Ronald Blum The Associated Press
Posted: 02/17/2009 12:41:45 PM PST


TAMPA, Fla. - Alex Rodriguez offered new details Tuesday about his performance-enhancing drug use, saying his cousin injected him with an over-the-counter substance to gain an energy boost.

The New York Yankees star said using the banned drug that he said he obtained from the Dominican Republic was a "stupid mistake."

"I knew we weren't taking Tic Tacs," said Rodriguez, who was joined at the head table with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi.

The three-time AL MVP and baseball's highest-paid player met the media 10 days after Sports Illustrated reported that he tested positive in 2003.

Rodriguez started his news conference by reading from a prepared statement. At the end, he paused for 37 seconds - a dramatic break in which he looked side to side, blinked several times and took a sip of water - then finally turned to his teammates and said "thank you."

Sitting in the front row were Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada. Jeter, with his arms crossed, and the other three stared right back at Rodriguez as he apologized directly to them.

In an interview with ESPN last week, Rodriguez admitted to using banned drugs from 2001 to 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers. He insisted then and again Tuesday that he has not used banned drugs since.

"I'm here to take my medicine," Rodriguez said. "One thing I will say after today I hope to focus on baseball. We have a
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very special team here."

Asked whether his stats during those years should count, he said it wasn't for him to decide.

The 33-year-old Rodriguez has hit 553 home runs and is expected by many to break Barry Bonds' record of 762.

The drug-related apology has become a near-annual February rite for the Yankees.

Jason Giambi gave an ambiguous one at Yankee Stadium on the eve of spring training in 2005.

Pettitte gave an emotional and lengthy one when he arrived at spring training last year.

That confessional lasted 55 minutes. Rodriguez's on Tuesday was far shorter, lasting about 32 minutes before it was cut off.

For years, Rodriguez denied using performance-enhancing drugs. But SI reported he was on a list of 104 players who tested positive during baseball's 2003 survey. SI identified the drugs causing the positive test as Primobolan and testosterone.

The survey was to remain anonymous, but federal agents seized the records and samples from baseball's contractors in April 2004 during raids in connection with the BALCO probe in San Francisco. Although the agents originally had search warrants for the records of 10 players, they discovered the broader records and came back with additional search warrants.

The list of players is under seal, but those seizures remain in dispute. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals currently considering the government's appeal to overturn lower-court decisions in favor of the union.

I demand to suspend the rule to enforce a gag order on A-Roid. All those in favor say Ai!
"Ai!"
All those say No.
"..."
The Ais have it.

zOMG Bedlam in my Backyard!

From the Press-Telegram...

Nude man dies after Tasering in Lakewood
By Kelly Puente, Staff Writer
Posted: 02/15/2009 10:17:06 PM PST

LAKEWOOD - A man running naked through a Lakewood neighborhood died after sheriff's deputies shocked him with a Taser gun, authorities said Sunday.

Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Art Spencer said Lakewood deputies responded to a disturbance call in the 5700 block of Silva Street at 10:15 p.m. Saturday.

Spencer said deputies found a "very large" man running naked in the street and acting irrationally. Deputies tried to calm the man but he remained belligerent, Spencer said.

When he advanced at deputies in a threatening manner, Spencer said deputies used pepper spray and at least one Taser gun to subdue him.

Shortly after the man was handcuffed, deputies realized he was not breathing and began to administer CPR, Spencer said. The man, whose identity has not been released, was pronounced dead at a hospital.

No deputies were injured, Spencer said, adding that the incident is under investigation. Deputies have not said how many Taser guns were used. No further information on the incident was available Sunday.

Residents in the suburban neighborhood said the evening quiet was suddenly broken Saturday night when a nude man began wandering down the street, banging on doors and cars.

Neighbors Norma Ramirez and Nancy Wright were in their homes when they heard police sirens and a helicopter.

Wright said she opened her door to a flood of more than two dozen sheriff's deputies on her street. Neighbors
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gathered outside while authorities set up yellow crime scene tape in front of three houses, Wright said.

"(Deputies) told us to go back inside our homes, but we just kind of stepped back a little," Wright said.

The women said they heard from other neighbors that a man had been wandering down the street and darted through a gate into someone's backyard after police arrived.

Ramirez said she heard a deputy shout, "Get me another Taser!" followed by another deputy shouting, "We need CPR!"

Paramedics arrived shortly after, she said.

Wright and Ramirez said they did not know if the man was a neighbor, or someone who had wandered into the area.

"It's scary," Wright said. "You don't see things like this in our neighborhood."

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Well now you do, you Lakewood NIMBYnos!