That's Just Crazy!

I'm once again going to play the "Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on this" card to talk about steroids in baseball. Because I can't let Rafael Palmeiro's explanation for why he couldn't possibly have knowingly taken a banned substance go without comment. Here's what Palmeiro said: "Why would I do this in a year when I went before Congress and testified? Why would I do it in a year that I thought might be my last, when I knew I was going to get to 3,000 hits? I had nothing to gain and everything to lose. It makes no sense. I wouldn't put myself or my career on the line like that. I'm not stupid. I'm not a crazy person."

There are two problems with this. Number one, as Rob Dibble pointed out on ESPN Radio this morning, Palmeiro was struggling early in the year, and was in danger of losing his spot in the lineup and jeopardizing his 3,000-hit quest--and, quite possibly, his spot in the Hall of Fame. So it's ridiculous to say that he had "nothing to gain" by trying to give himself a little edge.

Second, even if what he did was monumentally stupid, since when do professional athletes always act rationally? Did it make sense for Kenny Rogers and Randy Johnson to shove people who were filming them at the time? For Ricky Williams to put his financial future at risk to bolt from the Miami Dolphins to lie on the beach? For Ron Artest to jump into the stands and start punching a fan? For Mike Tyson to take a bite out of Evander Holyfield's ear? On the order of about once a week, a professional athlete does something that absolutely defies all reason. Without that, there'd be no sports talk radio. So, sorry, I'm done buying the "I couldn't have done it because it makes no sense" explanation.