Not The Final Word On A-Rod

For now my final take on Alex Rodriguez and this entire Biogenesis mess (notice how I said “for now” because clearly there will be much more) so I guess in truth this is not my final take but rather my current one. 

You listen to Rodriguez speak in such a soft tone about the nightmare he’s been through and how he’s fighting for his life and there is something missing.  That’s simply the truth because the fact of the matter is he’s a liar, cheater and self-absorbed egomaniac.

Rodriguez says that he’s not perfect and he’s made mistakes which of course we all have. But he is not a victim of anything but his own belief that he is somehow bigger than he is really is.
In his prime he was a great player, although we’ll probably never know how much of this was due to the help he received from illegal drugs.  However what is a fact is that his days of greatness are over, his motivation to continue playing is based largely on the money he can still earn and his legacy is tarnished forever…just like others before him and sadly others who will follow.

The Jackson Liberty High School Football Parents Club held their 8^th annual Golf Outing at Woodlake Country Club Monday and as I have in the past I served as Master of Ceremonies for the dinner afterwards.

There was a noticeable absence in the room as less than four months ago head football coach Tim Osborn died suddenly…he had been the only coach in Liberty history and will forever remain the architect of the Lions program.   Each summer Osborn or mutual friend Dale Orlovsky would ask me to MC the dinner and if I was available I always said yes and when Dale reached out to me last week there was no way I was going to say “no.”

Former high school teammate, longtime friend and Brick High School Principal Dennis Fillipone spoke eloquently about Osborn and among those in attendance were members of the Lion’s coaching staff, including new head coach Jim Sharples, who served as defensive coordinator the past two seasons.

The Parents Club said half the money raised would go to a newly-named scholarship fund in Osborn’s memory which will assist Jackson Liberty players going to college.

The Manchester All-Stars lost their first game in the East Region Junior Little League Tournament Monday as the group of 14-year olds fell to a team from DuBois, Pennsylvania 3-1.  The New Jersey state champs are still alive in the double-elimination tournament in Freehold but must beat Maine later today in the loser’s bracket.  Manchester beat Maine in the tournament opener Saturday.