I can't resist blogging about something if it lends itself to a clever play-on-words or even better, a BOOK-related play-on-words. So, as soon as I found myself watching a live press conference with Andy Pettitte yesterday, I was cutting and pasting and blogging in my head.
For those who don't follow baseball, Andy Pettitte is a Yankee pitcher who testified to using steroids (specifically, HGH, Human Growth Hormone) once in 2004. In a deposition before Congress, he corroborated evidence that Roger Clemens too had used HGH. Clemens claims that Pettitte "misremembers." That's kind of like the grown up version of, "Did not!"
So, you can dislike Pettite for using steroids. You can dislike him for taking an icon down a notch (and maybe more.) But you can't dislike him for his behavior in the aftermath...which earned him my designation of "Le Pettitte Prince."

I know...the cutting and pasting is kind of lame, but you get the picture.
Pettitte humbly stood before the media who were clamoring for some dirt and accepted responsibility for his actions and begged forgiveness from team owners, team members and the baseball fans, saying, ""Whatever circumstances or repercussions come with it, I'll take and I'll take like a man and I'll try to do my job." Yes, you read it right.
No excuses. No denials. No anger. No evasions.No blame.
How refreshing.
How many times have we seen Bobby Knight berating the media for doing their jobs? How many sports heroes have fallen only to make self-serving excuses for their behavior? How many athletes have come to the podium with a huge chip on their shoulders just waiting for the opportunity to eat a reporter for lunch?
Andy Pattitte was a gentleman. Nay, a prince! And his actions and words should serve as an example to others both in and out of the limelight.
Di

I saw that and was impressed too! He seemed so sincere. Yes, very refreshing!
Posted by: Diane | February 20, 2008 at 08:46 AM
Total agreement. Roger has handled himself only badly since day one. He should have followed Andy (or hired the same people!!). Now he is hanging the wife out to dry - who's next in the Clemon's household? The dog took HGH??
Posted by: DebbieDoesLife | February 21, 2008 at 01:39 PM