Nalod wrote:The allstar game came and went, as did the HOF and the annual Pete Rose debate continues.

I used to be very much in favor of his on field achievement being the qualifier for his inclusion to the HOF but I had a thought that still troubles me:

He was never accused of betting against the Reds.

One of the main issues I see with Pete Rose is he comes off very very very poorly in the media. If you see him in interviews, he appears uncomfortable, lacks confidence, looks rumpled and unkept, doesn't show any humor or charisma. I'm not saying that would totally save him, but I think it would go a long long way to helping some of the perception issues on the surface.

Surprisingly one of the best handlers of the media I've seen is Tim Tebow. He generates a lot of controversy, but the guy is young and it's pretty astounding how well he manages tough questions and clear media traps created to spur ratings inducing conflict. Watching Tebow work a media panel is like watching a guy trapped in a room full of car salesman walk out without a car 10 hours later after being water boarded.

The game itself wanted it's pound of flesh. And when Rose didn't give it to them, they both dug in. The game itself had to set an example regarding gambling and the integrity of the game. There was no real choice in that matter. For Rose, it was his legacy, which he miscalculated and is tarnished anyway. Rose is like a guy in a divorce who wants to keep the kids, keep the house, keep everything, and not pay child support. Without realizing that it's a game of controlling your losses, not trying to win the whole board. If Rose was a little more saavy back then, he would have realized there was no way out of this mess without taking some kind of hit, and should have just taken a hit up front and people would have forgiven and forgotten over time. He would never manage again, but at least he could be part of the game in some way.

Rose is pretty much the same thing I feel about the Knicks trying to avoid a full on rebuild. It's like that rotting tooth. You can drill now, or you can drill a few years from now when it costs more, hurts more and you'll suffer the whole time. Might as well just bear down and drill right now.