If its February, it must be time for a NY Yankee to hold an emotional press conference and admit to using steriods.  Giambi sweated a lot more during hisand Andy Petite told the truthbut those are really the only differences between years past and the FRAUD of an event I just watched at Steinbrenner Stadium.  They ought to replace the vaunted pinstripes with needles on the unis down there.

Does Arod really expect us to believe the crap he was spewing?  There is a formula for these mea culpa press events, and he followed it to the T.  First, tell everyone how nervous you are, so we all feel sorry for you. Then, mention how every one of us has made mistakes, since we all can relate to that.  Third, talk about how naive and innocent you were when you made said mistake and, finally, get emotional when talking about the incredible support you have received from friends, family, fans and teammates.  And then, go back to your sport (or your job as a politician) and collect your paycheck.  See?  Its simple.  Except that, in this case, its not over.

AROID expects us to believe that, as a naive young ballplayer, he took an over the counter energy booster from the Dominican Republic and thats why he tested positive.  As he was throwing his cousin under the Yankee team bus, explaining that this was all HIS idea, he casually used the disclaimer heres what I remember.  Ah, yes.  That covers all bases (pun intended).  That is Arods version of to the best of my recollection.

We are supposed to believe that his cousin recommended some random, over the counter product from the DR, that he needed to inject in his ass, that he took for six month cycles, for three yearsand that it was just a mistake?  That during those three years he mistakenly used Bolle, (as he told us its called on the streets in the Dominican Republic), he put up the best numbers of his career, but he is not really sure that it had any effect?  It was, after all, just an energy booster.

Sorry, Alex.  As the saying goes, I was born during a night gamebut not last night.  You want us to judge you from this point forward?  Then, be honest.  Tell the truth.  As the other saying goes, it will set you free.  Until then, you are just another liar who got caught.  And, by the way, if you dont think every one of those 200 reporters left that room and is heading out, with cash, to prove you arent telling the truth, then you truly are a naive young ballplayer.  Im sad to say I am pretty sure we havent heard the last of this.  My gut says Sports Illustrated has reporters on the plane to the Dominican right now.looking for Mr. A-Frauds cousin.

My favorite part was when he got choked up thanking his teammatesyou know, the guys that Joe Torre said in his book called him A-fraud.  I countedhe couldnt speak for 39 seconds because he was so emotional.  If his teammates cared so much, where were they all?  Petite was there but that is self-explanatory.  Save the tears, Alex.  You are going to need them for the next couple of apologies.

There is one thing he said that I agree with 100%- baseball is bigger than Alex Rodriguez.  I just wonder if he really believes that one, also.