You want to punch 23-year-old John Rocker in the face?

Get in line, pal.

this is my shocked face

/met Rocker at a LI Ducks vs Newark Bears game

ytterbium: I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from not suprise.

I just shat my best khakis from not surprise.

He admitted his steroid use years ago why is this news now?

I am Jack's complete lack of surprise.

Gee, how could I have possibly guessed he was using steroids? I mean, other than that little clue of being named in the Mitchell Report.

So THAT's why he doesn't want to ride the subway in NY. I mean, their needle exchanges are AWFUL.

Oh... this guy. The favorite whipping boy of the PC crowd.

Of course, New Yorkers who call people in the South rednecks and say they all fark their cousins is perfectly fine.

It's not against the law to call people names and have shiatty opinions and be racist... or boorish. Oh.. wait.. I guess sometimes it is if you are not a member of one of the approved groups. Sorry about that.

Anyway, whatever Rocker did... shoot people, take steriods, kill hamsters... I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg. He probably has dead bodies stored in his garage or something as well. Anyone who doesn't like the idea of living in NYC is obviously a danger to society.

It was pretty amazing that he said all that stupid shiat knowing that the press pretty much calls everyone a racist for even the slightest of percievable verbal faux pas. He might as well have shot himself in the head career-wise.

Saw that dude at Hartsfield/Jackson one day - he's WWE big

skylabdown: It's not against the law to call people names and have shiatty opinions and be racist... or boorish. Oh.. wait.. I guess sometimes it is if you are not a member of one of the approved groups. Sorry about that.

Right, because people wanted John Rocker to be arrested, but they let Mike Piazza call John Rocker a cousin-farker in a major national publication.

/sarcasm
//neither of those things happened, in case you couldn't tell.

Dude's neck had it's own neck. Not exactly the most surprising news ever.

skylabdown: It's not against the law to call people names and have shiatty opinions and be racist... or boorish. Oh.. wait.. I guess sometimes it is if you are not a member of one of the approved groups. Sorry about that.

Awww, aren't you cute. We're allowed to call Rocker an a-hole too. But in reality I don't particularly care, because he helped the Braves blow Game 1 of the 1999 World Series.

skylabdown: Oh... this guy. The favorite whipping boy of the PC crowd.

Poor, persecuted John Rocker. Why can't he be allowed to be a raging racist without any repercussions?

skylabdown: Oh... this guy. The favorite whipping boy of the PC crowd.

Of course, New Yorkers who call people in the South rednecks and say they all fark their cousins is perfectly fine.

It's not against the law to call people names and have shiatty opinions and be racist... or boorish. Oh.. wait.. I guess sometimes it is if you are not a member of one of the approved groups. Sorry about that.

Anyway, whatever Rocker did... shoot people, take steriods, kill hamsters... I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg. He probably has dead bodies stored in his garage or something as well. Anyone who doesn't like the idea of living in NYC is obviously a danger to society.

It was pretty amazing that he said all that stupid shiat knowing that the press pretty much calls everyone a racist for even the slightest of percievable verbal faux pas. He might as well have shot himself in the head career-wise.

If he could still pitch, he'd still be playing.

skylabdown:

the hell you on about, man?

The Bestest: skylabdown:

the hell you on about, man?

Just calling 'em as I sees 'em... and I despise double standards, no matter what the situation or how crazy someone is.

Would Rocker be a better person if he lied about why he would not want to play in NYC? So he would be a racist AND a liar, but he would be held in higher regard by most people. Kind of odd, isn't it?

skylabdown: Would Rocker be a better person if he lied about why he would not want to play in NYC? So he would be a racist AND a liar, but he would be held in higher regard by most people. Kind of odd, isn't it?

well, yes, if he had not said that "i don't want to have to be next to a bunch of queers and foreigners", he might be held in higher regard by other people. not sure what "laws" you're referring to---rocker was not incarcerated or fined by any government.

Obvious tag assplodes.

skylabdown: Just calling 'em as I sees 'em... and I despise double standards, no matter what the situation or how crazy someone is.

Would Rocker be a better person if he lied about why he would not want to play in NYC? So he would be a racist AND a liar, but he would be held in higher regard by most people. Kind of odd, isn't it?

What double standard? Do you think anyone else in MLB wouldn't have received the same media scrutiny if they said the same things?

Also, Rocker ended up finishing the last few years of his professional career in the NYC area, pitching for the Long Island Ducks.

Steroids: making cockpunchlarry.jpg candidates into even bigger cockpunchlarry.jpg candidates.

skylabdown: The Bestest: skylabdown:

the hell you on about, man?

Just calling 'em as I sees 'em... and I despise double standards, no matter what the situation or how crazy someone is.

Would Rocker be a better person if he lied about why he would not want to play in NYC? So he would be a racist AND a liar, but he would be held in higher regard by most people. Kind of odd, isn't it?

I'm not comparing the two actions, but by that rationale wouldn't someone that kills someone be a better person than someone who just really wants to?

The Bestest: skylabdown: Just calling 'em as I sees 'em... and I despise double standards, no matter what the situation or how crazy someone is.

Would Rocker be a better person if he lied about why he would not want to play in NYC? So he would be a racist AND a liar, but he would be held in higher regard by most people. Kind of odd, isn't it?

What double standard? Do you think anyone else in MLB wouldn't have received the same media scrutiny if they said the same things?

Also, Rocker ended up finishing the last few years of his professional career in the NYC area, pitching for the Long Island Ducks.

If you could call that pitching.

Wise_Guy: skylabdown: The Bestest: skylabdown:

the hell you on about, man?

Just calling 'em as I sees 'em... and I despise double standards, no matter what the situation or how crazy someone is.

Would Rocker be a better person if he lied about why he would not want to play in NYC? So he would be a racist AND a liar, but he would be held in higher regard by most people. Kind of odd, isn't it?

I'm not comparing the two actions, but by that rationale wouldn't someone that kills someone be a better person than someone who just really wants to?

Is this the Crime and Punishment defense?

skylabdown: Oh... this guy. The favorite whipping boy of the PC crowd.

Of course, New Yorkers who call people in the South rednecks and say they all fark their cousins is perfectly fine.

It's not against the law to call people names and have shiatty opinions and be racist... or boorish. Oh.. wait.. I guess sometimes it is if you are not a member of one of the approved groups. Sorry about that.

Anyway, whatever Rocker did... shoot people, take steriods, kill hamsters... I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg. He probably has dead bodies stored in his garage or something as well. Anyone who doesn't like the idea of living in NYC is obviously a danger to society.

It was pretty amazing that he said all that stupid shiat knowing that the press pretty much calls everyone a racist for even the slightest of percievable verbal faux pas. He might as well have shot himself in the head career-wise.

people don't want to live in NYC because its cold, the people have egos the size of mountains and well you're all douches. Did I mention the weather sucks?

NewsFlash- just because you live in a big city does not mean you're better than everyone else. Enjoy your small apartment and shiatty weather, douchebag

FTFA:

"Let's be honest. Who wasn't (using steroids)?"

It's sad that Rocker is the one to come out with the most honest statement about steroid use.

SoCalSurfer: people don't want to live in NYC because its cold, the people have egos the size of mountains and well you're all douches. Did I mention the weather sucks?

NewsFlash- just because you live in a big city does not mean you're better than everyone else. Enjoy your small apartment and shiatty weather, douchebag

As someone who has lived in both NYC and SoCal, I can say I've encountered far more douches-per-capita in SoCal than in NYC. I'll concede the point about the weather.

White-knighting John Rocker is definitely one good way to get the attention mommy never gave you.

Tom_Slick: He admitted his steroid use years ago why is this news now?

That was my thought as well. I figured he might've named some names or something when I opened the article, but everything here he's said before.

Obvious tag must be serving a 50 thread suspension for juicing.

/Approves

Everybody was on steroids at that time. That's like hearing that the latest movie uses computer generated special effects.

John Rocker? Oh, yeah, I remember. He was the baseball player no one cared about until he gave an accurate description of the average subway riders in NYC, and then everyone went apeshiat over his comments.

Wow! Who could have ever predicted that?

I'm sure John was joined by other Braves of the every year to the playoff era...Guys that come to mind immediately...David Justice...Javy Lopez...Brett Boone...There are surely more, but I just wanted to throw out the guys you would have to be a total idiot to disagree with.

ytterbium: I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from not suprise.

Did you really just quote Disney's Aladdin?

skylabdown: Oh... this guy. The favorite whipping boy of the PC crowd.

"Favorite"? You're trolling in the wrong millenium, he hasn't been relevant for 20 years, we PC Fascists have long moved on to other targets. John Rocker who?

Saw him pitch a couple of times. Tell you what, a 6 foot 5 inch psychopath with a bad case of roid rage and little control, throwing a baseball in excess of 105 mph....damn lucky he didn't kill someone.

skylabdown: Oh... this guy. The favorite whipping boy of the PC crowd.

Of course, New Yorkers who call people in the South rednecks and say they all fark their cousins is perfectly fine.

It's not against the law to call people names and have shiatty opinions and be racist... or boorish. Oh.. wait.. I guess sometimes it is if you are not a member of one of the approved groups. Sorry about that.

Anyway, whatever Rocker did... shoot people, take steriods, kill hamsters... I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg. He probably has dead bodies stored in his garage or something as well. Anyone who doesn't like the idea of living in NYC is obviously a danger to society.

It was pretty amazing that he said all that stupid shiat knowing that the press pretty much calls everyone a racist for even the slightest of percievable verbal faux pas. He might as well have shot himself in the head career-wise.

The man got what he deserved. I have little to no pity for him, although his expressed desire to punch his former self is evidence of personal growth. If so, good for him.

That said... I have to admit that the most frustrating conversation of my entire life was explaining to a room full of New Yorkers that it's wrong to assume I was a bigot / anti-semite just because I was from Atlanta.

andnotafarkwasgiven.jpg

Dude totally missed his window of relevancy for this book release.

Yanks_RSJ: skylabdown: It's not against the law to call people names and have shiatty opinions and be racist... or boorish. Oh.. wait.. I guess sometimes it is if you are not a member of one of the approved groups. Sorry about that.

Awww, aren't you cute. We're allowed to call Rocker an a-hole too. But in reality I don't particularly care, because he helped the Braves blow Game 1 of the 1999 World Series.

[assets.nydailynews.com image 346x500]

John Rocker saw the Yankees, then he felt the fear. HA!

Is this going to be a NYC thread? Great.

New York City is a great city. That being said just because you live there doesn't necessarily mean that you are part of what makes it great. On vacation I heard a woman talking about how she made it in New York, so she can do anything. Curious, I had to ask her occupation. She was a waitress. Not a waitress at an upscale restaurant where waiters can make some serious dough, but a waitress at a greasy spoon type place. That's not making it anywhere.

//Boston is worse because people have the same attitude plus the chip on their shoulder about not being from New York.

Mr_Fabulous: skylabdown: Oh... this guy. The favorite whipping boy of the PC crowd.

Of course, New Yorkers who call people in the South rednecks and say they all fark their cousins is perfectly fine.

It's not against the law to call people names and have shiatty opinions and be racist... or boorish. Oh.. wait.. I guess sometimes it is if you are not a member of one of the approved groups. Sorry about that.

Anyway, whatever Rocker did... shoot people, take steriods, kill hamsters... I'm sure that's just the tip of the iceberg. He probably has dead bodies stored in his garage or something as well. Anyone who doesn't like the idea of living in NYC is obviously a danger to society.

It was pretty amazing that he said all that stupid shiat knowing that the press pretty much calls everyone a racist for even the slightest of percievable verbal faux pas. He might as well have shot himself in the head career-wise.

The man got what he deserved. I have little to no pity for him, although his expressed desire to punch his former self is evidence of personal growth. If so, good for him.

That said... I have to admit that the most frustrating conversation of my entire life was explaining to a room full of New Yorkers that it's wrong to assume I was a bigot / anti-semite just because I was from Atlanta.

I had a similar conversation in LA regarding my supposed Atlanta-ingrained problem with lesbians... and I live in Decatur.

When asked if it made him a better pitcher, Rocker said: "No. Can I throw 3 or 4 mph harder because of it? Yes. Was my breaking ball better because of it? No. The reason was (for taking it) with my teammates and their confidence laying on my shoulders, with the coaching staff and their confidence on my shoulders, with the millions of Atlanta Braves fans, I am not going to step on that mound with that kind of responsibility with my gun half loaded. Knowing the people I am going to be facing, I know what they're doing; I am not coming to the mound halfcocked.

He's telling the truth. He obviously came to the mound full cock.

Cagey B: White-knighting John Rocker is definitely one good way to get the attention mommy never gave you.