Published: April 5, 2014
Cheers for Braun an uneasy feeling
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder and 2011 National League MVP
Ryan Braun got a hero’s welcome Monday at Opening Day. It was his first
regular-season plate appearance since July 21, the last game he played before
being suspended 65 games for violating Major League Baseball’s drug program.
There have been various reactions to the ovation Braun
received from fans.
It’s a touchy subject and an interesting debate. Was the
cheering appropriate?
It all depends on your opinion of Braun. If you forgive
Braun, then the cheering is appropriate. If you don’t forgive him, then the
cheering was inappropriate. There is no right answer here. It is just a matter
of opinion.
Fans also likely cheered simply from a baseball perspective.
He is a key player on their favorite team and he’s back in the lineup. There is
no doubt Braun is a talented baseball player. His presence makes the Brewers
better.
Brewers manager Ron Roenicke and players weren’t surprised
by the reception Braun received, saying Brewers fans are a forgiving bunch.
Braun lied for more than a year, denying his use of
performance- enhancing drugs. He acknowledged his error, apologized, paid the
penalty and has since done everything he could to say he was sorry to the fans
of a team that’s adored him since the start of his career.
To me, if he’s done all that, then he’s OK. Thus I had no
problem with the cheers. However, I was surprised it was that one-sided. I
expected to hear more jeers than I did.
People deserve a second chance and should be forgiven for
their mistakes.
Am I disappointed about the sequence of events leading up to
it? Absolutely. He should’ve admitted the drug use when the allegations
surfaced. If he’d done that, it would’ve probably been a lot easier to forgive
and forget.
He’s human just like the rest of us. We make mistakes, too.
Fans call him a cheater. I don’t know if I entirely agree
with it. Baseball is a tough sport to play. You still have to hit the ball.
Beefing up on steroids doesn’t guarantee you a 50-home run, 130-RBI and
.300plus batting average season. You have to hit the ball. To hit a home run,
especially with a wooden bat, there is a smaller area on the bat that helps
generate power — the sweet spot. If you don’t hit that spot exactly, you’re not
always assured of a home run, let alone a base hit to the opposite field.
Fans are passionate, but also supportive of their favorite
team and/or players.
With time, the wounds opened by Braun’s lies will eventually
heal for most fans, while others won’t be able to do the same, and that’s OK.
It’s your team. It’s your opinion. There are eight other players in the lineup
to cheer for.
Braun said it’s time to move forward. As a fan and as a
human, you’re welcome to do the same, however you see fit, with cheers or
jeers.
No comments:
Post a Comment