Sez Me …
Pete Rose is back. Although he ed away at 83 last September, he never really left.
Nor is he likely to, now that baseball’s all-time hits leader’s name is trying to dodge SpaceX debris from the Gulf of America to Cooperstown.
Our president is about to pardon Pete, who gambled on games but did time for tax evasion. What good it will do remains to be seen, but we’re starting to see that Rose at least has a chance to get washed in the eyes of MLB, and thus, become eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame
Rose was banned for life in 1989, when it was determined he gambled on the sport while he was managing the Reds. He also did five months in prison for tax evasion, which is what the pardon has to be about.
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, who normally has the spine of a mollusk, is said to be considering a petition insisting he remove Rose from the sport’s ineligible list.
There always has been pressure from Rose backers, but the four commissioners since 1989 have been unified. This includes Manfred, but pressure is one thing, pressure from a president — for whatever reason — is a different kind of pressure.
If Manfred does reinstate Rose, he becomes Hall of Fame-eligible. No guarantees. The pardon, by itself, isn’t going to get him in. Nor will a Manfred pardon. The Hall decides.
Rose broke the cardinal rule. You can’t walk into a clubhouse and miss the sign about gambling being the big no-no.
Pete chose to break that rule. Knowingly. And, as for me, I’m tired of seeing hundreds of rules being broken by politicians and the rich and famous every day without consequences.
I’ve been rolling this around in my empty cranium for a long time. Pete Rose belongs in the Hall of Fame because of what he did on the field — and he was managing, not playing, when he got busted. He doesn’t because of what he did off of it.
Shoeless Joe Jackson isn’t in the Hall and he was guilty only by association, not act. It’s time to stop all this.
Pete Rose shouldn’t be inducted. …
Padres skipper Mike Shildt, when asked if the Dodgers spending $500 million this offseason is intimidating: “No.” Money, like owners, does not play. He should have added: “What the hell difference does it make?” …
Seriously, how many billionaires with expensive toys can’t stop buying expensive toys? …
Four of the Pads’ games during the first half of the season will be on Apple TV+. Baseball’s thinkers are starting to think MLB is NFL. It is not. To think the game was meant to be for children. …
Bob Feller threw 36 complete games in 1946. There were 28 in 2024. Which I’m guessing means there were at least 24 Tommy Johns. …
Joey Bosa has been released by the Judases. Good player who didn’t play enough. Hard to rush the er when you’re riding off the field in a cart. …
Pac-Man Jones says he cheated on his drug tests, never using his own urine. Of course the NFL’s drug cops never would suspect someone with his stellar history to do anything unlawful. …
There go his Hall of Fame chances. But then Jones does have four Walter Payton Awards. …
I like Tee Higgins, but I don’t know about Cincinnati putting a $26.2-million tag on their No. 2 — two — wide receiver. No. 1, Ja’Marr Chase, will make $21.8 million, which is going to rise soon because he’s the best. That’s around $50 million for two receivers, and receivers do not win Super Bowls (or why would so many become trade chum?). …
Gardner Minshew is available again. Just wanted to let you know. …
It tells you plenty about the QBs in this NFL draft class when Las Vegas dishes out millions of chips for Geno Smith. …
The Raiders have signed guard Alex Cappa, who in 2024 led the NFL with most sacks allowed, most pressures allowed and most hurries allowed. Now that’s how you allow yourself to get better. …
If the Bears aren’t improved, it won’t be because they’ve spent the offseason hibernating. …
There isn’t much risk in trading a fifth-round pick, so the Commanders have little to lose in dealing with the 49ers for Deebo Samuel. But Deebo’s game has fallen in recent years. That’s why you go for a fifth. …
Any NFL team that gives up two number ones for Myles Garrett … Well, I want it in my division. …
The NFL’s Cardinals may trade Kyler Murray as they think about going back to being as bad as they used to be. …
The Eagles re-signed Saquon Barkley to a two-year, $41.2-million deal. Only the beginning. Teams finally are understanding the value of running backs when they’re really serious about winning in December, January and February. …
The Rams have re-signed wideout Tutu Atwell to a one year, $10 million deal, $5 million guaranteed. Over four seasons, he’s caught 117 es for 1,343 yards and four TDs (none last season). Good for Tutu, bad for common sensers. …
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard had a horrible Combine, continuously missing unguarded receivers. I put stock in game film, but any NFL football person who saw that performance would make him undraftable. …
They’re saying Shedeur Sanders came off brash at the Combine. That’s how I like my quarterbacks. I was around Dan Fouts for years. He shrunk violets. …
After dunking last week, Steph Curry said that’s his swan slam. No more dunking. Great. Now he’ll just stop excelling in the other skill that is ruining basketball. The 3-pointer. …
For the skilled impersonator, doing Elon Musk should be cake. Mike Myers’ try on “SNL” stunk. But fit right in with the show’s odor. …
Happy retirement, Jimmy Johnson. He personally built the deepest teams in NFL history. Even after free agency came in and took 17 players from a great Super Bowl championship roster, Dallas won another under him, then one more featuring his players with his replacement, Barry Switzer. …
Same goes to Del Mar track announcer Trevor Denman, who is silencing his own voice. Hard tonsils to replace. Trevor had some Vin Scully in him. He always offered more than was needed, and that’s beyond hard during a rapid horse race. …
The Raiders averaged 55,000 fans per game in 2024, and 68% of the ticket buyers were from out of town, meaning L.A. and Oakland. With Vegas houses feeling tighter wallets, the Silver and Black, Team of The Decades, will be an interesting follow. …
But , the Raiders have the best fans. …
The Titans are building a $2.1-billion stadium in Nashville. The one they now play in opened in 1999. At least our Ham & Eggers can continue to raise water rates and take away parking spaces. …
The pols better be careful. Everyone needs H2O — at least before moving out of town — and bicyclists drink a lot of water as they contemplate which of our world-renowned bike lanes to navigate.
