Karma

Leave it to the Germans to come up with a word for deriving pleasure from others’ misfortune. The word is schadenfreude and it is awesome. Part of the reason that my karma levels are so low is that I make no apologies for enjoying when people I hate finally get what’s coming to them.

Case and point: A-Rod. For those of you who don’t know – which is probably no one who reads this blog – Alex Rodriguez is the third baseman for the New York Yankees, and a consummate front-runner for Biggest Douche-Bag Ever. If you’re unfamiliar with A-Rod’s numerous indiscretions, Wikipedia has a summary. Personally I have hated the New York Yankees since I was aware of their existence, but I’ve always had a begrudging respect for Joe Torre and Derek Jeter… and both of these men have confirmed my brilliance because they both despise A-Rod. Joe Torre’s new book apparently talks about how much everyone hated A-Rod, called him ‘A-Fraud’ even to his face, and how he had a man-crush on Jeter. All hysterical.
This is just the baseball stuff, though. I mean, he’s a cry-baby, a bush-league player, completely overrated, and much at fault for the sky-rocketing salaries of professional athletes, but that’s just relatively small potatoes. He’s also an arrogant little bastard:

“When people write [bad things] about me, I don’t know if it’s [because] I’m good-looking, I’m biracial, I make the most money, I play on the most popular team.”

Wow. Seriously? Not to mention he has Scott Boras as an agent; a man who is hell-bent on destroying professional athletics.

Beyond all that, A-Rod has made no attempts to hide his adultery from his wife or from the public, even going on dates with Madonna (still a lightning rod for controversy despite releasing one good song and being totally irrelevant minus a little tongue action with Britney and X-Tina).

But the icing on the cake came just a few days ago… it’s so good and so rewarding for me, I actually laughed out loud when I heard it. It’s phenomenal. Alex Rodriguez, a man who I have been rebuked for criticizing because “jealousy” and “bias” and other bullshit, tested positive for steroids. That – ladies and gentlemen – is karma. Someone up there loves me. I’m thinking its either Grandpa or Ted Williams or both (plus Jesus. He’s a Sox fan I’m told).
The funny thing is, I’ve been saying that A-Rod is on the gas for years. Most of it was just spiteful anger, and I got yelled down a lot because he doesn’t have a Bonds’-sized dome, but I stuck to my guns on that one and I feel vindicated. Schadenfreude is bad, but fuck it… I am thoroughly enjoying this. This is destroying his reputation, his career, everything that he holds as so important and that he talks about with such a high and mighty air of arrogance and bravado.

It’s all gone now, A-Rod. This is what you get. This is beautiful retribution. Barry Bonds might be going to jail and you’re getting outted as the cheater and the fraud that most of us thought you were for some time now.

It couldn’t have happened to a better guy. Unfortunately, since A-Rod didn’t go before a congressional committee there’s no chance of him facing any legal ramifications. Sadly, we won’t see him sharing a prison cell with Barry Bonds and/or Roger Clemens, but the blow to his ego and his reputation are fantastic enough.

Long live, “Hammerin’” Hank Aaron – the true homerun king.

Peace,
{VM}