AROD

What Arod is doing is nothing short of legendary. I'm sure you know but just to recap, the man has got 12 HR in 15 games, 30 RBI, and 2 walk off HR (including one walk off grand slam) in a town that booed him like he was the enemy for a good part of last season. Albert Pujols has the record of 14 HR in april and Sammy has the record of 20 in a month (although that's a little controversial). I could not be more happy for Alex, expecially because of the horrible and unjustified treatment he recieved from the Bronx "faithful" just a season ago. Watching the Yankee Red Sox game last night, I noticed something else about Arod.

For the first time since he arrived in New York, I saw an Alex Rodriguez that seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself. He was laughing and smiling and joking the whole game. He reminded me of role model athletes like Ronaldinho or Jose Reyes, just out there having a great time. Those are always my favorite athletes: the ones who can just go out and make the game enjoyable and exciting for everyone. There was this one really high pop up that Arod had some trouble with but ultimately caught, and as he was running back to the dugout him and Jeter were talking and laughing about it. In the on deck circle at one point I saw him looking back to the dugout and yell something and then start laughing. 2 minutes later he was rounding third base in a light jog (still laughing). Even in the dugout, he was goofing around with Cano.

I feel like when a player can free himself from the pressures, whether it's parental pressure or fan pressure, he performs so much better. When you can find that little "happy place" on the field where it's just you out there, thinking about nothing except all the joys that the game brings you, that is when you will really get the most out of you in terms of enjoyment and production. That's what sports are about. I hope Alex can keep this feeling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsZrnUwhw0c&mode=related&search=
(i think the camera guy gets shot like 14 seconds into the video)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=utVBTM9mwjY&mode=related&search=