Pete Rose's quote

[icehole3]

The man is saying he's sorry he bet on baseball and all he gets is criticism. I watched the news last night and a reporter is asking why he would write such a thing. Pete says, "Im just trying to be as honest as I possibly can." It just seems like whatever he does isnt good enough for everybody.

[RedFanAlways1966]

Originally Posted by icehole3

It just seems like whatever he does isnt good enough for everybody.

IF ONLY... he could do it without making a freakin' buck, then he'd get sympathy from me. Not by admitting to it in a "tell-all" book ($29.99 at your local Barnes & Noble). Not by admitting to it by writing it on a baseball and selling it for $299 on his web-site.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do things and to get sympathy. Pete does not understand the right way when it comes to the sympathy thing. He understands making a buck. Sad. Really.

[RBA]

My wife got the book for me for $1.00.

[George Anderson]

Originally Posted by RBA

My wife got the book for me for $1.00.

Thats a dollar more than I would spend.

[icehole3]

Originally Posted by RedFanAlways1966

IF ONLY... he could do it without making a freakin' buck, then he'd get sympathy from me. Not by admitting to it in a "tell-all" book ($29.99 at your local Barnes & Noble). Not by admitting to it by writing it on a baseball and selling it for $299 on his web-site.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do things and to get sympathy. Pete does not understand the right way when it comes to the sympathy thing. He understands making a buck. Sad. Really.

If I could sale my name for a dollar I would. Nobody likes my name though.

[gonelong]

Originally Posted by icehole3

The man is saying he's sorry he bet on baseball and all he gets is criticism. I watched the news last night and a reporter is asking why he would write such a thing. Pete says, "Im just trying to be as honest as I possibly can." It just seems like whatever he does isnt good enough for everybody.

I see quite a bit that leads me to believe he is sorry that he got caught.

I don't see anything that would lead me to believe that Pete is sorry he bet on baseball.

GL

[NavyRedsFan]

Originally Posted by RBA

My wife got the book for me for $1.00.

Gotta love the Dollar Store. That's where I got my copy!

[SeeinRed]

Originally Posted by gonelong

I see quite a bit that leads me to believe he is sorry that he got caught.

I don't see anything that would lead me to believe that Pete is sorry he bet on baseball.

GL

He is a man who has went through a lot of his life thinking that the whole world was out to get him... and for the most part, he was right. Even though he put himself through that, you have to put your emotions away when you go through that. Sometimes, I wonders if he really isn't sorry, or if he doesn't know how to show that he is. Its hard to seem sincere to your enemies, and he has a lot of them. I really don't think he knows how to say he is sorry because no matter what he does, there are still going to be a lot of people who don't believe him.

What I don't like is the fact that he will probably be in the HOF one day. Not the fact that he will be in, but the fact that he may not be around to enjoy it. Come on, the man had one heck of a career. He didn't fix any games, and his bets didn't change the outcome of any games. That is the biggest part for me. Yeah, its the "Cardinal Rule of Baseball" he broke, but its a character issue that didn't transfer to the field. Look at the guys in the hall... not exactly saints. Womanizers, Racists, Alcoholics, etc. Don't confuse Rose's Baseball career with his life. They are two different things.

Fine, don't let him coach, but let him in the HOF while he can realize the award for his accomplishments. Great player, terrible guy? So what? He is a Hall of Famer in my mind.

[Col_ IN Reds fan]

He has did this to himself. If he wants to make a buck off it then who are we to say he shouldn't.

[gilpdawg]

Pete made his bed, now he's gotta lie in it. No one in their right mind would let him back in baseball, and he's gotta make a buck somehow. We all know he's not exactly in good financial shape. I have no sympathy for him. He's a crook, IMO. Love the player, hate the person.

[Goten]

I'd put him in the HOF, regardless of the fact that I loathe the guy. When you take into account that there's guy's who have been proven to have thrown games ( Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker) in the HOF, Pete looks like a choir boy.

[Chip R]

I know a lot of people are saddened by Pete's actions over the past 16 years. I've heard the word "dignified" tossed around a lot as in Pete should be more dignified. When the hell was Pete ever dignified? I don't mean this as a knock on him but he sure didn't play the game with dignity. He scrapped and dove and did whatever he could to be the best ballplayer he could be. It was not dignified but it was effective. He certainly wasn't dignified in hs personal life even back in the 70s. How can anyone expect him to act any different now? I think it is sad he isn't enshrined in the Baseball HOF but for those of you who believe he should be in because of his on the field accomplishments and in spite of what he did off the field, does it make him any less of a player in your minds and hearts because he doesn't have a plaque there?

[REDREAD]

You know what the funniest thing is? Being banned from baseball has given Pete millions of dollars worth of publicity (and memorabilia sales). Think about some of the other record breakers.. Don't even go back to the 70's.. Think about guys like Schmidt, Yount,Molitor, Ripken, Gary Carter, Gwynn. Pete could get more for his autograph than these guys simply because of his scandals. I mean, I doubt Bench could get $300 for signing a ball today, no matter what he wrote on it.

In a way, Bud's ban set Pete up for life. I think Pete's only regret about the whole thing is that he was banned from managing/coaching.

[icehole3]

Every man in this country has the right to earn an honest living, selling his name isnt illegal. He has no choice but to make as much money as he can to support his kids. Go Pete go.

[RedsBaron]

Originally Posted by REDREAD

You know what the funniest thing is? Being banned from baseball has given Pete millions of dollars worth of publicity (and memorabilia sales). Think about some of the other record breakers.. Don't even go back to the 70's.. Think about guys like Schmidt, Yount,Molitor, Ripken, Gary Carter, Gwynn. Pete could get more for his autograph than these guys simply because of his scandals. I mean, I doubt Bench could get $300 for signing a ball today, no matter what he wrote on it.

Bill James once wrote that the controversy over whether or not Enos Slaughter should go into the HOF was the only thing keeping the memory of Slaughter alive, and James was right. Once Slaughter (who also ran to firstbase when he was walked) was inducted into the Hall of Fame, discussion about his career largely ceased. Mind you, I'm sure Slaughter preferred the honor of HOF induction to all the debates about whether or not he should be inducted.
Similarly, Tris Speaker was probably a better player than Shoeless Joe Jackson, but the number of casual fans who have heard of Shoeless Joe far exceeds those who know about the Grey Eagle, a direct contemporary. Speaker wasn't the guy who intially appeared in Ray Kinsella's cornfield. The controversy of whether or not Jackson threw the 1919 World Series and whether or not he should be in the Hall of Fame has kept his memory alive.
Decades from now, when the greatness of Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan is a dim memory for most, Rose will probably be the best remembered member of the Big Red Machine.