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Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton acknowledged a January barincident Saturday in which he became drunk and was photographed withseveral women, not including his wife, in lurid poses in Tempe, Ariz.

 

"I'm embarrassed about it. For the Rangers, I'm embarrassed about it.For my wife, my kids," Hamilton said in Anaheim, Calif., before theRangers played the Los Angeles Angels. "It's one of those things thatjust reinforces about alcohol.

 

"Unfortunately, it happened. It just reinforces to me that if I'm outthere getting ready for a season and taking my focus off the mostimportant thing in my recovery, which is my relationship with Christ,it's amazing how those things creep back in."

 

The photos were first posted by Deadspin.com on Saturday morning.

 

"Honestly, I hate that this happened," he said. "But it is what it is.You deal with it. I realized that, obviously, I'm not perfect, in thisongoing struggle, battle, that is very real. A lot of people don'tunderstand how real it is."

 

Hamilton, 28, won't face discipline from the Rangers.

 

Hamilton, who had been in Arizona preparing for spring training, told the team of the incident the next day.

 

"As soon as it happened, I called my support system -- my wife, theRangers, MLB and told them what had happened," he said Saturday. "I wasabsolutely open and honest about it."

 

General manager Jon Daniels spoke with Hamilton in the clubhouseSaturday before they addressed the media, and said later the tone oftheir conversation had a different kind of emotion than the one inJanuary because of the time Hamilton's had to think about it.

 

"I'd hesitate to say it's something we're going to put behind us, butwe're not going to allow this to become a distraction the rest of theseason and we'll try to move on as best we can," Daniels said.

 

Hamilton, who hadn't had a drink since Oct. 6, 2005, was chosen as theNo. 1 draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays as an 18-year-old in 1999.

 

Out of baseball for three years while serving suspensions and gettingclean, Hamilton reached the majors in 2007 with the Cincinnati Reds. Hewas traded to Texas in December 2007 for pitcher Edinson Volquez.

 

Thoughts?

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton acknowledged a January barincident Saturday in which he became drunk and was photographed withseveral women, not including his wife, in lurid poses in Tempe, Ariz.

 

"I'm embarrassed about it. For the Rangers, I'm embarrassed about it.For my wife, my kids," Hamilton said in Anaheim, Calif., before theRangers played the Los Angeles Angels. "It's one of those things thatjust reinforces about alcohol.

 

"Unfortunately, it happened. It just reinforces to me that if I'm outthere getting ready for a season and taking my focus off the mostimportant thing in my recovery, which is my relationship with Christ,it's amazing how those things creep back in."

 

The photos were first posted by Deadspin.com on Saturday morning.

 

"Honestly, I hate that this happened," he said. "But it is what it is.You deal with it. I realized that, obviously, I'm not perfect, in thisongoing struggle, battle, that is very real. A lot of people don'tunderstand how real it is."

 

Hamilton, 28, won't face discipline from the Rangers.

 

Hamilton, who had been in Arizona preparing for spring training, told the team of the incident the next day.

 

"As soon as it happened, I called my support system -- my wife, theRangers, MLB and told them what had happened," he said Saturday. "I wasabsolutely open and honest about it."

 

General manager Jon Daniels spoke with Hamilton in the clubhouseSaturday before they addressed the media, and said later the tone oftheir conversation had a different kind of emotion than the one inJanuary because of the time Hamilton's had to think about it.

 

"I'd hesitate to say it's something we're going to put behind us, butwe're not going to allow this to become a distraction the rest of theseason and we'll try to move on as best we can," Daniels said.

 

Hamilton, who hadn't had a drink since Oct. 6, 2005, was chosen as theNo. 1 draft pick by the Tampa Bay Rays as an 18-year-old in 1999.

 

Out of baseball for three years while serving suspensions and gettingclean, Hamilton reached the majors in 2007 with the Cincinnati Reds. Hewas traded to Texas in December 2007 for pitcher Edinson Volquez.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

As I said after the Home Run Derby last year...he never should've been considered an "idol," in the first place.

i agree erick. seems like espn was trying to say "go ahead and do drugs and alcohol, you'll be an all-star in the future"

n/a

I don't think ESPN was trying to say do drugs and alcohol you'll be an allstar in the future. I think it was more a story of some one turning their life around and how no matter how bad you may have messed up there's a chance you can turn it around. It was also a stroy about how much freaking talent the guy has that he can do what he did to his body and play hardly and minor league ball and perform like he did last year. From a sports stand point I think that was ESPN main idea that he had crazy talent. This year injuries have gotten the better of him.

 

As for him drinking again its not good but he seemed to have taken control of the situation right after it happend in January.

i agree erick. seems like espn was trying to say "go ahead and do drugs and alcohol, you'll be an all-star in the future"

 

I don't think that's even close to what ESPN was trying to say. I think that's extremely far from what ESPN was trying to say.

This guy is such a joke, such an embarrassment... I was one of the few arguing with Erick that ESPN looked foolish supporting this guy... AND IM SO HAPPY TO FIND THESE PICS!!!

 

I cant stand when a person like this gets lifted up on a pedestal... we argued that ESPN was pushing him sky high as if he was "better" than someone with a "good" story. The media loves a juicy story with a good "bad boy" so they jumped on his bandwagon. Thats pitiful. I remember arguing that a guy like Dan Uggla or Matt Treanor or Dontrelle Willis, "good" people who honestly fought to make it to the big leagues will never get highlighted like a drug addict who cleans up and makes it... AND THAT IS WRONG.

 

As a teacher, a baseball fan, and a human being who (thankfully) has managed to live a "good" life, I find it disgraceful.

 

I find it disgusting that a straight A student will never be as acknowledged as a failing student who just so happens to improve to A's at the last possible opportunity.

 

I find it disgusting that the media tells you the names and life stories of every mass murderer out there... but doesn't ever mention the name of a soldier that has saved a life.

 

Josh Hamilton? I was PROUD of him in 2008... but I refused to raise him up higher than any other player who managed to stay clean and "good" through his entire career. ESPN had no problem doing it. And now I say, thank you Josh. Thank you for proving my point. By falling back off the wagon you prove why you are NOT and will never be "better" than anyone who's been clean since day one. What a punk...

This guy is such a joke, such an embarrassment... I was one of the few arguing with Erick that ESPN looked foolish supporting this guy... AND IM SO HAPPY TO FIND THESE PICS!!!

 

I cant stand when a person like this gets lifted up on a pedestal... we argued that ESPN was pushing him sky high as if he was "better" than someone with a "good" story. The media loves a juicy story with a good "bad boy" so they jumped on his bandwagon. Thats pitiful. I remember arguing that a guy like Dan Uggla or Matt Treanor or Dontrelle Willis, "good" people who honestly fought to make it to the big leagues will never get highlighted like a drug addict who cleans up and makes it... AND THAT IS WRONG.

 

As a teacher, a baseball fan, and a human being who (thankfully) has managed to live a "good" life, I find it disgraceful.

 

I find it disgusting that a straight A student will never be as acknowledged as a failing student who just so happens to improve to A's at the last possible opportunity.

 

I find it disgusting that the media tells you the names and life stories of every mass murderer out there... but doesn't ever mention the name of a soldier that has saved a life.

 

Josh Hamilton? I was PROUD of him in 2008... but I refused to raise him up higher than any other player who managed to stay clean and "good" through his entire career. ESPN had no problem doing it. And now I say, thank you Josh. Thank you for proving my point. By falling back off the wagon you prove why you are NOT and will never be "better" than anyone who's been clean since day one. What a punk...

 

 

This was my point in the thread last year (as a matter of fact, I think I brought up the student example, lol).

I wasn't rooting for him to go back, for what it's worth. The rest, though, pretty much sums up my thoughts.

I have to agree and disagree. I think they went overboard with the Josh Hamilton stuff but at the same time I still think it's something to talk about and be happy about. The dude was a big drug addict and while yeah he shouldn't have even started in the first place it's just a nice story to know that he was able to overcome it all and not be a waste of life. The people who get addicted to drugs and overdose at 25 are just complete waste of life. Hamilton was able to overcome it and get free from it. He is making sure his life will not be pointless. I understand that since he has already been addicted to drugs and alcohol he should try his hardest to be sober but I don't see anything wrong with him getting drunk one night. I think his value as a role model is more of a "hey this dude overcame a bad drug addiction, I can overcome (insert problem here)"

...personal life. only reason anyone should give a sh*t about this guy is if they're a rangers fan. and only then they should give a sh*t about what he does on the field.

Anyone else realize that this was back in, you know, January?

And perhaps he's been, you know, sober since that one incident?

Yay Deja Vu...

 

Like Dom said, it's not about championing the mistakes, it's showing people that no matter how down and out you (think) you are, you can get back to the top of the mountain if you work for it. Like I said last year, I AM that straight A, straight-edge student and even I have more respect for the person that managed to climb their way out of the gutter.

 

Heck, as a (future, in my case) teacher, I think this is a great story because it eliminates excuses. There is no "I can't because..." because Josh Hamilton's life was all but thrown away, and one day he woke up and decided that that's not where he wanted to be anymore and worked his way back, spiritually, mentally and physically.

 

The continuous retort will be "But he should have never done drugs in the first place" and not one single person disagrees with that, but, the story is that, there is no reason for someone to continuously dig themselves a hole because they feel as though they have no chance. You make your own chances and your own opportunities, yes, there is luck involved, but as they say, luck is only when opportunity meets preparation.

 

You certainly don't have to like Josh Hamilton, but you do have to understand the impact he makes on anybody that's ever made a significant mistake in their life. It's so ridiculously easy to give up and just be complacent with where you've wound up, but you can always dig yourself out, and it's so cliche, but you need real world examples so that it becomes more than words. I learned, too, the hard way, that everything you've worked for in your life can go up in smoke in a matter of seconds/minutes/days and that you just want to give up.

I am proud of Josh for fixing his life, the first time. Now he looks like a complete liar, not sure how anyone can deny that. His story is good, but ESPN sickened me by parading him around like a hero when there are better heroes to have. And just to clear it up, I wasnt rooting for him to fall off again, but it definitely looked like I said that.

OK, I don't think most people on here know much about addictions. Relapses are extremely common, and are generally expected in cases such as his. The fact that he resurrected his career, made it back to the majors, and has become a two-time All Star. That's a major accomplishment, considering he was on the verge of ending his baseball career at one point. I'm at least glad that he admitted that he screwed up, rather than deny it until it becomes obvious that it's true. I'm sure that whole incident helped straighten him out, and he's hopefully back on track in his recovery. But it's always a battle.

Title of this thread is mis-leading...

 

Just because his relapsed back in Jan. doesnt mean hes not sober anymore.. Anyways, hopefully for his sake it was one time and he is back focused

I am proud of Josh for fixing his life, the first time. Now he looks like a complete liar, not sure how anyone can deny that. His story is good, but ESPN sickened me by parading him around like a hero when there are better heroes to have. And just to clear it up, I wasnt rooting for him to fall off again, but it definitely looked like I said that.

 

 

It's not about heroes... it's the moral of the story. Like the old Fable "The Grasshopper and the Ant"... people don't remember what a lazy dick the grasshopper was, they remember that the moral illustrates why hard work and preparation is important. Likewise this, it's not the specific person or circumstance that matters, it's the moral: no matter how far you fall, you can always climb out. But it's trendy to play idealist and say because Hamilton screwed up, he shouldn't be a role model, and I'm almost 1000000% sure Hamilton would agree that he shouldn't be a role model, BUT, you're not supposed to look up to him for the "body of work" but rather the process of recovery.

 

OK, I don't think most people on here know much about addictions. Relapses are extremely common, and are generally expected in cases such as his. The fact that he resurrected his career, made it back to the majors, and has become a two-time All Star. That's a major accomplishment, considering he was on the verge of ending his baseball career life at one point. I'm at least glad that he admitted that he screwed up, rather than deny it until it becomes obvious that it's true. I'm sure that whole incident helped straighten him out, and he's hopefully back on track in his recovery. But it's always a battle.

 

 

Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic, and I'm pretty sure the same applies for drug use, as well. I can only speculate, but I'm guessing he went out and had a drink, figuring it wasn't going to be much and that it wouldn't be a problem, and like you said, triggered a bit of a relapse. If this was anyone else, though, it wouldn't be a story, it'd be "just another athlete"

"Honestly, I hate that this happened. But it is what it is. You dealwith it. I realized that, obviously, I'm not perfect, in this on-goingstruggle, battle, that is very real. A lot of people don't understandhow real it is.

 

"As soon as it happened, I called my support system -- my wife, theRangers, MLB and told them what had happened. I was absolutely open andhonest about it.

 

"I went to get something to eat. Obviously, I eat at restaurantsthat have bars in them all the time. I wasn't mentally fit to go inthere, spiritually fit, and it just crossed my mind, 'Can I have adrink?' Obviously, I can't."

 

Hamilton said he was surprised that it took so long for word tospread that he had been spotted drunk in public. General manager JonDaniels said a cloud hung over those who were contacted by Hamilton forabout a week.

 

Hamilton also said that he doesn't feel like a hypocrite forpreaching about sobriety and the importance of having a relationshipwith Jesus Christ.

 

"I don't feel like I'm a hypocrite. I feel like I'm human," he said."I got away from the one thing that keeps me straightened out and goingin the right direction."

 

 

 

 

Why exactly is this a story?

This guy is such a joke, such an embarrassment... I was one of the few arguing with Erick that ESPN looked foolish supporting this guy... AND IM SO HAPPY TO FIND THESE PICS!!!

 

I cant stand when a person like this gets lifted up on a pedestal... we argued that ESPN was pushing him sky high as if he was "better" than someone with a "good" story. The media loves a juicy story with a good "bad boy" so they jumped on his bandwagon. Thats pitiful. I remember arguing that a guy like Dan Uggla or Matt Treanor or Dontrelle Willis, "good" people who honestly fought to make it to the big leagues will never get highlighted like a drug addict who cleans up and makes it... AND THAT IS WRONG.

 

As a teacher, a baseball fan, and a human being who (thankfully) has managed to live a "good" life, I find it disgraceful.

 

I find it disgusting that a straight A student will never be as acknowledged as a failing student who just so happens to improve to A's at the last possible opportunity.

 

I find it disgusting that the media tells you the names and life stories of every mass murderer out there... but doesn't ever mention the name of a soldier that has saved a life.

 

Josh Hamilton? I was PROUD of him in 2008... but I refused to raise him up higher than any other player who managed to stay clean and "good" through his entire career. ESPN had no problem doing it. And now I say, thank you Josh. Thank you for proving my point. By falling back off the wagon you prove why you are NOT and will never be "better" than anyone who's been clean since day one. What a punk...

 

 

So let me get this strait. You're hating Josh Hamilton for being human, because of the media? Don't you think that's just a bit misguided?

Now he looks like a complete liar, not sure how anyone can deny that.

 

 

How is being human a liar?

I don't understand how one relapse makes him a lair or hypocrite, he even said that it got the better of him on that particular night and afterwords he obviously felt guilty because he called everyone to tell them what happened. I personally don't really care about the things this guy does off the field, and i'm sure that's how most baseball fans feel as well.

The reason why ESPN cares so much about his personal life and problems is because...HE IS A GOOD BASEBALL PLAYER. If he wasn't good or an all star they wouldn't care too much. But the fact that the guy has been through what he has been through and STILL manages to become an all star and a good player despite his injuries, is phenomenal. How about you try snorting some coke and drinkin till you pass out every oppurtunity because you can't help it, and then make a complete rehab recovery, and then make it to the major leagues, and then the all star game, and then hit 28 homers in the home run derby....

I wish him the best. I know what it is like being a user, i knew a few in my life, once in awhile the urge comes back at you until it's gone completely. He's come a long way, let's not doubt him just yet. Next up Jeff Allison, make us proud!

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