Tired of hearing about him. Hopefully he's gone from the game forever.

No room in the league for crackheads

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I think you just hit on one of the big problems. People tell me how proud they are of me and I appreciate that but proud of what? Of my acting like a normal, responsible human being? To me that is like giving the slow, fat kid a participation ribbon at field day. Acceptable behavior should not be applauded but rather demanded.

Josh Hamilton never deserved any praise and he should have never made such a big deal of it. His pitfalls are now magnified and you have users thinking what is the use. Well, the use is to have a better life. To have a job, a family and things that people want. Relapse is regrettably a part of it. What I do know is I have another drink in me. What I do not know is whether or not I have another sobriety in me. So I better hold on to the one I have because it might never come back again if I lose it.

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Being proud of someone is not mutually exclusive of demanding good behavior.

Josh is about to get suspended. And if he relapses again, or begins to habitually use drugs again, he might get suspended for a longer period of time, kicked out of the league, etc...

He's getting punished and I think he should.

But I respect him because I do think he's tried very hard to get over his troubles, and I think many people don't do that. They don't fight their addiction, they just whither away and make nothing of their life. I'm proud of people that can stay sober

This is important lesson, and I agree, that one slip up can ruin a lot of things and complacency can bite you in the ass. I've watched my older brother deal with this his entire life- he does well, he screws up. He does well, he screws up.

The net effect has been hugely positive for my brother, and I'm proud he's managed to better his life. But I didn't feel sorry for his being kicked out of college, forced to leave the military, etc... I feel bad for my brother when he slips up, I want him to be able to finally get on the straight and narrow, and stay on the straight and narrow- I think that is what he wants and tries hard to do.

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Tired of hearing about him. Hopefully he's gone from the game forever.

No room in the league for crackheads

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He's played in 977 games in the past 8 years.

It seems there has been lots of room for Josh Hamilton- a "crackhead"- in MLB.

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Again, by all means, stone the man if you are without blemish. But something tells me that that is not the case...

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I've already said I'm far from perfect and that's why I don't go around preaching to others. Josh should probably do the same.

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He just let every single one of them down. Showed them that his words were horse****. IMO he makes Christians look bad by doing all this preaching and then continuing to snort coke, get drunk, and have sex with women other than his wife.

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If he's inspired people to get clean, to seek out Christ, etc... then his words have hardly been horse****.

If everyone who looked up to him has run off and started using again because Josh used again, then maybe you've got a point- but I suspect that isn't the case.


I have never heard Josh suggest Christianity is a religion of booze, cocaine, and promiscuity. I have heard Josh suggest Christianity is a religion of forgiveness, and of brotherhood where we support each other in our own, individual struggles- whatever they may be.

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25

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Again, by all means, stone the man if you are without blemish. But something tells me that that is not the case...

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I've already said I'm far from perfect and that's why I don't go around preaching to others. Josh should probably do the same.

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You shouldn't be wary of preaching.

Just don't claim your perfect when you're not. I've never heard Josh say he's perfect.

I've always found the most effective preachers to be the ones who are transparent about their shortcomings. People relate infinitely more with the people who share that they are jacked up, compared to someone who preaches from his high horse.

I'd agree with that.

Look, I said on the first page that Josh says and does dumb things and that he and his wife can be a bit infuriating at times.

But man, annoyance at an article I'm reading or a news report I'm listening to is such small change compared to Josh's struggle with addiction.

I just don't like him. No high horse here, I just genuinely don't like him.

TXAggie2011 and Houston Summit,

So would both of you be ok if the pastor at your respective churches, who was married, got caught banging a random chick in the bathroom at a bar? Or if your pastor was caught using cocaine on multiple occasions? Are you telling me that you would still be ok with your church employing him and having him preach every Sunday? I'm going to call BS if you answer yes to that.

I'll admit, I would not be okay with my pastor doing those activities and would request that he be removed immediately. In my opinion, the overall harm it would do to the church and the general religion of Christianity in the community would be drastic if everyone knew of these actions and then realized the church members were perfectly fine with the pastor remaining with the church. I understand what ya'll are trying to say (no one is perfect), but it can get to a point where when you consider the overall effect, stopping preaching will help the religion more than to have someone keep preaching and keep having terrible actions.

If you would not be okay with your local pastor doing these things and remaining a public figure/pastor, then why do you have a different view about Josh?

It's the money. It's all about the money.

The problem is that he is the .000001 in this world. He is soooo rich. But his earning calendar is closing. And he has to earn that salary.

But with than income, he does have options. In the offseason he could join a group home in Northern Cal or Idaho or freaking Tibet if necessary.

Once his career is ended he could afford as much treatment on Hawaii or Florida or Maine or Botswana - away from the distractions and temptations until he is ready to rejoin life.

It's not being "flawed" that diminishes his message. It's being a hypocrite.

But addiction is a *****. I hope he beats it, as I hope anyone does.

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TXAggie2011 and Houston Summit,

So would both of you be ok if the pastor at your respective churches, who was married, got caught banging a random chick in the bathroom at a bar? Or if your pastor was caught using cocaine on multiple occasions? Are you telling me that you would still be ok with your church employing him and having him preach every Sunday? I'm going to call BS if you answer yes to that.

I'll admit, I would not be okay with my pastor doing those activities and would request that he be removed immediately. In my opinion, the overall harm it would do to the church and the general religion of Christianity in the community would be drastic if everyone knew of these actions and then realized the church members were perfectly fine with the pastor remaining with the church. I understand what ya'll are trying to say (no one is perfect), but it can get to a point where when you consider the overall effect, stopping preaching will help the religion more than to have someone keep preaching and keep having terrible actions.

If you would not be okay with your local pastor doing these things and remaining a public figure/pastor, then why do you have a different view about Josh?

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I read the first part of your first big paragraph. My response is that I'm not OK with Josh doing drugs. It sounds like he's going to be punished and I think he should be punished.

Its late, that is a lot of words. I can write more tomorrow.

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It's not being "flawed" that diminishes his message. It's being a hypocrite.

But addiction is a *****. I hope he beats it, as I hope anyone does.

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Has Josh held himself out as perfect? Does he deny that he's relapsed? Does he talk down to those who use, to those who have relapsed?

I'm not aware he has. In fact, this discussion seems to have started because Josh turned himself in sometime after he relapsed.

Someone who "preaches" ins't really a "hypocrite" because they **** up.

So pastors & ball players are held to the same standard? Was that post serous?

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It's not being "flawed" that diminishes his message. It's being a hypocrite.

But addiction is a *****. I hope he beats it, as I hope anyone does.

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It's that he is "flawed" that he HAS a message.

That he has fallen short isn't being a hypocrite... it is being human.

LOT'S of sabre rattling going on by people who are projecting their own selves on others here.

It is sad where Hamilton is. It is well known that he doesn't deal well in the off-season and needs that much more support and oversight during that time.

Every pastor I've known who has engaged in illegal behavior (cheating on their spouse, doing drugs, stealing, etc) has not only lost their job, but has lost their ministry. Some may have an opportunity at redemption, but that is a whole different discussion. However, that is different than a ball player.

A pastor is in part, in that role as a moral example. Not a perfect example. I expect them to be imperfect. I don't expect them to hit 400' HRs and hit .300 in MLB.

Hamilton is not a pastor, nor does his moral character determine his ability to have success at his job. His job is to hit 400' HRs and hit the low breaking ball, which is NOT 3' out of the zone.

If every ball player lost his job because he cheated on his wife, the NBA would be filled with B... maybe C players.

Just NBA? What makes you think NBA players cheat more than other professional players?

What a sh*tty thread

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What a sh*tty thread

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Yep. The holier than thou bunch has taken it way off the tracks.

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TXAggie2011 and Houston Summit,

So would both of you be ok if the pastor at your respective churches, who was married, got caught banging a random chick in the bathroom at a bar? Or if your pastor was caught using cocaine on multiple occasions? Are you telling me that you would still be ok with your church employing him and having him preach every Sunday? I'm going to call BS if you answer yes to that.

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Since when is Josh an ordained pastor of a church? Are you really trying to put a recovering drug addict who plays baseball in the same category as a pastor of a church? Really?

It is not lack of a support group in the offseason that is his undoing. AA has a vast support network. You can go most anywhere in the world and hit a meeting. You might not understand a word that they are saying but you are in the room. It is the regiment that is throwing Hamilton off. In the offseason he does not have much to do.

His drug use is the least of my concerns. I just don't want him to murder anyone...again.

I'm struck by how the coverage of Josh Hamilton is much more nuanced than was the coverage of Josh Gordon.

To me, that discrepancy is sad.

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I'm struck by how the coverage of Josh Hamilton is much more nuanced than was the coverage of Josh Gordon.

To me, that discrepancy is sad.

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Blowcaine > weed

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I'm struck by how the coverage of Josh Hamilton is much more nuanced than was the coverage of Josh Gordon.

To me, that discrepancy is sad.

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Blowcaine > weed

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Yeah, Hamilton + crack + booze = some nuanced treatment in the media (and tons of sympathy here on this thread)

Gordon + weed + booze = "he's a raging addict, throw the book at him"

Sad.

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I'm struck by how the coverage of Josh Hamilton is much more nuanced than was the coverage of Josh Gordon.

To me, that discrepancy is sad.

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Blowcaine > weed

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Yeah, Hamilton + crack + booze = some nuanced treatment in the media (and tons of sympathy here on this thread)

Gordon + weed + booze = "he's a raging addict, throw the book at him"

Sad.

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WOW... some where along the way... we've lost something.

First, I didn't even know who Gordon was. I don't NFL.

According to Wiki... he was suspended:
October 2010 - for Weed. I assume Baylol
July 2011 - Weed (Art Briles)
June 2013 - Suspended for 2 Games for substance. Weed?
August 2014 - Suspended for 1 year for Substance. Reduced to 10 Games.
December 2014 - Suspended for 1 game (so far) for violation of team rules.
January 2015 - tested positive for alcohol (3rd NFL positive test). 1 year suspension.

Now, for Hamilton...
2003 during Spring Training failed first drug test. Took the season off "for personal reasons."
2004 was suspended for 30 days. I'm guessing this was for the 2003 failed test.
2004 failed two more tests and suspended for the season.
Out of baseball for 3 more years due to drug use.
2005 smashed windshield and placed on restricted list
2006 suspended another season for relapse.

2007 played for the Reds

January 2009 relapse exposed by photos, no positive test for alcohol.
February 2012 relapse with photos, no positive test for alcohol.
February 2015 - self reported another incident.

A couple things. Drug and alcohol use has cost Hamilton 4 seasons.

I don't recall the impact of the 2009 and 2012 incidents. But Hamilton has had his share of season long suspensions. He has not had a soft response to his use. We will see the impact of the 2015 incident. News should be out soon, I suppose. He was already hurt and expected to miss something like 10-12 weeks. We'll see how he is handled.

It was self-reported... I'm not sure how that affects things.

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Yeah, Hamilton + crack + booze = some nuanced treatment in the media (and tons of sympathy here on this thread)

Gordon + weed + booze = "he's a raging addict, throw the book at him"

Sad.

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If people on here were slamming Gordon, then you'd have a point. This is a Baseball forum where people follow baseball.

If you want sympathy for Gordon... go to the Football Other forum. I don't follow the NFL... could careless how they handle their business. The requirements and impact of playing baseball is different than the NFL. It attracts different personalities and different expectations from fans.

one of the adages of life...there are some people you just can't help

Hamilton accepting resposiblity, has admitted he has a problem, trying to get better.

Gordon says he was framed, its Barkley's fault, or Goodell is just out to get him.

Thats the reason for the different treatment.

Good grief, I ne'er said josh was a pastor or that he should be held to the same standards. But some people mentioned how they had a problem with Josh's preaching bc he kept ****ing up over and over. And other posters said that isn't a problem at all and he should keep preaching. Obviously, some people believe that when an individual publicly preaches and at the same time bangs a random chick in the bathroom, does drugs, etc his preaching could do more harm than good. Others feel like he should keep preaching.

For those that think he should keep preaching bc no one is perfect, I do think its relevant to ask if they would be okay with their pastor doing such actions. And if not, why do they not think its harmful for a public figure to preach and continue to commit these acts?

I'm done with this thread though. Don't want to get into a huge debate. Y'all carry on.

Like morons who end their sentence with a proposition?

I agree with much of what you said, addiction is not a disease.

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I personally think the way Josh left the Rangers was. busch league, "we werent wooed enough" wtf, they bent over backwards for you.

I got tired of hearing about what an inspiration he was and how noble it was he was overcoming these hardships. .

HIS HARDSHIP WAS NOT DOING CRACK AMD HEROINE? Are you kidding me. A hardship is getting in a car wreck or cancer and making it back to the bigs, not being so f'n stupid as to do hardcore drugs.

That isnt necessarily on Josh, more the media. I hate how they idolize people who make stupid decisions and wreck their lives but get back right. How about we focus on folks that arent total morons to start with.

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I'm going to assume that you have never had issues with drug and/or alcohol addiction. And that's a good thing. I haven't either, but I have seen it firsthand in some of my friends. It absolutely is a hardship, and for anyone to think otherwise is incredibly naive and uninformed, not to mention incredibly insensitive. It's awesome that you've never had to battle those demons, but it doesn't make you any more cool for belittling those who have

Addiction isn't a disease? Not sure if serious.

But that doesn't excuse behavior.