The Rodney Harrison Blues

Less than a month ago I wrote a column criticizing Barry Bonds for being a cheater, a guy who has used steroids to not only improve his play but prolong his career. But I also empathized with SF Giants fans, and completely understood why they would cheer him when he hit a homerun. If a guy wears the hometown uniform and helps your beloved team win games, you will forgive him for most anything short of a violent crime against another person . . . or animal.

I’ve also never been a person to throw a blanket rule over everybody. Automatic punishment and scorn (without sorting through the facts) is lazy and fascist. We do not live in a vacuum. Circumstances, details, time, and place all play an important part in passing judgment.

Rodney Harrison has been a great New England Patriot, both on an off the field, since he came here from San Diego. He has only wanted to win, and has done everything in his power to make that happen when he’s been on the field. But yesterday Harrison admitted to using Human Growth Hormone (HGH), which is an illegal performance enhancing drug.

What should our judgment be for him?

To begin, I must express my disappointment that Rodney was taking HGH. When I saw the headline “Harrison Suspended for 4 Games” I immediately figured it was from a hit he made. But he hadn’t played the Pats last preseason game. So I read further . . . and got the painful facts.

Then the rational side of my brain kicked into gear.

Although I know steroids and HGH should never be used by athletes, you can hardly blame a professional football player from using those substances. In baseball your chance of injury is minimal and careers are generally long. In football injuries jeopardize players jobs with regularity (according to the NFL players association the average career is 3 ½ years). In any game one hit could end it all.

Over the last two years Rodney Harrison has battled severe injuries, one of which was the result of a cheap hit. The guy is The Ultimate Gamer, somebody who has sacrificed his body at will in order for his team to win. Just remember that Harrison made a tackle in Superbowl 38 with a broken shoulder . . . WITH A BROKEN SHOULDER! He wanted to get back as soon as possible. He was frustrated from his injuries. And he succumbed to the devil’s shortcut.

Was taking HGH the right thing to do? Absolutely not. But if I were in his place would I have done the same thing? Maybe . . . well, probably. There is no test for HGH, and the only way you can get caught is if somebody rats you out. A drug company in Orlando somehow got involved in an Albany NY investigation. Harrison’s name was given.

Now . . . he could have denied it. From what I’ve read all the facts are tenuous at best. Unless there was somebody willing to testify that he saw Rodney Harrison taking HGH then he would have walked. But Rodney obviously felt shame for his actions, and decided to admit to his transgression. While he shouldn’t be applauded for confessing, there is honor in it.

So what now?

Rodney Harrison isn’t going for an all time NFL record. He didn’t use a substance to make him a better player. He gave into a temptation only to get back on the field and help his team win. I’m disappointed that he used HGH, but once he serves his 4 game suspension I will root for him as always.

Does that make me a hypocrite?

Maybe in the eyes of a non Patriots fan, but I do not think of myself as a hypocrite in any way. Rodney Harrison committed a crime. He has already apologized, and once his suspension is over he will have paid his debt to society.

America was founded on the ideal of jurisprudence. We are all individuals, not some common mass that must slavishly obey the letter of the law. The ultimate law should be one of wisdom, not rules. Rodney Harrison made a mistake, admitted it, and life will go on.