Continuing with the ongoing Kenny Rogers saga, the AP has an article out now on Rogers (to some folks' surprise) coming out and facing the press today.
It is worth reading, mainly because, for the first time since this happened, Rogers actually comes across as...well, not sympathetic, but at least better than he has come across lately. From what the AP writer indicates, Rogers came out, was grilled for almost an hour, and handled the questions like a professional.
Hopefully, this will put this stuff to rest and allow the press to move on. One of the things that I haven't understood is why the media kept demanding that Rogers not go to the ASG, (ironically, at the same time folks like Pedro Martinez and Alex Rodriguez were being ripped for skipping the game or the home run derby), because he'd supposedly detract from the game, be a distraction, take away from the attention that should go to the other players.
I heard several writers and talk show hosts say that the other players at the ASG shouldn't have to deal with questions about Rogers being there. What I can't understand is...why should they have to field those questions anyway? The Rogers situation has nothing to do with the ASG, and asking a Brian Roberts or a Roy Oswalt to talk about whether or not Rogers should have refused to come to the game is not productive. I have a hard time believing that fans are clamoring to know what the other 63 All-Stars think of the Kenny Rogers situation. Bottom line, the distraction that the media is panicking about is only a distraction if the media insists on continuing to drive this story.
Amazingly, even Gerry Fraley had good things to say about Kenny's media session. Fraley, who says something nice about the Rangers about once every Venetian transit, was complimentary of the way Rogers handled himself today, saying that Rogers "looked better at the end than at the beginning" of the media session.
Now, this may be motivated, at least in part, by the fact that Rogers is perceived to be on the outs with Rangers management, and Fraley may be taking the "my enemy's enemy is my friend" mentality in making nice with Rogers.
But still, it is a sign that some folks, anyway, may be ready to move on and let this episode die down.