Method To My Madness #671: The Ballad of Pete Rose.

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When we think of the Greatest Baseball Players of All Time. We mostly look back and tip a hat to some of the true all time greats like Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, Cal Ripken, Jr, Alan Trammell, Nolan Ryan, Ty Cobb, and until 1989, we also added Pete Rose to that conversation. And unfortunately because of a the gambling scandal as well as many other things [like a recently settled lawsuit where rose was accused of having a sexual relationship with an underage girl] have permanently tarnished one man's legacy. That's right. This man was 86'd before 86'd became the norm in pop culture.

Now to say his tarnished legacy is not something to ignore cause until 1989 it was a pretty hall of fame worthy career. Let's take a look at some of these career highlights: Most career winning games played, Only player to play at least 500 games at five different positions, Most consecutive seasons of 100 or more hits, Most consecutive years played, Modern (post-1900) NL record for longest consecutive-game hitting streak NL, Most seasons with 150 or more games played. Some of his records have been broken or tied with others. While the rest have yet to be broken. Plus he's got 3 World Series rings, being named part of the MLB All Century Team, and was the 1963 Rookie of the year just to name a small little part of the man's Legacy.

After his "Hit King" career ended he moved to Manager. Managing the Cincinnati Reds from his retirement as a baseball player to when the infamous gambling scandal took place. And that's pretty much where Rose's baseball story ends... For now.

In the years that have followed the "betting for or against" incident. Pete Rose has showed up here and there on television and radio, mostly sporting his own critique and analysis on the game today. Possibly the most noteworthy post-MLB moments for Pete Rose took place in a world where controversy was no stranger, Professional Wrestling. Pete Rose was invited to take part of WWF Wrestlemania 14 in 1998 where he took a tombstone piledriver from Kane, Rose would return a year later at Mania in an attempt to seek revenge. WWE was more than happy to work with Rose from time to time and Rose did periodically do stuff for the WWE from 1998 to 2004. Including accepting an induction to be the first member of the WWE Hall Of Fame's "Celebrity Wing". It's not the Cooperstown Hall Of Fame but it's a hall of fame none the less, even if it's not really looked at by critics and fans as a legit hall of fame. It was also in 2004 that Rose released his memoir "My Prison Without Bars" where he came clean about the whole gambling situation. Some say he was inspired by the 2003 MLB Steroid Trials where Then-famous and popular hit kings such as Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens were grilled by the House and The Senate over the use of Steroids in baseball. But that's not been confirmed.

Now we go to Pete Rose now in days. On April 16, 2015, it was announced that Rose had been hired by Fox Sports to serve as a guest studio color analyst for MLB coverage on Fox and Fox Sports 1, appearing on the MLB on Fox pregame show as well as MLB Whiparound, America's Pregame, and Fox Sports Live. He made his Fox Sports 1 debut on May 11, 2015. He said in a recent interview that working this job was pretty much all he has left going for him. In 2012 in an interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Dan Patrick said and I quote "Pete Rose will go into the hall of fame, and it'll be posthumous, which is sad" now before anybody throws shade at Mr. Patrick. Keep in mind, he was interviewing Pete Rose, and Rose agreed with Dan and echoed the statement. Pete Rose in recent years despite all the campaigns and efforts to get his lifetime ban lifted so he can finally go into the Cooperstown Hall Of Fame where he belongs, Pete Rose has accepted the fact that the only way he'll ever be in the hall of fame is well after his death. And in the 29 years since the Gambling scandal that got him banned for life and tarnished his legacy. It's a tough fact that we all have to accept.

In recent years also Pete Rose has showed very deep regret for his actions. And deep regret for your actions is a topic that's been thrown around like a baseball lately in the media. From Hulk Hogan's "I regret what I said, watch yourselves you don't know when your being filmed" speech that not everybody bought when he was reinstated into the wwe hall of fame, to all the crazy bullshit that Logan and Jake Paul do on a daily basis that they half-ass apologize for. Out of all these people. I believe Pete Rose more than all of the people [including myself] when we say we're being sincre about having deep regrets for our actions in the past.

Does Pete Rose deserve to be in the hall of fame? Hell yes he does. Will he be in the hall of fame in his lifetime? He's 77 years old at the time I'm writing all this, I don't think so. I echo Rose and Patrick's statement firm as well. If Pete Rose ever goes into the Hall Of Fame, it'll be a posthumous induction. It's a tough pill to swollow, but as my mom will tell ya, it is what it is.

But hey this is just the opinion of a crazy fat guy with 2 much time on his hands. What do you think? Let me know down below. Thanks for reading, and take care.