D

don’t judge unless you wan to be judge… I’m not a huge fan of josh like everyone else but I like him… josh u are okay with me we all have a drink every once in a while unfortunately you have been through a lot and you are a public figure… BTW couldn’t you get a couple of hotter pieces… I mean you are josh ahmilton lol jk

[...] Evan Grant has the news on InsideCorner.  FrontBurner® launched in March 2003, the first blog in Dallas run by a media organization. This is where the editors of D Magazine fend off denial-of-service attacks. Search [...]

Well, it’s a shame that he did what he did, but i’m glad he came out clean. Still though, WOW.

@KJ- Being a Christian doesn’t mean you are perfect and never make mistakes or make a bad decision. He did and he owned up to it. He preaches the message of Christ, obviously something he believes. Did you think he would be perfect?

Since no one’s perfect…I’ll take honesty and authenticity any day. Yes, KJ, you may be right about coming out in January, but I for one am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, the same benefit I hope someone would give me when I blow it.

Once an addict always an addict. Can’t say I’m surprised. There should be a punishment, but since the Rangers are in the playoff chase for once they’ll just let it slide.

How come no one asked him how man more times he’s relapsed? Or if he’s played while drunk and/or on drugs.

@Big L…he drank. While it is detrimental to his recovery, it is not illegal or worthy of discipline. How many of the Rangers do you think drink on a regular basis?

Here’s another question. Why does the Rangers front office condone, if not encourage, the substance abuse of their players? A-Rod did steroids for years while playing for the Rangers, yet they turned a blind eye to that. Hamilton relapses and instead of punishing him or sending him to rehab, they let it slide. It’s disguisting.

Hamilton should be in rehab instead of out on a baseball diamond.

I’m really proud of Josh for doing this….If this is the only time that he has slipped since he went sober, then I’m really proud of him….As a Medical Professional, I know from experience that he should be commended on his hard work and dedication to get better

@Rangers Fan: I can have a couple of drinks and be fine. Hamilton can’t. His relapse proves that he is not in control of his addictions right now. He should be in rehab, not on the baseball diamond. And the Rangers should be fined heavily by the league for their coverup.

@Big L…Please don’t use Medical Terms that you’re obviously unaware of how to use properly. If you want to play judge and jury and throw the first stone then do it, but don’t make a fool of yourself by using terminology that you don’t grasp

As a fellow believer, I had hoped he wouldn’t relapse, but it does go to show the power of Satan and the inherent weakness of humans. I used to think that having Narron around was a little silly…now, I see the wisdom of it.

Since failing is part of every Christian’s walk, I respect him for reacting well to this failure and for his rededication to Christ. He’s still a hero in my book.

@Texas_Rocks – Please don’t act like we’re idiots here. He used the words “substance abuse” which have been clearly documented in Josh’s case and in Alex Rodriguez’s case as well. So there’s nothing you can refute there.

The only other potential medical term he used was “rehab” and who knows how many other times this has happened and simply wasn’t photo documented. Maybe none, but who knows? So as a medical doctor, how can you make a diagnosis without all the facts about whether Josh needs to be in rehab or not.

@gravypan: I don’t have to. Look it up and try educating yourself.

@Texas_Rocks: I know what substance abuse means. I know how to use it properly. I’d like to see your medical license and credibility. Until then, stay quiet about things you don’t understand.

When is the Texas front office going to announce an indefinite suspension for Hamilton along with a trip to rehab? Until then, we can’t support him or this team.

I am bummed for Hammy but this is a battle and he seems committed to beating it. He doesn’t belong in rehab and doesn’t deserve a suspension. The timing of this is just unfortunate. I am a believer and tell people about Jesus any time I can. However, I make mistakes all the time. Him giving talks and being involved in the “I am Second” campaign probably keeps him more accountable.

@JustSaying- this isn’t a cover-up now. The Rangers cover-up or postponement of confirmation happened in January and has been ongoing. Now, it’s out in the open and they’re trying to get in front of it by having him make the announcement that it was him. The simple fact is that this would have been much, much less of a story if this had really gotten out in front of it in January immediately after it happened.

@IrishP1- He didn’t immediately own up to it. This happened in January.

Is Josh a flawed human being? Yes … as are we all.
Is he capable of the same failings and temptations as the rest of us are? Yes … probably more so.
Does this completely invalidate all of the positive messages he’s tried to deliver surrounding his life and the trials and struggles he’s lived through? If anything, it should make them even more valid … in that everyone … believers as well as non-believers … are tempted and lured by Satan to fail in their attempts to follow Christ’s example.

Remember what Jesus said to the crowd which had gathered to stone the adulterous women, when the Pharisees approached him and questioned him regarding the Law? “Let he who is without sin amongst you cast the first stone.” And then he went to the women, who was cowering against a wall awaiting her fate, and asked her “Woman, where are your accusers?” She looked up, only to see that the crowd had dispersed, and said “They are not here”, to which Jesus said to her “Then neither do I condemn you … go, and sin no more” …

Let’s hold the self-righteous vitriol against Josh in this instance … we might need it in our own defense some day …

Just Sayin’ …

Josh, may Our Lord strengthen you and give you the resolve you need in this difficult time, that your life might be used to Glorify His Grace and His Power to heal …

@Rockwall- addiction is a disease, not a curse from God or a sign of human weakness. He has shown more strength dealing with his addiction. As long as people keep pushing that kind of thinking it will cause more shame which just feeds on itself causing even more problems.

KJ – Hamilton told Daniels the next day, it just didn’t make the press until now.

I really think that the Rangers should have released this story when Josh told them and then it wouldnt have been such a big deal now. Also I understand that Ian also has ADD and he takes medication so why doesnt it effect the same way.

@turd: This is just one more incident of a long line of cover-ups. Hamilton told the team of his relapse in January and they ignored it until the pictures came out publically. A-Rod did steroids for years while with the Rangers and nothing came out, nor was A-Rod punished. I’m sure there are many more incidents that haven’t come out yet. To sit here and say that the Rangers aren’t covering up anything is either ignorance or stupidity. I’ll let you make that call.

@Kaizersoze: “MLB has had a very well established testing and suspension program for illicit drugs for decades”.

I would laugh if this comment wasn’t so ignorant. Do some research and come back with a legitimate point.

@IrishP1- He didn’t own up to it to the public. Read my earlier comments. The facts are simple. This wouldn’t have been even half the story/distraction it is now if they had just come out with it back in January.

And I believe that if you’re going to run out a book, talking about your battle with substance abuse in public and being a headliner in a religious campaign like I Am Second, that you can’t get by with simply being just half out there. It just makes me feel like he’s being a bit disingenuous now. If he had come out when it happened, it would have shown to be more human and more of a man in my opinion.

This just in…

Jon Daniels covered up voting irregularities in the Iranian election.

Al Gore won Florida in 2000, missing ballots are buried under The Ballpark in Arlington.

Thad Levine gave fatal pain killer injection to Michael Jackson, left no fingerprints or visible scars.

Nolan Ryan broke up Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson with fake tweets on Twitter.

Did I miss anything?

Big L – I know Evan does not like name calling but good lord! You are an F’ing idiot.

@Big L

You sir are an idiot. I work in a rehabilitation facility and it is not the rehab that makes sobriety, it is a person and their beliefs along with their support system. Rehab more or less is to detox and to get the person on the right track. In most cases Rehab is 28 days and is not near enough in order to get sober. If he hasn’t had a drink for 7 months rehab is not feasible. If Josh believes that he can work through it then he has to be supported by his support group and beliefs in himself and his higher power. Whether you approve or you ignorant opinion has no bearing whatsoever on Josh’s sobriety so keep you thoughts where they belong, in that cavernous space between your ears.

@evan

I Apologize for the name calling.

@albtead: His support group obviously didn’t work, and his relapse shows that his plan isn’t working. How many more times has he relapsed that he or the Rangers haven’t admitted. He needs to go back to rehab to truly deal with his issues again, hopefully a facility with better trained professionals than yourself.

@Don: he isn’t clean. His relapse is proof enough. He needs to go back to rehab.

@Big L-
Why are you on here being such a douche? You make some valid arguments, certainly worthy of debate, but geez…you are being so douchey about it.

I’ll look past it though. First, as has been noted the guy is teste three times a week. Now if you believe that those thest don’t really occur, then fine but clearly he is in a League mandated program that any slip up will not be glossed over and swept under the rugg. The evidence of this is tha fact that he has already been suspended for the substance abuse violations in the past.

Second I think it is reasonable to feel that The Rangers should have alerted the media when Josh came to him and told him of this incident. I might even agree with that, although I am anot one of these fans that feels that professional temasn and there players are public property. Sure we pay the tickets and buy the jersey’s, but its not like taxes, we choose to do those things. I understand why the Rangers wanted to keep a lid on it, and all indications are that Josh knew he errored in his judgement, and again not failing a test since(or before) the incident would indicate he is staying on the right track. So why do you think he should be punished? Because he drank, and licked whip cream off of some chicks t*ts?!?! A-Rod failed a drug test, what rule did Josh break?

By the way the reason why I think the Rangers should have alerted the media is to get ahead of the potential story, and give Josh apice of mind that this may or may not make the news. I think it would have helped have a better season, looking back he has seem distracted or not complete dialed in like he was last year, and the impending “doom” of this makes sense as the reason why that could be. In the end its all about the Hr’s and RBI’s with these guys, as well it should be.

@keith: the rules aren’t the same for you and I as they are for Hamilton. I can go out, have a drink or two, and then stop. Hamilton can’t, and he admitted as much. Yes, the Rangers should have admitted this publically when it happened. Instead of dealing with the issue then and having Hamilton go to rehab then, they’ve just ignored it. Hamilton hasn’t dealt with his latest relapse, he’s just pushed it off to the side, and that the Rangers encouraged such an action is very troublesome. Playoff race or no playoff race, Hamilton needs to go back to rehab and deal with his issues NOW, not when it’s convenient to him and his team.

Big L: He isn’t clean? Do you know something that we don’t? Did you go drinking with Josh last night? According to Josh and JD, he has been “clean” since that night in January. “Clean” does not mean that you are no longer an addict. “Clean” means that you are not currently using. And I think that you are being intentionally obtuse. Altbead is right – rehab is for detox. One incident does not require detox. A couple of weeks of using might have, a couple of months of using would have. One night does not.

Go ahead and make a fool of yourself if you want to, but I am done playing your game.

@Don: He isn’t clean. He relapse, and instead of dealing with his issues then he was told to ignore them by a Rangers front office used to covering up their player’s substance abuse. If the Rangers weren’t in the playoff chase, Hamilton would announce he’s taking a leave of absence to go back to rehab, which he needs to do now regardless of the standings.

But feel free to walk away when you’re losing the argument. I’m sure you’re good at that.

@Big L-

I don’t think I was saying the rules are the same for us, I was actually talking about the specific rules he is under. According to the rules that he, and he alone, have to follow state that if he fails a test then punishiment will follow.

As for relapsing, and to what degree relapses cause setbacks to the point of rehab, I don’t know. I’m not an alcoholic, and I am assuming here, neither are you. So who are we to say what is the appropiate steps for another person to take. I think it is rather presumptious to suggest that he has pushed his sobriety aside, or that the Rangers encouraged this behavior. Not alerting the media back in January is nowhere near the same thing as not caring that Josh has fallen off the wagon, and may jeapordize his ability to play for the team. What you are suggesting is that it was in the Rangers best interest to have Josh continue to drink, and push the limts of his problems to the point that it would cause at best Josh not play for the team and worse something way more serious like death. And you basis for this belief, because they didn’t tell the media that Josh told them there may be some photos coming out of him partying the night before in January? Thats a big leap there, no?

@keith: I’m not saying that the Rangers told Hamilton to “continue to drink,” I’m saying instead of having him go to rehab, they just told him to forget about it, they’ll sweep it under the rug. Hamilton hasn’t dealt with why he relapsed or what caused it, but just ignored it with the encouragement of the team office. Had the photos not come out, we never would have known about it, and for someone who has been as open about his struggles as Hamilton, it’s incredibly disappointing. While he’s certainly to blame for relapsing, the front office should have just as much for not telling him to go to rehab and deal with his issues then, and just encouraged him to ignore them. Nolan should be ashamed of this.

@scooper: I know what I’m talking about. I respect legitimate opinions, like keiths. You haven’t brought anything to the table, or said anything worth respecting. But feel free to walk away and ignore the bigger issue, like the Rangers do.

Big L: thanks for the laughs. Nothing tickles me better than an obviously biased person trying to pass their talking points off as legitimate and logical. our comments read like a high-school drug pamphlet: propagandized, hyperbolic, and completely black and white. You clearly have little or no knowledge of true addiction, substance abuse, rehabilitation, psychology, or psychiatry. Yet you’re signing Hamilton’s ticket to rehab? I don’t see M.D. after your name, boss.

I am also pulling for Josh. His story is amazing, and it is hard to have your life be put out in the public. I think he did the right thing to let his teammates know his situation the next day without causing a huge scene with the public. That is unneccesary. He isnt denying it, he is obviously ashamed of it. I believe that he is a good person who slipped up. It is a problem for him and he is trying to fight it. That is all that matters. I hope that he can restrengthen his faith and I will never get tired of hearing his story or listening to him share the love of God.

@Big L-

Look, I don’t know a whole lot about addiction, but I know enough to know what an enabler is. That’s what you are accusing the Rangers of being. Sweeping it under the rug in terms of PR is not the same as not addressing it with the player. I am beginning to sense repitition in our arguments, which would mean we probably aren’t going to get anywhere. I’m just not prepared to make the same presumptions you are in regards to the situation.

[...] Okay, so maybe there’s some doubt.  After all, no one is standing in the background with a newspaper dated in 2009.  But alas, Hamilton comes out and acknowledges the pictures in Dallas’ D Magazine: [...]

@big l- Josh did address why he relapsed, he was not spiritually in the right place. This might not seem like a “reason” to you, but the Bible teaches that Satan attacks believers twice as hard as non-believers. While this not be a medically or psychologically sufficient reason for you, many Christians, and Christian addicts at that, know all too well that Satan is always lurking for a moment of weakness.

Moreover, as Evan pointed out, the Rangers hands were tied. HIPPA laws prevent disclosure of any private medical information. Josh’s relapse qualifies as a medical condition under the ADA, therefore, the team could not disclose anything unless Josh himself allowed it. While I agree with you that disclosing this in January would have been better, hindsight is always 20-20.

Sorry, Big L, I won’t be baited.

[...] Hamilton or Deadspin, which printed the photos of Hamilton. It’s an unfortunate incident, but in addressing the media today, Hamilton at least took responsibility for his actions. I will continue to update the Hamilton story over the [...]

[...] Hamilton or Deadspin, which printed the photos of Hamilton. It’s an unfortunate incident, but in addressing the media today, Hamilton at least took responsibility for his actions. I will continue to update the Hamilton story over the [...]

@Kaisersoze: When you have no argument, try and insult the opposition. You can’t argue or insult well.

@Kaisersoze: my comments are valid and legitimate and none of them have been refuted. I’ve had civil discussions over them and I’ve been insulted by mouth-breathers such as yourself, but none of my comments have been proven wrong. Keep showing how dumb you are, though. Every post of yours brings this discussion up a notch.

@Randy: So alcohol isn’t a chemical and Hamilton couldn’t get addicted to it? Good lord what a dumb statement. I’d say go back and relearn high school chemistry, but it’s hard and I understand why you had to drop out.

No sir, I never said alcohol was not a chemical, nor did I say he COULDN’T get addicted to it. Trust me when I say I know all to well it’s power to rule a man’s life. What I said was, alcohol was not what got him suspended nor is it what he is tested for. It is not illegal, either.
I’ve never heard that he was an alcoholic, and I’ve never heard of him being in any AA meetings,and there are a lot of well-known people among us.
Anyway, BigL, it has certainly been an enlightening experience-you are the first truly perfect human I’ve ever met. You should run for God of the Universe.
ps: college grad, ‘78, with honors.

@Randy: then you know full well when a relapse happens, immediate action needs to be taken, and not just for the problem to be ignored. The next time you relapse, you’ll go back to rehab, instead of having your employer shove everything under the rug and tell you everything will be fine. That wasn’t the case here, and since Hamilton didn’t address his problems before, he needs to address them now.

I have just one question, Evan. Is there an “ignore” option for this blog? Seems that Big L (guess it stands for Loser!) needs a time out. He just keeps spewing out his irrational trash talk regardless of anyone’s attempt to rationally explain the situation. I just want an ignore option, please.

[...] D Magazine has a direct quote and the story up: [...]

[...]  Josh hamilton fell off the wagon in January. I give Josh credit, he’s still a stand-up guy, and he has battles just like we [...]

This should be a signal to Ranger management that it is dangerous to invest too much or rely too much on Hamilton. At least he came forward and has addressed the situation, but they don’t want another Roy Tarpley situation.

Hey Josh hold your head high. Your right were are all human and not perfect. I am glad you owned up to your mistake. I am a huge Rangers fan and we “my family” including my 4 year old cheer for you and the rest of the Rangers all the time. Be it at home on TV or in Arlington at the ball park. We forgive you Josh and I am sure God and his son Jesus have as well. Don’t let any of us down. God Bless You Josh. Go Rangers

[...] you guys don’t know is that I was the one that broke Josh Hamilton’s Photo-Gate on InsideCorner this weekend while Evan Grant was face down in a hotel room in Anaheim. So you [...]

[...] Josh had to answer some hard questions about what went down in Arizona before spring training was underway. It appears that he had just a *slight* relapse into his alcoholism: “I’m embarrassed about it, personally, for the Rangers, for my wife, my children and my family,” Hamilton said at his locker with a handful of his teammates joining the crowd of media that had formed. “It reinforces one of the things that I can’t have is alcohol. It’s unfortunate that it happened. I was out there getting ready for the season and took my focus off the number one factor in my recovery – my relationship with Christ. I hate that this happened. I am human.” [...]