A-Rod: I've Never Used Steroids

Tells Katie Couric He's Never Been Tempted To Use Performance-Enhancing Drugs

(CBS)  But the game that got Alex Rodriguez the most attention this past season was one he wasn't even in. It was the fourth game of the World Series and the Red Sox were about to sweep the Colorado Rockies, when the announcer suddenly broke away from the game, saying that Rodriguez had decided to opt out of his Yankees contract.

Opt-out, meaning he was leaving to become a free agent. That announcement upstaged one of the biggest nights in baseball.

"Can you understand why so many people found that so incredibly offensive?" Couric asked.

"Absolutely. A hundred percent," Rodriguez said. "If I was a sports writer, if I was a fan, I would have been very, very upset. I was angry and upset. Shocked -- disbelief. I mean, I'm sitting in my living room."

"You were watching the game?" Couric asked.

"Yes. And that was very, very difficult," Rodriguez said.

Asked what he did when he heard it, Rodriguez told Couric, "Nightmare -- you know, I got white like a ghost. I just couldn't believe my eyes. I was under the impression that it would come out a day or two after the World Series concluded. And I would never do anything to harm the game … to the Red Sox and the Rockies, my deepest apologies, and to all of Major League Baseball."

"You got hammered by the press. A number of respected sports writers called you, among other things, 'A gold plated phony.' 'Pay-Rod in Pinstripes.' They say you upstaged more World Series games than you actually played in. Were you surprised at the level of vitriol that came your way?" Couric asked.

"No. If I was a writer, I would have done the same thing, because it was unacceptable. And inappropriate," Rodriguez said. "And, you know, when you do things the wrong way, that’s what you get."

The whole debacle started, he says, when his agent, Scott Boras, told him the Yankees didn’t want him anymore.

"But they were trying to reach out to you. It's kind of hard to believe that you were taking Scott Boras' word as gospel when you had all these other signs coming from Yankee management," Couric remarks.

"You're right," Rodriguez says.

Asked why he fell for that, Rodriguez said, "Why wouldn't I trust my attorney. Most people trust their attorneys. I'm a baseball player. I'm not an attorney. I've never negotiated a contract."

But at the age of 32, he was about to.

"When I realized things were going haywire, at that point, I said, 'Wait a minute! I got to be accountable for my own life…this is not going the way I wanted to go and I got behind the wheel,' and I called Hank," Rodriguez recalled.

Hank, as in George Steinbrenner's son, who is now in charge of the Yankees. Taking the advice of his friend billionaire Warren Buffet, A-Rod says he negotiated directly and personally with the Yankees.

Scott Boras, who told 60 Minutes he couldn't talk about his clients, was not welcome at the table, but he still stands to make about $15 million on the deal. A-Rod says he will pay him, and will keep him.

"What is your relationship like with him today? Why do you have to think about that so much?" Couric asked Rodriguez.

"Well, the whole situation saddens me a little bit," he replied.

Asked if he talks with him at all, Rodriguez said "No."

"Do you think that will change?" Couric asked.

"We’ll see," Rodriguez said.

Asked if he was talking to Boras during the negotiation process, Rodriguez said, "No, I wasn't. I was talking with my wife."

"Cynthia, how do you think Alex changed as a result of this?" Couric asked.

"He wasn't used to having to take such initiative and such action, especially in this arena….and he actually had to pick up the phone, make the calls, make some decisions and stand behind them…be confident and be sure…it was very difficult, but it was a huge growing experience," Rodriguez's wife replied.

[greenwave94]

I am a long time 60 Minutes viewer and the interview Katie Couric had with A-Rod disgusted me. I use the term "interview" loosely because what Katie performed was nothing less than an attack. Every question asked had a negative conotation. A-Rod has done nothing but play hard and put up some of the best numbers of any player to ever play the game, all the while keeping his nose clean. Why not talk about his charitable contributions or the fact that the best player to ever play should make the most money of all time. I certainly do not see Katie raking a movie star over the coals for the money they make. As far as his extra-marital affair, where is the proof? A picture? Please.... So why even bring it up? Katie, your attempt to make A-Rod look bad failed because he is much too classy to stoop to your level.

[violet74]

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[ronkaplannj]

Do we really need to see so many "reaction shots" of Kouric while Rodriguez is talking? Who is the subject of story here?

[raquelreid]

Horrible interview. Katie Couric obviously did not do her research beforehand. She was not prepared, and came off very unprofessional in her attack of his salary.
A-Rod, on the other hand, was impressive and handled her questions with tact and diplomacy.

All in all... it was nice to hear what he had to say and it''s too bad that we all had to be subjected to such an unprofessional interviewER

[samrensho]

Sure, just like "I never had *** with that woman". Give me a break.

[navyretired2]

Why don''t MLB just disband and get it over with. The league is corrupt, out of control, and has lost the confidence of thousands of former-fans.

[chitown639]

With A-Rods new contract, he is paid over $45,000 per times at bat!!! He could stand to lose a lot, especially if A-Rod is ever asked to speak in front of a grand jury about his alleged steriod use. Bonds lied to the jury and you see where he is today! Bonds is going to be made the example to other players. So, if any of the players are guilty of ever using enhancement drugs, they would be wise to assume that the government has the evidence against them and just come clean. The feds never really open up a case unless they have a boat load of evidence against the accused. Hence, why the federal conviction rate is a whooping 99%.

I watch this interview to see Katie Couric. Her questions confirmed my decision to quit watching the CBS Evening News because of her. The once leader in evening news has lost focus.

Does A-Rod or Ster-Roid * really need $250 million or whatever they''re getting paid these days to play ball? I just don''t get it. But someone''s been hitting it and boy, are they ever being paid.

[garfield1970-2009]

Katie Couric asked if Alex Rodriguez was overpaid. His contract equals out to about $28 million a year. No doubt that is a lot of money but sports franchises make money by winning and there is no doubt that Alex Rodriguez helps the New York Yankees win more games. On the other hand Katie Couric makes $15 million per year. The CBS Evening News remains in last place. The CBS Evening News has LOST viewers since she took over. And the CBS Evening News does not make a profit -- it loses money for CBS. In fact it is the worst financial performing unit of CBS News. So who is overpaid? It is clear - Katie Couric.

[dsnylnd55]

Alex came off well. He is articulate and I felt honest. I''ve been a fan since he was signed with my Mariners. He broke my heart when he left. Given that I enjoy his being booed at Safeco, I feel is being upfront here.

My gripe is - where does Katie Couric get off asking if Alex is worth is salary? She makes HUGE money and I feel she certainly is NOT worth her money.

She is a poor interviewer, pushy and snarky. Nothing professional about her approach or attack on people.

Loved the interview - hated the interviewer.

[incog-nito]

Bottom line: He''s making zillions of dollars, and a lot of people are pointlessly angry for some reason.

[helen61746]

I am neither a Yankee fan nor an A-Rod fan, but Katie Couric''s interview was what was disingenuous, not A-Rod. She thinks she is doing in depth reporting and all she does is come across as being ******. Big mistake taking her from NBC. I will not watch CBS news Monday through Friday as long as she is the anchor. Nor will I ever again watch one of her reports on 60 minutes.

[rudegrl]

What an amazingly gentle interview! What happened to the hard-hitting journalism 60 minutes used to be known for? How about showing A-Rod photos of himself before and after steroid testing started, and ask him to explain the dramatic change in physique? When he says he''s not in it for the money, how about confronting him with his statements about wanting to leave the Mariners for a competitive team, and then ending up with the Rangers who just happened to offer him a huge amount of money?

[icunow2]

head sizes, shoe sizes grow and no one is taking the roids? Yea good luck with that.

The creepy thing is the commissioners all knew everything and were hoping against hope that no one would notice. Well guess what, the roids are out of the bag. Barry Bonds should not be named homerun king if he used DRUGS to get there. Give it back to Hank Arron, at least you saw the struggle, the push, the white hair and finally the motherload. At least he worked for it.

[tejasdemo]

Suuure thing there Rod. I mean, I definitely believe that you''re not taking Roids.

[janeyre-2009]

I am glad I didn''t see the interview. What a bunch of XXXXX or something like that. Katie is out of her league.

[inmo-2009]

Wycook - just FYI is it not a reporters job to get the answers that the pubic wants to hear - as a reporter it is MY job to report the truth - what is said no matter how you like it.
Jboxton - who cares if you saw him cr** in his pants. Maybe that should have been a clue to not eat there.
Katie may not be the best journalist in the world. But I have questioned since she joined CBS how many of you do not like her journalistic style? How many of you do not like that a woman is the anchor of the news? and she interviewed A-Rod.

[petersemkiw]

Dear Katie,
Congratulations upon a great interview with A-Rod! It was a very interesting interview with A-Rod like I''ve never seen before! I remember the Press Conference with the Yankees when he first joined a few years ago! He''s a great baseball player and he has come a long way! Especially without steroids!
You certainly hit the ball out of the park with this one, Katie! Congratulations! Peter

[pds150]

Who made the decision to assign Katie Couric the A-Rod interview? I''ll agree with the choice only if it was made to provide Ms. Couric with one final humiliation. A humiliation that might push her out the door once and for all. Let''s hope that was the reason. Because if the people at CBS News did not have the foresight to understand that she would botch the opportunity to interview Major League Baseball''s preeminent star at a pivotal time for both Rodriguez personally (his contract with the Yankees) and for the game in general (Mitchell Report) then the incompetence at CBS is now pervasive.

Couric''s skills as an interviewer are non-existent. That''s been demonstrated time and again. But her unpreparedness for this interview is the major offense. There IS no asterisk (Spelled like it sounds, Katie!) next to Barry Bond''s name. At least not yet. Your suppositions aside.

It''s obvious that Couric feels as if she''s in a position to make all decisions for everyone from the President of the United States right down to the Commissioner of Baseball. The facts need not be damned. She''ll be the judge of what that facts are.