I was here during Game 4 of the 2007 World Series. Like most thinking people, I was irritated and even offended by the intrusion of Alex Rodriguez's announcement that he was opting out of his contract with the Yankees. The timing seems mostly to be the genius of Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, but any way you cut it it is Alex Rodriguez who is the asshole of the year for upstaging the World Series with an announcement of his contract status. A-Rod is not my idea of an intellectual, though, so brainlessness in social graces come as no surprise. I did enjoy seeing him play in New York, though; particularly when I was at a game where he was at home run #499, searching for milestone home run #500. Every single time he swung the bat the stadium glistened with flash bulbs, a silent and simply beautiful synchronicity that we will not see again until, well, until A-Rod goes for home run #600. Too bad he turned out to be such a self-absorbed asspack, but when your talents in your chosen field are relatively infinite then that little world you inhabit is aaalll yours.