Believe

Albert Pujols is well aware that his doubters are high in numbers. Today it is rare, particularly in baseball, for us to see a good performance and not immediately be suspicious.
Past experiences have increased our skepticism. From McGwire and Sosa, to Barry Bonds, to Roger Clemens, our former heroes have let us down. And now, to cap it all, the supposed protector of the Clean Age has been added to the list of wrongdoers.
Pujols wants everyone to know that he is not like the others. Not by a longshot.
Even if most of them don't believe him.
"Let's say I retire 15 years from now," he said, "They're going to say, 'Well he probably did it back then. He just didn't get caught.' I know that's what they're going to say. And you know what, man? It is sad, but at the same time, it doesn't matter. I know who I am. I don't care."
Sports fans need a hero. Our favorite Olympian was revealed to have smoked marijuana. Baseball's top hitter admitted to using perfomance enhancers. Tom Brady, football's hero, has not done any wrong, but has been easily forgotten due to his knee injury.
"We're in this era where we people want to judge other people. And that's so sad," Pujols says. He is right on the money: what he said was completely true.
Pujols continues: "But it's like I always say, 'Come and test me. Come and do whatever you want.' Because you know what? There is something more important to me- my relationship with Jesus Christ and caring about others. More than this baseball. This baseball is nothing to me."
He knows that, for some people, these words will have a reverse effect: the more he denies, the less people believe.
And, as Pujols would say, "That's so sad."
Today we have a hard time believing. Forget the Steriod Era. This is the Skeptical Era. For one reason or another, we just can't completely put trust in our atheletes.
Last year Albert Pujols won the Roberto Clemente award, which is directed mainly towards one's actions off the field. Despite winning two MVPs, Pujols says that the Clemente award is the most special award he has ever received.
Doesn't that tell you a lot about his priorities?
Pujols's crown as baseball's best consistent hitter comes with a curse: People will always be doubting you. And no matter what he says, no matter how much he reaches out for others, those people will always be there. He knows that he can't make them go away.
Every time something new pops up about steriods and baseball, it weakens the trust we put in these atheletes. And every time a player starts to dominate the sport, we ask ourseleves: Can he really hit that many homers without cheating? Can he really be that good without performance enhancers?
We may never know if Pujols was clean or not. Proof of his innocence or guilt may never come up. Take from that what you will, but personally, I've chosen to believe in him.
Isn't that a lot more enjoyable than thinking of steriods every time he hits a home run?