Biogenesis update and Dempsey

Rodriguez, 12 others suspended for roles in Biogenesis

- On the same day that Alex Rodriguez was suspended for the rest of the 2013 season as well as all of 2014 for his role in the Biogenesis scandal, he ironically played his first game of the season, going 1 for 4 for the Yankees.  Rodriguez, who faces by far the harshest penalty of any of the players (who include former MVP Ryan Braun, Texas Rangers star Nelson Cruz, Detroit Tigers SS Jhonny Peralta and a handful of lesser known players) is in the process of appealing his suspension, the only player to do so.  
 - The theory is that his is so much longer in part because he misled investigators and has a long history with PED's.  Ryan Braun, received a 65 game suspension instead of the 50 games that the others received.  He was suspended following his MVP season but had the suspension overturned by an independent committee.
- Interestingly, it seems that investigators got most of their data from Facebook, text messages and BlackBerry messages, which is considered the main reason that none of the players chose to appeal their suspensions.  
- Superagent Scott Boras ripped the leaks that led to this investigation, saying that it does a disservice to the game and violates the collective bargaining agreement.  Boras does not represent Rodriguez, Braun or any of the other players suspended, but does represent a number of the biggest stars in baseball.


Dempsey Back Stateside 

- Clint Dempsey is back in the USA after he was transferred from Tottenham Hotspur to the Seattle Sounders for a transfer fee of $9 million. Dempsey is back for his second stint in America with Major League Soccer after previously playing for the New England Revolution from 2004-2006. Dempsey, one of the most prolific players in US Soccer history, is the captain of the US Men's Soccer team and is the second all time leading scorer in US history with 35 career goals. Dempsey is the first American to score a hat-trick in the ultra-competitive English Premier League. 
- This move should be a huge boon to Major League Soccer as well as the Sounders, who have sold out the first game Dempsey may play, even though he may be limited due to illness. The return to this side of the pond should bolster Dempsey’s stature and potentially help the game grow in the US.
- The move had nothing to do with the "new coach" in Tottenham.