Image by AFP/Getty Images via Daylife

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 04: Former baseball player Sammy Sosa (R) and his wife arrive at the 2009 Person Of The Year Honoring Juan Gabriel held at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on November 4, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Retired baseball slugger Sammy Sosa has caused quite a stir stemming from his recent appearance at an awards ceremony.  Sosa’s skin tone, which for most of his life had been a chocolate shade of brown, has morphed into almost  a Michael Jackson-like, shade of pale.

The Dominican Republic native left the major leagues in 2008, after playing 18 years.  During his career, Sosa hit 609 home runs, elevating him to being one of the game’s all-time leaders in round-trippers.

That slugging history has been severely tainted by revelations that he used performance-enhancing steroids while playing in the big leagues.

Could his steroid use have altered his complexion?  Perhaps.

According to the website, medicinenet.com, with regard to possible side effects from anabolic steroid use:

Notify your doctor if you develop: vomiting, skin color changes…

Obviously, it would be a shame if Sammy Sosa’s alleged abuse of steroids may have led to his new coloring. However, those familiar with attitudes related to race in the Dominican Republic, would understand how he may have become a mental victim to the cultural norms of a Caribbean island, infamously known for marginalizing its darker inhabitants.

There are skin-bleaching procedures that Sosa may have used to lighten his skin.  In a society where people casual cruise tanning salons, adjusting one’s skin shade is fairly common.  Yet, Sosa seems to have changed more than a shade or two (or three…).  If purposefully done (his hair texture and eye color have also been visibly revised..), he’s sought out to erase any physical connection he’s had, to what were once his African-descended features.  To think that, during his 1998 battle with Mark McGwire for Roger Maris’ single season home run record, I’d hear some African-American women refer to Sosa as “fine.”

For Sammy Sosa, this might be one helluva game-changer.

Cliff Lee pitches at the first game of the 2009 World Series at Yankee Stadium in New York City (Jim McIsaac/Getty)

Watching the Philadelphia Phillies’ Cliff Lee, effortlessly mow down the fearsome New York Yankees line-up during last night’s inaugural game of this year’s World Series, was incredibly nerve-wracking for me.  Why?

I’m unfortunately, a lifetime New York Mets fan.

The dilemma: I don’t know which team to despise more.

The dreaded New York Yankees, are of course, the Mets’ crosstown rivals. Yankee Stadium is forbidden territory for a Mets fan — sort of like Area 51. Even though the Yanks play in the South Bronx (not as cool a fact as it used to be…), they represent the “city” in “New York City”:  tall buildings, overpopulated streets, broken escalators at the 53rd Street subway stop, and unbearably long lunch lines, just to get a chicken gyro at a corner stand.   And, Kate Hudson attends Yankee games, now.

We Mets fans are suburban, working-class, Queens and Long Island types. Who needs “Fifth Avenue” when you have “Jericho Turnpike”?  We take pride in losing playoff contention in September, comparable to the way churlish Yankee fans go on and on about their dumb championships.  I’ll take the Mets two championships over the Yankees garish, twenty-six titles, on any day.

Screw the Yankees.  I hope they get swept.

Then we have the Phillies:  the Mets’ Eastern Division rivals.  The Defending World Series champions.  In 2007 and 2008, my Mets squandered first-place leads to the Phillies.  In response to the repeated collapses, Phillies’ pitcher Cole Hamels labeled the Mets as “choke artists.“  The Phillies seem to have a faux “swagger” to them.  Especially infielder Jimmy Rollins, and outfielder Jayson Werth.  C’mon, how much serious “swagger” can come out of Philadelphia, anyway?  A city where visitors line up to see a tourist attraction with a crack in it.

Screw the Phillies. I hope they get swept.

Now, it is obvious even to me, that someone has to win this thing. No matter how painful it will be, either the Yankees or the Phillies will rise out of this showdown as the victor, and champion of the entire baseball galaxy.

To that, I say: “screw the World Series.”  Hey, I won’t get swept up in it…

Image via Wikipedia

The Associated Press is reporting that a traveling manatee is stuck in a New Jersey tributary”

“The gentle sea cow has been known to marine scientists for 10 years as he made his way up and down the East Coast. He has recently been spotted in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maryland.

But on Friday he was huddling near an outfall pipe at an oil refinery in Linden, the only place he could find warm water.”

I’m still hoping that Senator Baucus included a provision for “end-of-career” counseling in his latest health care reform bill:

Hip Hop medical icon, Dr. Dre

Over at the website TheRoot.com, writer Kyle Coward states the case that many of the top performers from the Hip Hop music industry, should guide the American public through the health care debates by utilizing their gift of rhyme.  Coward goes on to assert:

This is why I ask the MCs of the world—mainstream and underground, major label and independent—to please heed hip-hop’s responsibility for being a vessel for socio-political enlightenment, and break down some of the more byzantine aspects of this health care reform business. If hip hop is the no-nonsense voice of the people, then perhaps they’ll give me some real talk on the issue

Neat idea.  I think we’re at the point where Lil’ Wayne may be better equipped to explain single-payer coverage, or co-ops far better than any Democrat or Republican.

Or, seminars on pain management from T-Pain?

Just imagine how much more energetic all the town hall meetings would be if they featured DJs,too?

If the crowd gets a tad too rowdy during one, Sen. Arlen Specter could shout to DJ Clue.  Clue could then deftly drop the needle onto the Mobb Deep classic, “Shook Ones,” to get the assembled hyped to the point of distraction.

Taking Coward’s cue, and recognizing my own deep, social responsibilities to inform (I am an Hip Hop elder statesman, you know…), I’ve written my own rhyme about health care reform.  I will use my  current “nom de Hip Hop.”    I now go by the emcee name, “Elliot Spits Sir.”

Here it is:

“DEATH PANEL” by ELLIOT SPITS SIR (aka “The Hard Boiled Egg”)

Turn my mic up, soundman…

Get it right, dude or you’ll get sprayed,

No masquerade, when you’re laid,

Out on the gurney, y’all have no mercy

Was I caught with a bullet from the trig? Nah…

Won’t get vexed ’cause I’m covered by the Cigna…

Wait! Doc says my wound’s too much to handle,

My dude, do I now have to get the DEATH PANEL?

DEATH PANEL…what?…DEATH PANEL…uh…DEATH PANEL…yeah!!!