Texas Rangers: So What If Josh Hamilton 'Relapsed' at Dallas Bar?

Texas Rangers star center fielder Josh Hamilton is in the news this week for having allegedly having a  drink.

Yes, I’m serious.

Hamilton’s history with alcohol is very well documented—and therein lies at least part of the problem.

Professional athletes are just like anybody else. They wake up in the morning, they breathe the same air, they have good times and bad times. I think that we, as a society, allow the mainstream media to expand people and issues to the point where they are portrayed to be greater than they really are.

If we take this incident concerning Hamilton for exactly what it is, there is just no story here.

I fail to buy into the idea the alcoholism is a disease that just happens to someone. There is no medication or cure for it and those facts kind of leave it in the "personal choice" arena. A person chooses to become an alcoholic just like they choose to allow any other substance to take over their life—or not.

And I certainly fail to see the benefit of dragging someone’s personal life, especially to this extent, to the front pages of national newspapers and all over the web—and all because a recovering alcoholic had drink.

I have dealt with alcoholism in my own family so it’s no secret to me how much trouble this can lead to. While I certainly do not see it as a disease, as it’s so famously marketed by the medical establishment, it absolutely is a debilitating behavior that many will never actually recover from.

No, I’m not here to perpetuate the media blitz on Hamilton because of his affliction. It might be one thing if he wrecked his car while drunk or hurt somebody in the process. Hamilton wasn’t arrested for any altercation or assault.

Again, Hamilton had a drink.

I couldn't care less where this places Hamilton in the Rangers' future plans and I say this because it likely doesn’t change anything.

Seriously, what are the Rangers going to do? Are they going to go back in time so they can sign Prince Fielder?

Hamilton is an All-Star, and just because he is does not mean he is not human. It does not mean he doesn’t sometimes wake up following a dream about a fan falling from the bleachers in left field.

You know what I’m saying here? Life is hard on everybody and the fact we might be worth millions of dollars changes nothing.

Hamilton struggles with alcohol. In fact, I have heard far more about his "recovery" than I ever did about the actual problem itself. I really believe we're making the mistake of turning his not drinking into a bigger story than when he did. How much sense does that make?

Again, Hamilton struggles with alcohol.

Mickey Mantle struggled with alcohol.

Leave him alone.