Giambi never played me for a fool.

I am actually a bit taken aback by the sudden outpouring of outrage and anger, the steely resolve to kick Giambi off the team because he admitted to using steroids. Is anything really all that different today than it was yesterday? Didn't you already know that Giambi took steroids and lied about it?

A month ago, Gary Sheffield admitted to using steroids, claimed preposterous doe-eyed "Who me?" innocence, and the majority seemed to buy that load of garbage.

Mark McGwire admitted to using now-banned substances when he broke the hr record and Mike Lupica writes lame poetic odes about the Summer of '98.

You're going to hear a lot about "blame" and "hypocrisy" as the list of admitted users grows, but I have little doubt that the Giambi's biggest crime is hitting .208 last season. Sheffield had 120 rbis, so when he lies to Yankee fans, it's okay. The Yankees aren't clamoring to void Sheffield's contract, they probably want to extend it.

I must have a different emotional relationship with my team than lots of fans, different expectations. For instance, I don't really relate to the editorial staff of the NY Post, which joins the chorus with this over-the-top analysis:

"He has disgraced the Yankee pinstripes and made a mockery of everything that is wonderful and good and pure about the game of baseball.

So now it's up to George Steinbrenner. Say what you will about the man, he has only ever put one thing above winning: class. And now Major League Baseball and the fans - indeed, the nation - need to know what class really means."

Everybody point and laugh at the people who just said that Steinbrenner puts "class" above "winning."

"As you ponder your decision George, think of Lou Gehrig, think of Thurman Munson, think of Derek Jeter. What would decent men like that have you do."

Just don't think of Luis Polonia, Dale Berra, Mickey Mantle, Billy Martin, Babe Ruth, Whitey Ford, Wade Boggs, Steve Howe, Darryl Strawberry, Gary Sheffield, Ruben Rivera, Raul Mondesi, and those guys in the '70s who swapped their wives. Alcoholics, drug abusers, wife beaters, racists, cheaters, steroid users, adulterers. Some are good ballplayers, some not so good.

Frankly, I'm not really sure what Thurman Munson would have done. He might turn his head away and say nothing if Giambi can hit fitty dingers and three in a World Series game. While it's not the same thing because Reggie was never accused of breaking the law (that I can remember), Thurm seemed to get along a lot better with the hotdog loudmouth after they won a couple of Championship rings together.

In my estimation, Dave Winfield was more humble and classy than Reggie Jackson. Odd that Winfield isn't similarly revered by the NY Post and Yankee fans in general. Since we put class above winning and whatnot.

Personally, I don't see the big deal. Athletes are humans, the Yankees are bound to be a 25-person cross-section of society, both good and bad.

Maybe that's why folks are outraged. They really think the Yankees are "wonderful and pure and good." Sorry to break the news, but they're not, and they never were. They have just won a lot of baseball Championships over the years. You may take pride and glee in that fact, but winning doesn't make one virtuous.