Hit .208 again and they'll boo.

Joel Sherman, you had me and then you lost me.

"If you were a parent and participated in the applause — and a scan of the crowd revealed plenty of adults on their feet and side-by-side with children — then please do not whine about players being role models any more."

Right on, Joel Sherman. Please please PLEASE, all the parents in the world, I'm personally BEGGING you. PLEASE do not whine about players being role models any more.

"My hunch is a lot of folks tossed their sense of morality away not because they are merciful, but because Giambi wore a Yankee uniform. That is a pretty weak set of principles, to determine right or wrong by if George Steinbrenner happens to be providing the paycheck."

Sherman is right that Yankee fans apply a different set of rules for Yankee players ... it's the essence of being a fan.

But this does not indicate a weak set of principles. Your moral principles were weak all along if you were looking to the Yankees for moral guidance.

I'm very strong in my principles regarding baseball. Yankees are Good, all other teams are Bad.

"Giambi spent some significant portion of his career cheating and lying about it, and only when faced with the possibility of perjury and jail time did he — under advice from his lawyers — decide the truth would set him free . . . well, of prison, at least."

That sounds about right.

I don't quite understand how Giambi has recast himself as a lovable loser, a stand-up guy, a sympathetic figure. He hit .208 last year, and his health problems probably are a by-product of steroid use.

Boo!

"I hope every parent who has children and stood and cheered Sunday night explained to their offspring why that was a good decision."

I'll do it for them.

"Dear son/daughter,

Baseball is a passion of mine. It's fun and entertaining.

But baseball players are just people, and people make mistakes. Now, I'm cheering for Giambi tonight not so much because I forgive him, it's hardly my role to forgive him. I don't even know him. But I damn sure hope he produces for the Yankees this season.

Now, promise me that you will never look to entertainers or athletes for moral guidance. They may turn out to be good role models, they may not be. There is no reason to think they have above-average intelligence, philosophical training, or any ethical discpline.

Same goes for sportswriters."