It was the spring of 1993 when Cal Ripken Jr. was introduced to a skinny 17-year-old kid. The teen would become the overall top pick in that summer’s draft and he had asked to meet with his boyhood idol. They had a brief and cordial meeting. They stayed in touch through the years.

Much has happened since.

Ripken continued to redefine the position of shortstop, proving that big guys could handle it defensively and also hit home runs. He became a celebrated baseball icon and a first ballot Hall of Famer. His dedication to preparation and a vigilant work ethic still are referenced more than 10 years after he retired.

Ripken took pride in representing the Orioles. He stressed that the focus always should be on his team. The many programs and charities that he supported as a young player remain important to the Ripken family legacy.

As predicted, that teenager who idolized Ripken did make it to the big leagues. He became a tremendous player with natural talent, but he also became alienated from many fans and fellow players.

Plenty of scouts said that he was the best young player they ever saw. But, maybe the budding star thought otherwise. Maybe he lacked confidence. Or, maybe he wanted to be greater than great, the greatest of all time, and he thought the only way to accomplish this was to use performance-enhancing drugs.

Alex Rodriguez had the right idea when he idolized Cal Ripken, but his train derailed badly along the way. Rather than following Ripken on the right track to success, A-Rod attempted to cheat the game for his personal gain. He also hurt future players, sending a message to athletes with considerably less natural talent in the minor leagues, on college and high school teams, and playing for fun in little league somewhere that they could grab an advantage by cheating.

A-Rod may still be a productive player when he returns, if he returns, for the 2015 season. He also will collect more money than just about any other ballplayer ever will see. But there is nothing he can do that will repair the self-inflicted damage to his reputation. Maybe he doesn’t care now, but in sports as in business reputation stays with you and your family long after your playing days are over.

Jim

They had a two-goal lead with four minutes remaining in the game. A long shot, actually a zone clearing attempt, clanged off the post of an empty net. Two questionable penalties in overtime set up the winning gold medal goal for the opposing team.

Josephine Pucci and her teammates figured this would be the year to defeat Canada for the Olympic hockey gold. The U.S. team proclaimed that silver would not be a consolation. Unfortunately, sometimes situations do not work out as planned.

Pucci knew that since 2012, when she suffered a severe concussion during a game against Canada. She needed a year to recover. The injury cost Pucci her senior year at Harvard and it forced her to take a long break away from the U.S. national team. The odds were against her to make the Team USA women’s hockey squad.

But, she did it, and the Olympic experience made it all worthwhile.

“It’s been unbelievable,” she said before the gold medal game. “Living in the village is great. It’s cool meeting other athletes from Team USA. So many languages, backgrounds, everybody in one dining hall. It’s pretty cool.”

The journey did not end with the desired gold medal for Pucci and her teammates, but she personally triumphed.

She will not get back that lost year on the ice. She can’t recapture her senior year at Harvard. She still needs to be careful about her health and future head injuries. But, Josephine Pucci made it all the way back against difficult odds to represent her country in an Olympic gold medal game.

That’s someone I want on my team!

Jim