There is an old adage that rock stars want to be professional athletes and professional athletes want to be rock stars. When Atlanta Braves ace relief pitcher John Rocker was recently traded to the Cleveland Indians, he remembered he wanted to see his favorite band, Black Sabbath, at Ozzfest, but they were performing in Atlanta.
So what's a rocker going to do?
He flew to Atlanta — only a 90-minute flight — after the game in Cleveland and then flew back in time to Cleveland for the next game. He got into the game and turned out to be the losing pitcher.
There is no moral to this story. Players can do what they want but usually tell their manager when they go out of town. Rocker did not tell his manager Charlie Manuel. And Manuel did not mind either.
