Ryan Braun And The Five Stages Of Grief: Acceptance

by Kyle Lobner on Dec 16, 2011 3:00 PM CST in Ryan Braun

If you're not ready for this step yet, then perhaps you'd like to go back to denial, anger, bargaining or depression.

After a week to discuss, react and grieve over the Braun situation, I think it's time to move on. The situation sucks and it likely will continue to suck, but there's not much to be done about it. All we can do as a fanbase is sit back, wait for the results and hope for the best. It's possible we're witnessing a situation that we'll never forget and one that will have a lasting impact on the player and this franchise, but it's also true that it's not the end of the world.

Obviously, we're all still hoping for the best here. We're hoping that whatever's happening behind closed doors will lead to the charges against Braun being untrue and this situation turning into a massive false alarm. But I think it's time we accept the fact that it's possible that won't happen. And if the charges turn out to be accurate, then we'll have to deal with the punishment and the aftermath.

At the end of the day if Braun receives the 25 game suspension he's rumored to be facing, it's possible this really won't be that big of a deal in the grand scheme. Until this mess unfolded I had almost forgotten that Mike Cameron served a similar suspension in 2008. Cameron, of course, wasn't a player of Braun's caliber, but the team was able to patch the hole for a month and still make the playoffs for the first time in decades. This situation isn't really all that different. As Jordan pointed out yesterday, this is still a pretty good Brewer team and there's reason to hope for big things.

So that's where I'm at. I'm both disappointed and hopeful, but I'm ready to move on. Are you?

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I can't come to acceptance until I know what it is that I'm accepting

If he’s exonerated, it won’t even have existed in my mind, I won’t give it a second thought. If he gets a 50-game ban, I’ll have to accept that my favorite player is a cheater and not very good at getting away with it. If it’s reduced or whatever…well, yeah, not sure what I’ll think.

by Archibaldcrane on Dec 16, 2011 3:04 PM CST reply actions

At first I was checking twitter constantly

reading every rumor, speculating on the outcome. I was pretty distraught and ill tempered in the first few days after the story broke. I was constantly checking here, ESPN, everywhere hoping to see an update.

I just can’t do it for a long period of time. I would have gone insane waiting for a Breaking News – and a headline that brought a little closure to the shock.

My acceptance is that need to be patient and ignore any media source on the subject until Braun or MLB make a statement. I have accepted that 90% of the combined sports “media” (ESPN, SI, beat writers, blogs, twitter, etc) are complete shit, and I don’t need news injected into my conscious 24/7. I enjoy the sources I trust (BCB, and a handful of writers) and the rest is just noise not worth my time/clicks/attention.

"...just throw that pill over the plate and I'll make it happen." - Tony Plush

by thefreewheelin76 on Dec 16, 2011 3:14 PM CST reply actions

Braun has Herpes:/

http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/ryan-braun-rumors-are-swirling-failed-test-could-be-linked-to-std-herpes/15191/#

Very sad that OTL released a story before all the facts had been released:/

by TexTexington on Dec 16, 2011 3:15 PM CST via mobile reply actions

OK. Um.

We need to stop saying this like it’s an established fact.

We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.

by Rubie Q on Dec 16, 2011 3:21 PM CST up reply actions 3 recs

Especially when it is all linking back to this one Terez Owens guy.

Who apparently is Perez Hilton of sports? I’m assuming?

by Noah Jarosh on Dec 16, 2011 3:22 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not...

saying I don’t agree with this statement.

BUT.

Just throwing it out there: I was at a bar on Sunday night and a guy there showed me a text message supposedly from a Brewers trainer that said that Braun “had a personal issue and the medicine for it caused the positive test.”. He told me it was an STD.

I shrugged it off until the other day when the herpes rumor broke. I don’t know WHAT to think anymore.

by dublelift on Dec 17, 2011 1:02 AM CST up reply actions

Yeah...

One time at a bar, I told a girl I was Brad Pitt… O.o

That dog just won't hunt.

by Bush League All Star on Dec 17, 2011 11:19 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Holy crap, you're Brad Pitt?

If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!

by SRB on Dec 17, 2011 3:48 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

/swoon?

That dog just won't hunt.

by Bush League All Star on Dec 18, 2011 5:18 PM CST up reply actions

I hate ESPN for releasing this story before all the facts can be known!

But I’m totally willing to treat this herpes rumor – from a single source only attributing it to “rumors” – as unassailable fact!

by Cheeseandcorn on Dec 16, 2011 4:09 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

like we needed another reason to hate ESPN

"It's a joke. It's all a joke.

by WSB Chris on Dec 16, 2011 4:42 PM CST up reply actions

I see what you did there.

by mpbMKE on Dec 16, 2011 5:05 PM CST up reply actions

That medication is used to treat other things besides herpes...

From personal experience, it is used to treat Chicken Pox, if you get it as an adult. It is also used to treat Shingles and cold sores, all of which are caused by the same virus (or very similar virus). The rumor is that anti-viral medication caused the positive test result, which I think is plausible. However, he could have been prescribed that medication for something other than an STD.

by RobertArthur on Dec 16, 2011 6:09 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Yeah, really sad that OTL released a story without all the facts...

… as you’re treating a rumor as fact and trying to spread it around the internet.

www.mlbsoup.com

by tcyoung on Dec 17, 2011 12:38 PM CST up reply actions

but it’s also true that it’s not the end of the world.

What? You think it’s coincidental that this suspension might happen in the year

Because I don’t.

We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.

by Rubie Q on Dec 16, 2011 3:27 PM CST reply actions

I'm just in limbo-

At this point I have been so optimistic that I haven’t gone through any of the stages yet. Stuck on denial I guess. I haven’t even begun to think about how I feel if it’s true. Bad, probably.

A samurai sword collection. If you can do it. I don’t know if you’re allowed.

by TwoShoesMcGooze on Dec 16, 2011 3:37 PM CST reply actions

Anyone else read about the herpes rumor?

There’s a rumor on TerezOwens.com that Braun’s positive test was caused by a legal medication he was taking to treat herpes and that’s what the highly unusual circumstances about this case are about.

I guess I’m in the denial stage.

http://www.terezowens.com/ryan-braun-reportedly-has-herpes/

by gffjenks on Dec 16, 2011 3:47 PM CST reply actions

Wow how did I miss the comments about it already

by gffjenks on Dec 16, 2011 3:48 PM CST up reply actions

...

…

by Noah Jarosh on Dec 16, 2011 3:49 PM CST up reply actions

...

We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.

by Rubie Q on Dec 16, 2011 3:52 PM CST up reply actions 4 recs

Can someone post something on their blog about Ryan Braun being a werewolf

and that’s why his testosterone levels were so high? We can all link to it at least once a day for the next two weeks.

by ecocd on Dec 16, 2011 5:53 PM CST up reply actions 5 recs

I've read a fanfic about Justin Verlander being a werewolf

and also one about Jeff Niemann being a vampire. Maybe if we bring Braun into this someone can do a Twilight crossover or something.

by morineko on Dec 16, 2011 10:56 PM CST up reply actions

flagged

Please never associate Braun with twilight again.

BCB: Pointless Exercises in Devils Advocacy
BCB Fantasy Football League 2 Champ

by Jeo on Dec 17, 2011 12:36 PM CST up reply actions

LOL

A samurai sword collection. If you can do it. I don’t know if you’re allowed.

by TwoShoesMcGooze on Dec 16, 2011 7:00 PM CST up reply actions

This thread is severely lacking a Ruben Quevedo picture...

Grillax people

by jmeks23 on Dec 16, 2011 3:48 PM CST reply actions

I've gone to the well far too many times this week.

We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.

by Rubie Q on Dec 16, 2011 3:50 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

Yes. Please refrain from a Rubie Q. picture while this current herpes outbreak is lingering.

You too Nullacct.

by kmals on Dec 16, 2011 8:35 PM CST up reply actions

Money

I’ve got money out that he’s innocent ;) Well, one bet is if he is suspended it’ll be less than 50 days.

by Dexsting on Dec 16, 2011 4:22 PM CST reply actions

Over/under on how many more people will link to the "Ryan Braun has herpes" article...

And suddenly, I just got really depressed by the fact that my first post on BCB involved the words “Ryan Braun,” and “herpes” within the same sentence.

by Usingers and Kraut on Dec 16, 2011 4:27 PM CST reply actions

One of us...

by mpbMKE on Dec 16, 2011 5:06 PM CST up reply actions

I'm having a hard time accepting the fact that

the fan base of a professional sports franchise is hoping their star player had herpes.

by jcollins205 on Dec 16, 2011 4:38 PM CST reply actions 3 recs

Either he's a cheater in baseball or a philanderer in his personal life.

And everyone loves a good philanderer.

by mpbMKE on Dec 16, 2011 5:08 PM CST up reply actions

Everyone except Newt Gingrich's previous wives

Remember: Schadenfreude is still Freude.

by Brew Angel on Dec 16, 2011 5:15 PM CST up reply actions

Yet he keeps getting NEW wives...

by mpbMKE on Dec 16, 2011 5:17 PM CST up reply actions

What? That's not really an "either/or" statement.

by MKEtotheATX on Dec 17, 2011 10:21 AM CST up reply actions

I wonder how many professional athletes have had herpes.

95%, or 97%?

If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!

by SRB on Dec 16, 2011 11:30 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Fewer than have had steroids, probably

Mark Attanasio is the best.

by nullacct on Dec 17, 2011 3:48 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs

PEDs is around 92 to 94%

If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!

by SRB on Dec 17, 2011 3:48 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, me too.

"fortunate, but also lucky"

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Dec 17, 2011 11:04 AM CST up reply actions

I'm not gonna get to acceptance

Until he actually gets suspended. I’m still maintaining hope that the organization that covered up systemic cheating, lying and fraud for a generation will have the decency to give Braun a fair shot.

"Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. And even if we don’t like what’s happening on the other side, we don’t make a — it’s not our business" - Tony Larussa

by mnbrewer on Dec 16, 2011 5:13 PM CST reply actions

To answer the question

NEVER

FREE RYAN BRAUN! FREE RYAN BRAUN!

"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."
BCB Fantasy Football League 1 Champ

by Hyatt on Dec 16, 2011 9:43 PM CST via mobile reply actions 2 recs

And we're back to denial...

by ecocd on Dec 17, 2011 12:48 AM CST up reply actions

i like to think we never really moved on

Packers: Working on a dynasty.
Blackhawks: Taking care of business as usual.
Badgers:Back-to-back B1G Champions!
Brewers: Move along, nothin' to see here.

by Tepo6688 on Dec 17, 2011 2:59 AM CST up reply actions

I haven't yet

Until that suspension happens, I will be in denial.

by cwolf20 on Dec 17, 2011 3:18 AM CST up reply actions

And I expect the other four stages to happen very quickly if he somehow is convicted

by cwolf20 on Dec 17, 2011 3:18 AM CST up reply actions

There's still a whole lot of bargaining going on.

"fortunate, but also lucky"

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Dec 17, 2011 11:05 AM CST up reply actions

Does anyone know, has Prince Fielder ever hit a grand slam with herpes?

If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!

by SRB on Dec 16, 2011 11:27 PM CST reply actions

I think we all know who to blame for Braun's herpes

by Scooter82 on Dec 17, 2011 9:07 AM CST reply actions 6 recs

??????

That dog just won't hunt.

by Bush League All Star on Dec 17, 2011 11:35 AM CST up reply actions 2 recs

Quick, somebody scour the herpes dating sites and see if Braun has a profile

by cwolf20 on Dec 17, 2011 12:52 PM CST reply actions

funny story....

I once stumbled across a dating site called “Positive Singles”, and I thought, hey great! women who have a really positive outlook on life! turns out that MAY have been technically true, but the “positive” meant something entirely different…

in a completely unrelated story, I once wanted to check online if my local Dick’s Sporting Goods sold bowling shoes, and not knowing the URL, typed in “Dicks.com”. Here’s a piece of friendly advice for you boys and girls…. that site exists, and that ain’t for a sporting goods store

by tdgbp on Dec 17, 2011 6:37 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

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