I was reminded this AM of something I first learned back in 1998 - Kirby Puckett was a lying, cheating bastard.  On the local morning news today, the channel 5 gang reported with glee of the bronze statue that will be unveiled at the new stadium honoring Kirby Puckett.  There is no doubting his abilities on the field - he was a great player.  But as a man, Kirby Puckett was a piece of shit.  The worst possible kind of piece of shit.  His cheating history is documented, but not WELL documented.  There were a number of liaisons left out of the news reports.  I happen to know two women that weren't reported on when the news hit back in the early 2000's.  We'll get to that in a moment.

Tiger Woods returned to golf this weekend by playing in his first tournament since last year.  He was cheered by thousands.  Some of the reports I've heard and read mention his indiscretions, but suggest that those are mere bumps in the road for him; that he overcame some major "thing" to finish as the 3rd loser at the Masters.  I turned on the TV yesterday as I was making dinner for the BMW and caught his interview...the guy is a massive prick and hasn't learned a damn thing in this.  I won't take away from his abilities either - he is a great golfer.  But as a man, he too shares the title with Kirby as the worst possible kind of piece of shit. 

What is the fascination with cheering for these pieces of shit?  I applauded the folks that didn't bother clapping for Tiger.  And I applaud those that haven't forgotten about Kirby's many, many indiscretions and won't hold him up on high just because he passed away a few years ago.  Death doesn't make him suddenly heroic.  Some that are religious might say he'll be judged for his sins - that may or may not be the case, but those he hurt by his actions have to live on with that memory.  

Speaking of memory, when I saw the report today, it triggered a memory of a phone call I received back in 1998.  I was on a business trip when my wife (then fiancee) called me and asked me if I recognized the voice in the background.  There wasn't even a question - it was Kirby Puckett.  He was nearby, along with a very close family member (we'll call her Andi, not her real name) who had been carrying on an affair with Kirby for many, many years.   I knew about the affair prior to the call, but it was never so real before this. 

This is only the beginning of the depravity.  I learned a great many things that I never wanted to know about Kirby.  I learned that Kirby was NOT particularly well endowed.  I learned that former Twin Matt Lawton apparently joined in on a "session" with Kirby and Andi, and I guess he was well endowed, but lacked Kirby's "ability" in the bedroom so during one session Kirby had to teach Matt how to use "it" (use your imagination).   I learned that a childhood "hero" of mine, Paul Molitor, had also been a big cheater.  Kirby and Paul double-cheated on their wives with "Andi" and one of her friends...frequently.  I learned that Kirby and is ex-wife's father also "double cheated" on their respective wives with Andi and another of her friends, frequently.  Yes, Tonya Puckett's father knew that Kirby was cheating - because he joined in on the fun with Kirby. 

But I never fully knew just how much of a shitbag this man Kirby was until I had the displeasure to visit his "shrine".  It was here I learned just what an egomaniac he was.  Kirby and Andi kept an apartment in a first ring suburb of Minneapolis (just to the north).  It was a two room love nest.  It wasn't fancy, but it was all decked out with Twins and Kirby memorabilia.  And a large bed with silk sheets.  Yes, he had a love shack decked out with reminders of how awesome he was on the field.  I suspect that it was an aphrodesiac for him.  You all may remember when Kirby was in a car accident back in 1998.  He rolled the SUV he was driving.  It was reported he was returning with his father-in-law from a fishing trip.  That wasn't true.  He was at the love shack in that first ring suburb, cheating. 

When Andi and Kirby couldn't be at the love shack, Andi would make early morning visits to Kirby's office at the Metrodome where she would "take care of him".  Kirby is also well known for his 8-ball invitational tournament that he use to hold as a fund raiser.  Among those invited were many of the local women with whom he carried on.  And his family was there too.  What a heroic man.

Karma caught up with both Andi and Kirby in the end.  The news hit about Kirby's cheating with an entirely different woman in the Twin Cities, and then another, and then another, Andi decided to walk away from the deal - only because one of the women with whom Kirby cheated happened to be her best friend and business associate (we'll call her Janet, not her real name).  Janet was the friend that also cheated with Kirby's father-in-law.  And we all know of how Karma took care of Kirby.  When he was outed, reports surfaced that he had women all over the country.  And the women, much like Andi and Janet, weren't anything special to look at.  They were women that had serious self esteem issues.  Just the type he liked.  And yes, karma also caught up with Tiger, but I suspect it's not quite done with him yet...

I enjoy watching the Twins and will continue to do so.  But I won't visit the shrine erected for Kirby when I go to the new stadium that I paid for (which is bullshit, BTW) and I have a real problem with how this man gets held up on high.  The same goes for Tiger.  The problems these two and many other men have aren't that they are addicted to sex.  They don't need treatment.  They have massive egos that cannot be controlled and the only prescription is public mockery.  Cheer for them if you want, I damn sure won't.  Any "man" that cheats as much as these two pieces of shit did on his wife and family doesn't deserve a statue, a round of applause, or an honor of any kind.  Shame, on the other hand, seems appropriate.