If You're Pete Rose, Aren't You Kind Of Happy That MLB Held Up Your Lifetime Ban?

Before anyone jumps down my throat and says this is a “hot take” just hear me out. Pete Rose obviously wants to someday get into the Hall of Fame, I truly believe that, but with that said, don’t you think a small part of him is happy every time his lifetime ban is upheld? How many people are in the Hall of Fame? Hundreds? How many legends have lifetime bans from MLB? Shoeless Joe Jackson and Pete Rose? Being banned is how Pete Rose stays relevant, it’s how he is still talked about to this day. I know he would obviously be famous with or without the ban but I’m talking about 2015 relevance. How many times do people talk about Willie Mays or Sandy Koufax? They’re famous but not relevant. Pete Rose is relevant every year, especially when the thought of his lifetime ban being lifted comes up. It’s the perfect sweet spot, if he goes into the Hall of Fame tomorrow is he still a story? Probably not. He was great this fall for Fox during broadcasts but part of his greatness is his renegade status. The fact that MLB doesn’t want him and he’s in front of the country talking about baseball makes it that much more appealing to the audience at home. I don’t know when he’ll get in, I assume it will be eventually, but if you’re Pete Rose there are definitely some silver linings in being the guy who keeps getting talked about year in and year out.

What? No way!