I’m doing some double-duty today, I’m sure you understand why. I mean, think about Boston sports at the moment—

     The C’s are in the playoffs in a horrific battle with Dwight Howard and the Magic. The Red Sox are off and on the hottest team in baseball, and recently swept the Yankees. Twice.

     Thank god I’m not covering the Bruins, else this column would run four or five pages long.

     Today, though, today, I will manage to neglect most of that (save the C’s) and talk about Man-Ram. Manny Ramirez. Manny. Manny being Manny, and Manny being juiced.

     When I found this out, I texted my good friend Erin. “April fools…?” She replied.

     After that, I texted my friend Derek, “Holy crap!” was the response.

     And finally, my father: “Whoa.”

     Those responses sum up the response system with the Man-Ram ‘roids scandal: disbelief, shock, acceptance. I won’t even mention the effect this might have on some young supporters of Ramirez; his idolatry now wholly shattered or tattered in the name of cheating.

      The Celtics’ recent terribly poor performances (withstanding game two against the Magic) have only made it easier to follow the debacle Ramirez has created.

     Now, when Alex Rodriguez (or “A-Rod”, “A-Roid”, “A-Fraud”, etc.) tested positive, the whole of Red Sox Nation was quick to jump on the media bandwagon in selling him under the bus. Not worth mentioning was the pressure players are feeling in response to high contract values, large-market teams, and the media bearing down on them. It was good ol’ Sox Nation (of which I’m a proud member) who fueled the A-Roid fire.

     And with Manny, they did the same thing. Sadly.

     Forget years of (sort of) great service from Ramirez, he was a traitor and a vile human being for using steroids. Let’s just completely neglect the idea that he could’ve been using while he was in Boston.

     As sports fans, especially in support of such a great sports town, we need to be mindful of our attitudes when villains have fallen…

     And even more mindful when heroes have.