AOW 2/13: Hamilton Press Conference

This week's article comes from a speech given by Texas Rangers outfielder, Josh Hamilton. This press conference was in light of recent revelations of Hamilton relapsing with alcohol; Hamilton has battled an alcohol and drug addiction since he was a prospect in the early 2000s. Recently he was found to have gone out drinking in two different bars in the Dallas area. He stated that he wanted to address the media about the incident and explain his side of the story. He is very credible because of his past experiences and the fact he was able to combat his "demons" and overcome his addiction. He is also considered to be one the most well spoken player in Major League Baseball. His purpose is to apologize to his fans for his recent relapse and to explain what had happen in full detail. In his speech, Hamilton was addressing both the media and the fans. His speech had a lot of pathos throughout the entire piece. The speech came directly from him and was not written out in advance or rehearsed. He stated, "I did not write anything before this. All I am saying is directly from the heart." This shows that he was speaking true emotion in his words to show how sorry and regretful he was of his actions. He also uses communal memory of his rehab and connects to those struggling with rehab and those who followed him through his journey back to baseball. This allowed his speech to be more credible by showing that Hamilton knows the pains of relapse and addiction in general. It also gives him a better chance to receive forgiveness amongst his fans, friends, and family. Based on the speech alone, Hamilton accomplished his purpose, but time will tell if Hamilton will receive full forgiveness and if the Texas Rangers will give him the extension he is looking for.