Remember when Gerald Laird ran over Dallas Braden's mound?  Dallas Braden yelled a bit, Gerald Laird looked stupefied, and Sportscenter spent an entire thirty seconds on the entire affair.

Nope, you don't.  Most likely because it didn't happen, but perhaps because it was a confrontation between Dallas Braden and Gerald Laird.

While Yankees fans have been pointing fingers at Braden and A's fans at Rodriguez over the past few weeks- let's remember two simple facts:

1)  Alex Rodriguez is one of the best players to have ever played the game.

2)  Dallas Braden became only the 19th player in the history of Major League Baseball to toss a perfect game.

The End.

Or... it should be.  But the sports media loves A-Rod and the sports media loves conflict, and what could have been a thirty second story became headlines all over New York and across the country.  Here's my take- shut up.  Don't ask CC Sabathia what he thinks.  Don't ask Derek Jeter.  Take Billy Beane's advice and zip it.  There are, after all, real conflicts in this world.  Stop wasting ink on this one.

In the wake of what has been the most exciting moment as an A's fan in a very, very long time, I have read many articles on Braden's perfect game.  Not one of them made it to the conclusion without mentioning A-Rod.  And across the internet A's fans chant (like Braden's adorable grandmother), "Stick it, A-Rod" and Yankees fans counter with "Fluke!" and, "We're still the champions.  See you in the playoffs... not."  We need to stop buying into this crap.

Rodriguez is a baseball stud, even if I hate it.  And our Dallas Braden pitched a perfect game.  Celebrate good times.  Don't get baited into these conversations, because if Gerald Laird had broken the unwritten rule, we'd all just be happy with yesterday's game.