Tuffy gets puffy

I just went to a convenience store and saw the weekly tabloids on the stand and decided to take a look inside Shukan Gendai (to see Mika Kano's racy pics, but I digress). I was shocked to see an explosive, tell-all interview with Tuffy Rhodes inside.

He talks about his departure from the Giants, Hara, Nabetsune, Horiuchi, Kiyo, and he even talks about the infamous incident that took place last season where he supposedly attacked a Giants coach named Hirota.

First of all, he says that the Giants are a team of superstars and egos and that they don't socialize much together, and that leads to a team of individuals. He says that the Giants could learn a thing or two from watching the Japanese team that just won the WBC.

He says that he wanted to play again this season with the Giants, but he heard from his agent that the Giants had no plans to renew his contract. He said that after he heard that he slumped in his sofa and just sat there in a state of shock.

He says that he respects and likes Horiuchi, but Horiuchi didn't have the power to control his egomaniac players. He says that Horiuchi just couldn't bring the whole team together.

Rhodes says that new (old) manager Hara is a "tengu (in Japanese)." It basically means that Hara is full of himself. He believes Hara gave the press all kinds of illogical reasons for letting Rhodes go after he took over as manager.

He says that Nabetsune hardly ever shows his face around the team and that all the players call him "Nabetsune" behind his back.

He talks about the incident that took place last April (or May) in which he supposedly attacked an old Giants coach named Hirota. He says that the Giants didn't tell the truth about the whole matter.

He says that what happened was this: After the Giants lost to the Swallows in a game in which Alex Ramirez hit the game-winning double over the head of Rhodes in the 9th inning of a 0-0 game, Hirota blasted him in front of the team in the post-game meeting. Hirota blamed Rhodes for the loss for not hustling after the ball. Rhodes says that he accepted the blame and apologized and then tried to get up and leave at which point Hirota grabbed Rhodes by the neck. Rhodes says that he told Hirota in Japanese, "Don't touch me," but Hirota held onto him by his necklace. Rhodes says that he had no choice but to grab Hirota by his neck also. That's when Kiyohara stepped in and separated the two.

In the press, the Giants made it seem like it was Rhodes who attacked Hirota without provocation, but Rhodes says that that wasn't the case. He finishes by saying, "Kiyo-san knows the truth because he was right there."

He finishes the interview by talking about Kiyohara. He says that Kiyo was his best friend on the team and that they talk often on the phone, but he goes on to say that the Giants would just go their separate ways after a game. Rhodes says that he only went out to dinner with Kiyo, Yoshinobu, Motoki, etc., but that was it and it didn't happen often.

He says that although he's friends with Kiyo, it doesn't compare with his friendship with Nori Nakamura. He says that Nori and him still talk often and that Nori's like family to him since they grew as ballplayers together on the Buffs. Rhodes says that the Buffaloes' players would often go out together after a game. He says that although they didn't win much, it was more enjoyable for him.

In the interview, Rhodes also blasted the Giants for not allowing him to ride his motorbike-not even in his spare time. He rode his bike to games when he was with the Buffaloes, but the Giants forbade him from riding it at all during his 2 years with the Giants. Rhodes says that riding frees his mind and helps him relax.

He also says that the Giants forced him to play hurt and that when he had his shoulder operated on, he was forced to pay the $25,000 surgery fee himself since he had it checked out and operated on in the U.S.

What Rhodes fails to acknowledge is that it was him who signed with the Giants. Nobody put a gun to his head and forced him to sign with them. Sure, Kintetsu only offered him a 1-year contract while the Giants offered him a 2-year deal, but it sounds like it wasn't worth it.

Next to the interview, there's a picture of Rhodes' new home that he just built in Houston. He says that he was able to buy it with the money he made with the Giants, so maybe his time with the Giants was worth the headaches.

It's painfully obvious, though, that he is still bitter at the Giants for letting him go. Tuffy, you had a great career in Japan. Don't go burning bridges or holding grudges because it'll only taint all the goodwill and respect that you built up and earned during the 10 years

At the end of the article, it says that he is now dating a Japanese woman named Saori. It says that he got divorced in 2001 and he's been seeing her since then.