"I didn't think they were steroids..it was over the counter" - New York Yankees legend Alex Rodriguez once claimed he was oblivious to the nature of the substance he was consuming

New Yankees star shortstop Alex Rodriguez admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers during a three-year period beginning in 2001. The star came clean in a press conference he organized in Tampa, Florida, in early February 2009.

"#BREAKING EXCLUSIVE: Alex Rodriguez’s DEA confession: Yes, I used steroids from fake Miami doctor" - Miami Herald, Twitter

Alex Rodriguez met the press for the first time since acknowledging his role in the consumption of performance-enhancing drugs. A dejected A-Rod confronted the press bravely and spoke his heart.

"When I arrived in Texas in 2001, I felt an enormous amount of pressure. I felt like I had all the weight of the world on top of me and I needed to perform and perform at a high level every day," Rodriguez told ESPN's Peter Gammons.

"Alex Rodriguez admits to using performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-2003" - anulxc, Youtube

"Back then, [baseball] was a different culture," Rodriguez said. "It was very loose. I was young. I was stupid. I was naive. And I wanted to prove to everyone that I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time.”

"I did take a banned substance. And for that, I am very sorry and deeply regretful," Rodriguez told ESPN in response to a report in Sports Illustrated that he was one of 104 players who had tested positive that year.

A-Rod also mentioned that it was his cousin who injected him with the substance. The drug was sourced from the Dominican Republic. He hoped it would give him an energy boost, nothing else. He was also under the impression that they weren't steroids, partly because they were so easily available over the counter.

"I didn't think they were steroids. It was over the counter. It was pretty basic. It was really amateur hour. It was two guys doing a very amateur and immature thing. We probably didn't even take it right. All these years I never thought I did anything that was wrong."

How long a suspension did Alex Rodriguez serve

Alex Rodriguez was handed a lengthy ban for his involvement in consuming performance-enhancing drugs. While he initially faced a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the worst was yet to come.

"@Yankees release statement on Alex Rodriguez: “The New York Yankees respect Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, the arbitration process, as well as the decision released today by the arbitration panel.” #MLB #Yankees #ARod" - YES Network, Instagram

He was suspended from August 8th, 2013, until the end of the 2014 season for violations of MLB’s PED policy. He was set to miss 211 regular-season games, plus any additional post-season games. While the standard MLB suspension under the drug policy is 50 games, MLB had no choice but to have him do something longer than that purely due to the severity of the issue. However, in January, the decision was upheld and the ban was effectively reduced to 162 games.

Third baseman Alex Rodriguez #13 of the New York Yankees participates in a spring training workout on February 26, 2015 at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.

Rodriguez played his first game since his suspension on the opening day against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium in 2015. He only played for a couple more years before deciding to hang his cap. Controversial or not, fans have to tip your hat to a superb career, and more importantly, an incredible person.