Proving the fairly new adage, "If everyone lives long enough, they might get their own reality show", TLC (The Learning Channel) announced today that they have begun production on a new reality show starring baseball's hit king, Pete Rose.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/07/17/tlc-pete-rose/

The show will reportedly be called "Pete Rose and Kiana Kim Family Project", and will follow Rose and his model wife Kiana on numerous exploits like Rose and Kim attending baseball's hall of fame in Cooperstown, as well as following them through their daily lives as they try to blend their families.

Rose, who of course has been banned for life by baseball for his role in a gambling scandal that he finally admitted to, is 71.  Kiana Kim is a 30-something model who has posed for Playboy.

This begs the question:  "WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO WATCH THIS???"

I'll admit I am kind of torn.  I am a longtime Pete Rose apologist.  I feel it is asinine to have a player who was a 17 time all-star and has more base hits than anyone who has ever played the game, not in the hall of fame.  What he did between the lines outweighs what he did after his playing days were over, betting on his team to win games.  But even I have a hard time with Rose getting a reality show.

What could possibly be exciting about watching this?  I can just imagine some of the storylines....

--Pete Rose trying to find more doctors who will write him a prescription for Viagra in order to keep up with his young wife.

--Rose complaining about his daily joint pain, and having to be prescribed special orthropedic shoes.

--Rose moaning about how sore his hand and fingers are from signing hundreds of autographs for $50 a pop after one of his card signings.

--Rose and his wife fighting about who gets to control the TV remote control.

--Rose's insistance that he is able to use his AARP card for discounts on dinners with his wife.

The possibilities are endlessly boring.  The other thing is that Pete Rose has never ever even been a remotely likeable character.  Maybe that is the producers focus for the show--to prove nearly everyones perceptions about Rose wrong.  Maybe he is really a nice, loving, likeable ol' fart who has mellowed with age, thanks to having a nice piece of eye candy on his arm.  That would be hard for me to believe, but being a sports fan, I suppose I will have to watch at least one episode just to see.

My personal recollection about Pete Rose is not so sunny.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  I used to sell coke, popcorn and peanuts at Tigers spring training games in 1987 and 88.  After a game between the Reds and Tigers (when Rose was player/manager), I remember standing outside Joker Marchant stadium with literally hundreds of other fans outside the Reds clubhouse.

Rose finally emerged and began walking through this throng of people toward the parking lot.  Rose seemed to pretend like there wasn't anyone even there, as he mindlessly walked between bodies, practically pushing people out of his way as he made his way to his car.  Standing right at his drivers door was this cute little blond girl.  She couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 years old, and looked just like the little girl who was eating a Nestle Crunch bar in that famous commercial with Rose (Nestle's is scrunchious when you crunch-it, thats why I love Nestle's Crunch!). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jik8o5iK53E

Rose couldn't even be bothered to sign ONE STINKIN AUTOGRAPH for this adorable little girl, silently pushing her out of the way so he could get in his car and slowly drive away, barely missing people by inches as they got out of his cars path.

I'll never forgot that day, and it sullied my opinion of Rose the man for many years.  Now I get a chance to watch him every week on my TV.  A bitter 71 year old man, who still harbors a ton of vitriol, hatred and discontent for the leaders of the sport that made him famous.

It doesn't seem right, to give Rose this opportunity at this stage of his life.  In a way though, I am hoping it will surprise me, maybe entertain me and somehow make Rose a little more likeable in my and many others eyes. 

In America, I guess everyone deserves a second chance.  Even Pete Rose.