Katie Couric Felt “a Little Sad” When Alex Rodriguez Reached Out for Advice
Katie Couric and baseball legend Alex Rodriguez formed a friendship throughout their careers, although the renowned news anchor admitted it sometimes stirred mixed feelings.
Couric, 68, and Rodriguez, 50, first met in a rather ordinary manner.
“I attended a Yankees game with some friends while I was anchoring the CBS Evening News,” Couric reminisced in episode 2 of HBO’s Alex vs ARod, slated to premiere on Thursday, November 13. “I recall him looking up at me in the stands. It felt like I was Glenn Close in The Natural or something.”
Couric continued, “Next thing I knew, his security guard approached me with an autographed bat and a few baseballs tied in an athletic sock, all signed by him. Everyone around was like, ‘What is happening?’ Meanwhile, I was just as perplexed.”
Following that, Couric and Rodriguez grew to be “friendly-ish,” with the journalist noting that the athlete would “call me from time to time.”
“I’ll never forget preparing for the news around 2007 when I received a call,” Couric shared. “My assistant informed me that Alex Rodriguez was on the line, unsure about his future with the Yankees.”
Couric remarked, “It was touching yet somewhat sad that he sought advice from me, someone who knew very little about baseball, which hinted that he may not have had anyone genuinely looking out for him. Isn’t that wild?”
At that time, Rodriguez was still married to his wife, Cynthia Rodriguez Nicolas (née Scurtis), although she would file for divorce in July 2008.
Rodriguez initially opted out of his Yankees contract after the 2007 season but eventually changed his mind, signing a 10-year, $275 million deal in December 2007, surpassing his own record for the largest contract in baseball history at that moment.
“I believe everything about Alex Rodriguez revolves around image, in a way,” Couric contended. “Image construction, image restoration.”
This became clear when Rodriguez interviewed with Couric on 60 Minutes in December 2007, where he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
“He was under immense pressure, and the scrutiny was intense,” Couric noted. “I think he was still trying to find his footing. He’s someone who is very concerned about his public perception and seemed unsure of how to conduct himself.”
In 2009, Rodriguez confessed to having used performance-enhancing drugs between 2001 and 2003 during his time with the Texas Rangers.
“I remember he left a note at my apartment that read, ‘Dear Katie, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth,’” Couric recounted. “I thought, ‘Well, that’s somewhat nice.’”
Couric added, “However, I was also upset that he had lied.”
The second episode of Alex vs ARod premieres Thursday, November 13, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
