General: Pete Rose -- Gambler or narcissist?

by Dr. Richard Lustberg On the Couch

Many reporters and the public have recently shown increased fascination with the problem of mental illness in athletes.

This fascination was spurred by the case of Oakland Raiders center, Barret Robbins, who suffers from manic depression, as well as other athletes.

However, there is a baseball superstar, one of the greatest legends of the game, who also appears to suffer from a debilitating psychological disorder.

His name is Pete Rose and his psychological condition goes largely unreported.

Baseball's dalliance with Pete Rose regarding his possible reinstatement, from all reports was unsuccessful due to the fact that he would not admit to the full extent of his behaviors.

Reportedly, but not shockingly, he continues to exhibit the same behaviors!

This really should not have surprised anyone.

People like Rose are interesting, albeit sad case studies in pathology, who are frequently found in doctor's offices and clinics throughout the country seeking treatment.

The fact that baseball was entertaining the thought of reinstatement and affording Rose the opportunity of entering the Hall of Fame, speaks to its own sorry state of desperation. 

From all accounts, Pete Rose has a long history of documented behaviors that meet the diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling. Plain and simple.

One of the criteria for this disorder (and Rose appears to meet many of the criteria) is repetitive lying to conceal the extent of one's involvement in gambling, much the same way an alcoholic, or drug addict tries to conceal their behaviors.

Pete Rose has also been convicted of income tax violations, which might have been just an outright attempt to avoid paying the government.

However, when his behavior is viewed in relation to a gambling disorder it makes a great deal of sense.

Gamblers frequently commit illegal acts in order to finance their gambling.

Individuals with a gambling disorder are often in denial of their problem, which unfortunately does not allow them to seek the treatment they so desperately need and ultimately undermines their capacity to change their dysfunctional behavior.

Rose is a classic example of a person in denial who despite overwhelming evidence continues to deny the full extent of his behaviors.

It might be of interest to note that people with gambling addictions, or for that matter any addiction, often have a second diagnosis. That leads one to ask does Rose have a second diagnosis?

By all accounts, Rose also has a huge ego with personality traits bordering on grandiosity.

From all appearances and reports he appears to believe that baseball needs him as much as he needs it.

He feels entitled to re-entry based simply on the fact that he is Pete Rose, or that his punishment did not fit the crime. He may even be of the belief that he is bigger than the game.

When taken together they lead one to question weather Pete Rose is a narcissist?

Individuals with this disorder have a grandiose sense of self-importance and routinely overestimate their abilities as well as inflate their own accomplishments, while underestimating the accomplishments of others.

In Rose's case the "other" is baseball.

Sound familiar?

It is legend that Rose can tell you every pitch ever thrown to him in his over a million at bats.

While this may be a bit of an exaggeration, Rose has a reputation for an amazing memory regarding his baseball accomplishments.

Finally, narcissists expect especially favorable treatment.

Perhaps this last trait deludes Rose into believing that baseball will eventually cave to his need and public sentiment.

As for public sentiment, it has generally been in favor of Rose's reinstatement, and his fans often give him a warm reception.

One would hope that these warm receptions were out of sympathy for Rose's condition as well as his on field accomplishments. Unfortunately they are not. 

Gambling is not seen as a major problem in this country. Fact is most of us engage in it to varying degrees and the government actually sanctions it, and resorts to it to provide revenue.

They are in direct competition with the bookies, to the degree that has left many decent bookies shaking their heads asking how they can make a living today with big government as a major competitor? 

So if Rose bet on sports? His admission of betting and his subsequent agreement with baseball stopped short the investigation that most probably would have led to the revelation that he bet on his own team.

Heck what ordinary Joe doesn't bet for and against their favorite team? Not so bad. It is not like shooting up you know, and he was not accused of killing his wife.

As for the narcissistic part of his personality, we are a country that is driving hard and fast toward the embracing of the "me" over the "we."

Self importance, admiration and arrogance are all in vogue. In fact, they are traits that are probably at an all time high in the general population.

In football, these traits are going through the roof, all you need is a Sharpie Marker, a la Terrell Owens.

So what is left?

Pete Rose is the all-time leading hitter, the little guy who went on to go well beyond his god given physical abilities, who gave his all on the field and gave us great moments of joy, excitement and psychological fulfillment.

I bet at this very moment he would beat Bud Selig in a vote for the position of Commissioner of Baseball. 

  Does Pete Rose have a problem? Sure he does.

Do we overlook it due to our own needs, desires, and lack of knowledge? Sure we do.

The only problem is if in fact Rose suffers from these conditions his future prognosis without treatment is bleak.  

He has suffered and will continue to do so. Most likely it has only made him a martyr in his own mind and the martyr in us all reaches out to embrace Pete Rose.

In my opinion, Pete Rose's problem is certainly not baseball. His problem is Pete Rose.

This article was written by Dr. Richard Lustberg. For more of his articles, go to: Psychology of Sports.