Derek Jeter settles down
by Amy Rossi 

In the wake of the Tiger Woods hook-up world tour, many thoughts have been running through my mind, not the least of which was this: Thank God for Derek Jeter.

This may sound shocking coming from a girl who once got a Yankees fan kicked out of a bar in Baltimore for insisting she had to respect Jeter. (In the interest of full disclosure, the guy was unable to keep his hands to himself while making this argument.) But now that it appears the legendary shortstop may no longer be a free agent in the dating game, his decade-and-a-half-long commitment to swinging bachelorhood instead of settling down too young seems worthy of just that – respect.

Like it or not, Derek Jeter has spent the majority of his career as the face of baseball. He’s been romantically linked to some of the hottest women in entertainment: Jessica Alba, pre-Glitter Mariah Carey, and Scarlett Johansson. Other than winning Gold Gloves that should have gone elsewhere, the worst thing anyone can bring up about him is an old internet rumor that he gave one of those women a venereal disease. Jeter crossed over into the world of general celebrity and has sat on the pedestal without getting knocked down. Not even the all-American, chin-dimpled Tom Brady can say that.

The fact that a man who plays a game for a living realized he could parlay his status into hooking up with a huge variety of women while delaying marriage should not be surprising. Yet in pretty much any baseball market, you can find a story about a player who married his high school sweetheart and had a few kids, only to have it all tumble down after an affair with a sideline reporter or a Hooters waitress.

Our own Jason Varitek is alleged to have been there. Derek Lowe found himself in a messy situation out in Los Angeles. Chipper Jones granted a frank interview about “the sin of adultery.” And of course, Alex Rodriguez had his mysterious blonde woman incident and subsequent divorce. Just like Jeter, his relationship news was all over the gossip rags. The difference with A-Rod is that two little girls are involved. It’s hard to come off looking like a cool man about town once you’ve brought children into the mix.

It’s anyone’s guess what Jeter does behind closed doors. I do not care to speculate. He could have girlfriends in every state housing an American League team. But if his latest fling doesn’t work out, we can be fed a benign press release about celebrity dating. Little kids can still look up to him. Announcers need not reference “off the field issues” in grave tones. There’s so much to be cynical about in sports that the lack of negative drama Jeter has generated by staying single is refreshing. 

So thank you, Derek Jeter, for enjoying the perks afforded to you as one of the world’s most recognizable athletes. Thank you, too, for saving us from the world-devouring hype that a Jeter baby would have wrought (for now at least). It is rare the athlete who manages to be both a role model and a playboy. If the rumors are true, and Jeter does tie the knot this November, it will be the end of an era.  Hopefully, the next generation of superstars has been paying atten – Oh. Wait. Crap. That sharp metallic taste in my mouth can mean only one thing.

That guy in the bar in Baltimore was right. You kind of do have to respect Derek Jeter.

Amy Rossi is a 2006 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill now living in Brookline. She loves having four seasons, southern food, and -- with no logical explanation, Wisconsin sports.