But you don't see any of the big A-Rod detractors cheer when someone who doesn't have to bother continuously does charitable things.

"You know when players win championships how they always say, 'It hasn't hit me?'" 17-year-old Jonathon DeLeon said. "Now that I've experience it, it's true. I still can't believe I met A-Rod."

Although he never went to college -- he was drafted straight out of high school -- Rodriguez said he wouldn't have made the money he did without getting a good education. Rodriguez talked about his dedication to staying away from negative influences such as drugs and his obsession with working harder than everybody else.

"I never wanted to look in the mirror and say, 'What if?'" Rodriguez said. "What if I tried harder? What if I didn't try drugs? What if I didn't drink? I never wanted to do that."
...
"Just his presence is dominant enough in terms of his influence on me that I don't think he even had to say anything," DeLeon said. "I'll never forget his message about hard work and what it takes to be successful in life."

Passing along the lessons you've learned in life: good for him. Keep up the good work.