Mickey Mantle and Tom Cruise

Some of my happiest moments as a young guy were going to Yankee games with my father to see my Yankees - especially my hero, Mickey Mantle. Mickey was a true hero and living legend- a great athlete, adored (mostly) by the fans and larger than life in his success.

I remember being dumbfounded sometimes at the games when "The Mick" was booed after he took a mighty swipe and struck out. This little 10 year old was ready to stand up to the 60,000 fans and yell "shut up!" How dare they treat this great hero that way!

Years later, as an adult, I had the good fortune to meet Mickey in person. He was just what I pictured, good natured and joking with a twinkle in his eye. We laughed when I told him he was my idol as a kid and he said "Am I that old?"

The booing of a hero reminds me in a way of what Tom Cruise has been subjected to. Here is a guy who truly has a twinkle in his eye, who has made himself a star and enjoys incredible success. Yet the media has field day with him. What was his sin? Success? Being in love and showing it? Having improved himself to become a better person through Scientology? Or could it just be that by speaking against abusive prescription drugs he has raised the ire of the multi-billion big pharmaceutical interests and started their media juggernaut.

It couldn't be that the media who receive billions in advertising prozac, paxil, zoloft and 12 hour cialis erections might throw some money into a black pr campaign against a well known celebrity speaking against their profit interests could it?

Mickey was my hero and Tom is a hero to me now too - Now that he has stood up to these vested interests who try to turn our planet into Brave New World and and yet Tom still succeeds and wins, all the while keeping that genuine smile on his face. You go Tom!