Was John Rocker the real-life inspiration for Kenny Powers' baseball legend? Exploring the Eastbound and Down connection

John Rocker is known more for his antics outside the baseball grounds than his plays inside it. Despite Rocker playing just six seasons, all as a relieving pitcher, his lifestyle and beliefs made headlines while agitating everyone he came across.

In today's age, Rocker wouldn't make it a year without being "canceled". His most famous moment came in an interview, one that got him suspended for 73 days.

Below is the full quote, when Rocker was asked about playing for a New York-based team, edited to meet appropriate standards:

"Imagine having to take the 7 Train to the ballpark looking like you're riding through Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some qu**r with AIDS, right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's depressing...

"The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?"

That is by far Rocker's worst, but it doesn't top the list of his most outrageous, including comparing his strife to that of Hank Aaron and Jackie Robinson.

"I've taken a lot of crap from a lot of people. Probably more than anybody in the history of this sport. I know Hank (Aaron) and Jackie (Robinson) took a good deal of crap, but I guarantee it wasn't for six years. I just keep thinking: How much am I supposed to take?"

John Rocker was an insensitive, self-centered, homophobic, racist, player who was even at his best a known cheater.

In 2011, he admitted to using steroids during his time in the MLB. To defend himself, he used the inaudibly tone-deaf self-defense of "I mean who wasn't? Let’s be honest here, who wasn't?"

If John Rocker sounds like the perfect character for an irreverent comedy show based around a failed baseball pitcher for us all to laugh and mock, you're not the first to think so.

Enter, Eastbound and Down

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How Kenny Powers drew inspiration from the real-life John Rocker

Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves

Eastbound and Down follows a failed Major League Pitcher who's forced to go back to his hometown and deal with the skeletons of his past.

Actor Danny McBride's character Kenny Powers admittedly was inspired by John Rocker. The creation of the show came after Will Ferrell's impersonation of Rocker on SNL.

The skit became an HBO Exclusive that ran for four seasons beginning in 2009. It drew rave reviews including a 91% rating from film critic website Rotten Tomatoes.

The likeness was so keen, that online channel VICE created a 20-minute documentary discussing Kenny Powers and his relationship to John Rocker.

Much like Kenny Powers, John Rocker was unafraid to say whatever was on his mind, whether it was right or not.

"Like me or don't like me, I'm not going to adjust my behavior, just to gain a few more positive fans."