Alex Rodriguez jokes about his steroid situation???

Alex Rodriguez's campaign for forgiveness could have begun Friday night. He stood before the most forgiving audience he could get in CORAL GABLES, Fla. - one that greeted him with a standing ovation - but he made no apology to his fans for cheating them and the game by taking steroids.

For the most part, really, he just made jokes. He began his first public appearance since the mea culpa by pointing out the huge media horde and saying, "I want to welcome my friends in the back. We travel together. Just like a family - a dysfunctional family."

Then he began his remarks by saying, "As you all know it's been a very quiet week for me, so it's really nice to get out on a Friday night."

As could be expected, many who attended saw only the best in A-Rod, who grew up in Miami but did not attend the university, opting to sign with the Mariners out of high school.

"After all the stress he's been under, I thought he was nothing but a class act," said Gerry Gonzalez, who has a son on the UM team.

"I thought he wouldn't touch the topic, but it was nice that he made light of it after a week like this," said John Routh, who was the team mascot for 11 years. "I think he might have said more to a group like us if there weren't so many media here."