MIAMI LAKES, Fla. -- On high-definition television screens in a restaurant bearing the name of a Miami sports legend, another South Florida hero was under the spotlight.

Alex Rodriguez's confession to taking performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03 was heavily watched and scrutinized at Shula's 2 Steak & Sports on Monday night.

The upscale sports-themed restaurant, backed by Hall of Fame football coach Don Shula, was tuned in to A-Rod's chat with ESPN's Peter Gammons.

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Fans filtered in to eat, drink and watch sporting events. A large group had tables set aside to watch hockey on the big screen. An hour before the puck dropped, A-Rod's reputation was taking a body check.

"I think it's a shame, and it tarnishes the whole league," Jimmy Flanigan, 44, of Miami Lakes said.

A Marlins fan, Flanigan had little sympathy for Rodriguez, Miami-raised and still a major star in South Florida.

"Maybe it's in the past, but it tarnishes the league," Flanigan said.

The way Flanigan sees it, whatever punishment others receive for being linked to banned substances, Rodriguez should suffer the same consequences.

"Whatever medicine they have to take, he should also have to take," said Flanigan.

More sympathetic to A-Rod, the Yankees' slugger, was Jimmy Ahern, 61, of Miami Lakes.

Admittedly a Yankees fan, Ahern is originally from Bridgeport, Conn., and Mickey Mantle was always an idol.

"He admitted to it," Ahern said of A-Rod. "They'll let him slide, as long as he's not doing it now."

News that A-Rod failed a drug test in 2003 was revealed on Saturday on SI.com by reporter Selena Roberts. On Monday, Rodriguez publicly acknowledged that he used performance-enhancing drugs from 2001-03, the years he was with the Rangers.

Dave Gergely, director of sports entertainment for Shula's Hotel and Golf Club, added some perspective to the mindset of South Florida.

"I think people are tired of the whole steroids story," Gergely said. "With this economy, they're worried about other things."

"A-Rod is a local guy, and I think he will get more support down here than in New York. But bad news seems to stick to him like a magnet, whether it is Madonna or now steroids."

Shula's 2 Steak & Sports is a football-fan's haven. A yellow goal post stands outside the restaurant, and football helmets grace the room. Still, all sports are recognized, especially baseball. Encased on the walls are jerseys of Ryne Sandberg and Alex Fernandez.

Adding to the atmosphere are dozens of framed newspaper sports pages, including some of the Marlins celebrating their 1997 World Series championship.

"What I think people want is a clarification of the rules," Gergely said. "They want a timeline on when players did what."

The intense interest in A-Rod carried over to the talk radio airwaves. Josh Friedman of 790 The Ticket, the flagship station for the Marlins, fielded a large number of calls on his nightly 7-10 p.m. ET baseball show.

"Reaction has been split 50/50," Friedman said. "Half the people are vilifying him, and calling him a cheater, and the other half are saying, 'He came clean, he deserves credit for that, and give the guy a break.' In terms of calls, it's been through the roof. I haven't had anything like this at all, in a long time. People really have had a lot of opinions."

What Gaby Ruiz of Miami Lakes wants to see are the other 103 undisclosed names of the players whom, along with A-Rod, failed drug tests back in 2003.

"Who are the other [103] guys?" said Ruiz, 32. "If they mention A-Rod, they should mention the other guys. I don't think he should be singled out."

A Red Sox fan, Ruiz doesn't feel badly for A-Rod. But he also doesn't think Rodriguez's statistics are blemished because, in his mind, steroid use was widespread.

"If everyone else was doing it, then his [numbers] shouldn't be diminished," Ruiz said. "In this period there is an asterisks in baseball."

When it comes to the all-time home run record, however, Ruiz draws a harder line.

Rodriguez, who has 553 home runs, has a realistic chance to break Barry Bonds' mark of 762.

"If A-Rod beats Bonds' record, I think they should have their own individual category," Ruiz said. "And Hank Aaron is the home run king."