Why Barry Bonds is Worth Cheering For...

[coffee-guy]

Oh my - this has to be one of the best sports related articles I have run across in a long time. I would like to know which SM member had a hand in writing it too :D...

Why Barry Bonds is worth cheering for......

A few days ago I found myself stuck in typical Los Angeles traffic, passed a gas station that was offering a gallon of unleaded for $3.25, and heard on the news that Iran was considering backing up its threats with nuclear weapons. So when I heard someone in the office say Barry Bonds had just hit another home run, I quickly changed the station to the Giants-Mets game so I could see a replay.

Why? Because watching Barry Bonds at the plate is fun.

Plain and simple.

We live in a wild world where, depending on whom you listen to, horrible things are always seemingly on the horizon and getting closer by the second. From gas prices hitting everybody hard in the pocket to the uncertainty of the nation's well being, your temperament can really be tested.

That's where Bonds comes in. Any time he comes to the plate, a Giants game in April suddenly becomes must-see television. It's better than Seinfeld in the late 1990s or the Sopranos whenever it's on.

But yet, for a majority of baseball fans, cheering for Bonds is as comfortable as being the best man in your ex-girlfriend's wedding.

Why? Well, I guess those steroid allegations have something to with it. And that's too bad.

We turn to sports for entertainment, and right now Bonds' pursuit of Hank Aaron's home run record is like a glass of cold water after a long run — delicious.

Maybe Bonds is guilty of taking steroids. And maybe we'll find out for sure sometime in the near future.

Bonds could rub so much steroid cream on his arms that his bat flies out of his hands every time he even thinks of taking one of his awe-inspiring cuts and I wouldn't blink and eye. Just as long as he gets his bat back and is given another chance to launch one into McCovey's Cove.

Is it really that bad for America if an athlete opts to put their body at risk in order to become a better player? Am I really the only one who thinks the idea of a steroid-only baseball league is as attractive as Jessica Simpson knocking on your door at 3 a.m. with a case of cold beer under her arm?

Athletes who go this route know what they are getting into. In the end, it's their body being harmed, not ours. So why should we worry? Why don't we just sit back and watch the balls leave the stadium like a 747 leaving LAX bound for London.

Another reason why people don't like to show their support for Bonds is because they feel he's not sending a good message to kids. How is pushing aside distractions the size of Rosie O'Donnell in a good year and doing his job to the best of his abilities a poor message? Just doesn't seem to make any sense, right? If Bonds can still go out there and perform, maybe little Billy can shake off that cold and get to school on time.

Many of the same people who are quick to call Bonds a cheater are also the ones to call an athlete who admittedly takes a cortisone shot a "gamer." That has to be a little bit (OK, a lot) of a double standard, because without those cortisone shots, chances are that player isn't going to be able to perform up to the level where they are used to performing. I know I only studied journalism in college, but that seems to be a performance enhancer, right? So where's the uproar?

There's also those out there who choose not to cheer for Bonds because they think he's a jerk. He's got his own leather chair in the corner of the Giants' locker room and always seems to be so surly around the media.

How is that any worse than hearing Tom Cruise chew out Brooke Shields for taking pills to help deal with her depression? Yet Mission Impossible III will still make millions of dollars and nobody will wear "Ban Cruise" shirts to the premiere.

The argument about not allowing Bonds into the Hall of Fame, meanwhile, is pretty laughable. Wow, wouldn't that just be horrible for Bonds to not be included in a building where people go to look at old shirts behind glass cases. Ho hum. Even if Bonds doesn't get chosen for the Hall, chances are his career will be forever remembered for the numbers he put up and the history he made.

Instead of getting so heated about what a baseball player — remember, Bonds is not a doctor, or a teacher or a police officer; he's an adult playing a kid's game — may or may not do to make himself a better hitter, sit back and just let him do his thing.

It's not the end of the world. It's only baseball.

Remember, cheering for Barry Bonds can be a fun. It's like watching an R-rated movie when you were 11 years old and your parents were out for the night. You knew it wasn't the popular decision, but it sure was a good time. And did it really ever hurt anyone?

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5444456?GT1=8192

Andy Nesbit - what is your username here :D :D :D?

[FitnessBrat]

Good read.

Did you clean your box out yet? :rolleyes: :D

[meat12]

huh, def. a good read

[go Yankees]

I


still


don't


like him

Let me leave you with another article, as a counterweight. This is from the Philadelphia Citypaper:

Bailing on Bonds
by Brian Hickey


When Major League Baseball Steroid King Barry Bonds hits town for his only visit of the season next Friday, there's a just-a-bit-outside chance he could pass Babe Ruth for second on the all-time home-run list before he leaves. This, readers, is the justification I opted to employ when a college friend called the other day asking if I could give his new book about Bonds a shout-out.

Now, I haven't read it cover-to-cover yet; it sat on the coffee table most of the weekend since I finally caved in and did some lawn work. But, from what I know of Jeff Pearlman—he was the boss of me at the University of Delaware Review back in the early '90s when we'd often get called to the dean of students' office for talkings-to— Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero (HarperCollins) deserves the buzz that had him waiting to give his 40th radio interview of the past week when we caught up via cell phone Monday.

Some background for sports haters: Bonds, MLB's reigning slugger, passed the single-season record by slugging 73 homers a few seasons back. (A big deal.) This season, should his crumbling body hold up, he could make a run at Hank Aaron's all-time career record. (A very big deal.)

He's also a blatant cheater.

And a royal prick.

The latter two explain why I'm not surprised Pearlman, over the past two years, interviewed 524 people to write this comprehensive biography. If I learned one thing from Pearlman, it's to embrace controversy. (His 1999 Sports Illustrated story exposed Atlanta Braves relief pitcher John Rocker as a bumbling bigot.)

So, rather than hitting the standard steroid questions, I wanted to test the theory—which I believe—that Bonds juiced up so he could 1) break Mark McGwire's single-season record because it was held by a white man and 2) hit more career home runs than Ruth, because of the Babe's pigmentation.

Race, Pearlman found, is a big theme in Bonds' personal and professional development; Bonds watched his baseball-playing father (Bobby) and godfather (Willie Mays) sit on the receiving end of vile, racist taunts from fans. That, and being called "Blackberry" in the Caucasian-dominated schools he grew up attending, instilled a "mistrust in white authority."

Details like these explain why Bonds, whom I once respected for not taking any shit from anyone, would say the city of Boston is "too racist" for him to play in, and mistakenly maintain that cities don't "build stuff for blacks," meaning statues and monuments. Pearlman noted the irony that should Bonds top Aaron's 755 home runs, "he'll be breaking records by cheating when the guy he's topping, the one he says he respects, went through so much venom" on his way to legendary achievement.

As a white dude from the Jersey 'burbs, I don't know what it feels like on racism's receiving end. But I can say this: The discrimination chip on Bonds' shoulder is misplaced. If he's truly trying to stake an African-American claim atop the record book of America's pastime, cheating to top the pioneers who paved his way to fame is insulting.

That's not to say there isn't racism in sports. But as much as Bonds might expect it, it won't rear its ugly head if he heads to the Citizens Bank Park plate with a chance to relegate Ruth to third. When I got to thinking about Bonds, the Phillies' racist history and modern-day discrimination, I was watching soccer matches from Spain and England (instead of the Flyers' playoff game, since Comcast, in its finite wisdom, considers East Falls a neighborhood non grata.) It came as a shock when the commentator started talking about how teams at the World Cup in Germany this June could be penalized for their fans' racist behavior.

After the disgust subsided, I started wishing Barry was there. I wanted to say, "You think you got it bad? Try being a black player in Spain who tries to focus on the game while hearing, according to the BBC, 'monkey chants' spewed in his direction. Or the fan of an African World Cup qualifier who will receive a list of places in which they'd likely to be targeted for violence."

Of course, considering Bonds' apparent disdain for his fellow man, which Pearlman painstakingly details, he'd probably blow it off. But when the human growth hormones start taking a premature toll on his body, hopefully Bonds will realize people didn't hate him because he was black.

They hate him because he hates everybody … except himself.

http://www.citypaper.net/articles/20...llyblunt.shtml

[coffee-guy]

I like your article too and I can't really say that I like/respect Bonds but I just don't have the time or energy to explain my feeling on the matter. I am also not nearly as well versed on baseball and its history to really have much to support my ideas on the matter other than simple ideas and personal opionions.

[coffee-guy]

Good read.

Did you clean your box out yet? :rolleyes: :D

Yes ma'am...

I had no idea that there was a limit :D....

I felt sad having to delete some of my interesting conversations with people :bawl:

[babyblues]

Somebody explain to me how Barry Bonds is a cheater. I dare you to come up with a RATIONAL and REASONABLE explanation. Not just opinion...not just hearsay...but a rational, reasonable, clear explanation. He plays by the rules of baseball just like everybody else. He only gets three strikes just like everybody else. He has to tag the bases just like everybody else. He puts his jock strap on one leg at a time just like everybody else.

Now, I understand that strength is an asset, yes, but he had the ability to hit the ball long before he was ever accused of using steriods. But the difference between Barry Bonds (supposedly) with steroids and Barry Bonds without steroids isn't 700 HR compared to 200 HR. He doesn't get many good pitches to hit, but when he does they're gone. That's not steroids, that's thousands of hours of practice and just plain talent. Alot of the pitches he hits aren't even strikes. That's not steroids, that's thousands of hours of practice and just plain talent.

I just find it ironic that bodybuilders are so quick to jump on the "steroids" band wagon. I just saying that of all people you should understand what kind of rapid gains you can make with the proper diet, rest, exercise and even supplementation. Keep in mind that these teams can afford to hire the best of the best. They hire strength coaches, nutritionists, massage therapists, doctors, etc. These people have been trained to maximize these athlete's physical potential in all of these areas. It's not outside the realm of reality and reason to believe that he's not guilty of using steroids.

[meat12]

Somebody explain to me how Barry Bonds is a cheater. I dare you to come up with a RATIONAL and REASONABLE explanation. Not just opinion...not just hearsay...but a rational, reasonable, clear explanation. He plays by the rules of baseball just like everybody else. He only gets three strikes just like everybody else. He has to tag the bases just like everybody else. He puts his jock strap on one leg at a time just like everybody else.

Now, I understand that strength is an asset, yes, but he had the ability to hit the ball long before he was ever accused of using steriods. But the difference between Barry Bonds (supposedly) with steroids and Barry Bonds without steroids isn't 700 HR compared to 200 HR. He doesn't get many good pitches to hit, but when he does they're gone. That's not steroids, that's thousands of hours of practice and just plain talent. Alot of the pitches he hits aren't even strikes. That's not steroids, that's thousands of hours of practice and just plain talent.

I just find it ironic that bodybuilders are so quick to jump on the "steroids" band wagon. I just saying that of all people you should understand what kind of rapid gains you can make with the proper diet, rest, exercise and even supplementation. Keep in mind that these teams can afford to hire the best of the best. They hire strength coaches, nutritionists, massage therapists, doctors, etc. These people have been trained to maximize these athlete's physical potential in all of these areas. It's not outside the realm of reality and reason to believe that he's not guilty of using steroids.

No one is saying Bonds is not a good player . He's definately one of the greatest. And I don't use the word cheater but steriods did have a major effect on his numbers. By using steroids he was able to increase his strength at an age most batters start to loose some of what they had in their younger years,as did his father Bobby.

By increasing his strength he was able to use a heavier bat and not loose any bat speed at all. Thus having more power. He was able to hit homeruns before, but prior to the 2000 season his highest hr total was 46 and that was at the age of 35. Normally there's a drop off after the age of 35, but the next season he shot up to 73 hrs.

I'm not saying he was the only one doing it either. Alot of the pitchers at the time were doing the same. It was known throughout baseball what was going on. George W. Bush himself knew what was going on, he owned the Rangers while Canseco, Palmeiro and Pudge Rodriguez all played for them. All known/suspected steriods users.

My issue is that he is going to hold a record that Hank Aaron had death threats and was spit on for breaking. He was half the size of Bonds. He was 190lbs. The whole reason this is such an issue is because of the record he is chasing.

I know alot of people say who cares. But for me my life is boring right now so I keep myself occupied with working out and sports. :D

And baseball is all about it's history and records, and this is the most covetted record in sports. And I don't feel Bonds deserves it. Everyone has their opinoin and I know that baseball really can't do any thing about it now. They should of dealt with the issue at the time rather than turn their heads. But the money was coming in and like any bussiness would they played dumb. So it's the MLB's fault for overlooking the problem and their now trying to backtrack, which will prove to be unsuccessful.

I don't know what the answer to the problem is except maybe if Bonds were just to retire. He is a hall of famer, but his number were altered by aas.

[Bouncer]

i didnt read the above article but i was watching bonds last night and damn, he is a fat boy these days. gut and all..

[go Yankees]

It's not outside the realm of reality and reason to believe that he's not guilty of using steroids.

I see what you're saying, but Barry Bonds is to baseball -- right now -- what Ronnie Coleman is to bodybuilding. Did Ronnie use steroids? We don't really have any evidence, we can only go with what we see...but in a way, that's beside the point. He works as hard as humanly possible, pushing around as much weight as powerlifters, he has a meticulous diet, excellent conditioning come show time, and so on and so forth.

The same goes for Bonds, believe it or not. A lot of people have said, and myself included, that before 1997, he was one of the 10 greatest of all time, maybe even one of the 5 greatest outfielders of all time (Bonds, DiMaggio, Mantle, Mays, Williams -- I think Griffey played himself out of that group). Now, he's actually added to an incredible career, and poised himself to go after the HR greats.

I think the question of him having used steroids is, in a way, one of the lesser issues here. If you REALLY, HONESTLY think he didn't use steroids, you're entitled to your opinion, but:

-- at 34 years of age, he added 47 lbs of bodymass, and it wasn't exactly all fat
--worked out intensely with a trainer who was CONVICTED of dealing steroids, and who worked at a steroid-infested gym
--worked with another trainer/nutritionist who was at the heart of an Olympic doping scandal
--his girlfriend documented side effects in him, from changes in the size of his head, to pimples on his back, hair loss, weight gain...
--the other athletes he set up with his trainer told a grand jury that the trainer did provide them with steroids
--Bonds is facing a perjury charge, for lying under oath to said grand jury

We don't have a smoking gun, in the legal sense, but if you want to believe he didn't, you can go with that...

The problem people have with Bonds is that they don't like him. They didn't like him in Pittsburgh, they didn't like him before 1997, and they don't like him now. They don't like the way he talks to the media, they don't like the way he acts, the way he's full of himself. Even his teammates and managers often don't like him.

Now, he lied to a grand jury. If I'm going to be fair, that's really all I can get him on. How do I answer to, "you're a hypocrite, you can use steroids and he can't?" I didn't lie to a grand jury about it

[go Yankees]

And baseball is all about it's history and records, and this is the most covetted record in sports.

babyblues, unless someome really really follows baseball, he/she won't see how baseball is all about history and records...which is fine, it's odd like that. As far as banning someone from the hall of fame, people turn to Shoeless Joe Jackson and the 1919 World Series. Every time a team has a great record, they're compared to the 1906 Cubs. Anyone has a hitting streak, it's talk of DiMaggio's streak. Anyone hitting .380 at the break, it's talk of not only Ted Williams being the last to hit .400 in a season, but how no one will eclipse Rogers Hornsby's .424. A low ERA invites talk of Bob Gibson's 1.12 in 1969...and so on and so forth. That's just baseball

:usausausa

[meat12]

Hopefully Bonds will fall short of Aarons record. As far as Ruth he will pass him in the next few games. Which I guess isn't really that big of an issue because Ruth doesn't hold the record anymore. I still see him as the great player that he was. And I know if he doesn't pass Aaron, Bonds will still revel in the fact that he is ahead of Ruth a white baseball player who was arguably the greatest player ever. And that kind of sucks, but whatever let him enjoy it. That's the type of guy he is.

I think what may nullify the whole situation if another player were to pass Bonds whether or not he breaks the record. Which can possibley happen in the next 8-10 years. Alex Rodriguez is only 30 years old and as of right now has 434 hrs. Over his career he's averaged 35.5 hrs a season, at that pace if he were to play to 38 or 39 he would pass Bonds depending on injury and how he ages. Just a thought, I think if that were to happen all the issues with Bonds would quiet down. I can't really think of any other resolve for the situation that would actually happen though. It's all to complicated.

[go Yankees]

^^^ true, ARod is chasing, Pujols might do a little damage too.

what no one remembers is that Roger Maris was supposed to carry an asterisk when he hit 61 home runs, since he did it in 162 games, instead of 154 like before

[meat12]

what no one remembers is that Roger Maris was supposed to carry an asterisk when he hit 61 home runs, since he did it in 162 games, instead of 154 like before

Yeah, that is true. I recently saw the Movie "*61". It was poorly acted but still pretty good in covering the story showing how the asterisk was a pretty big issue.

[babyblues]

Yeah, I'll admit, I can see what you're all saying.