Words, Thoughts and Opinions on Barry Bonds and the Home Run Chase…
Barry Bonds, today in the public eye, will elicit a reaction of either congratulations, disdain, indifference or none at all. It seems that everyone and anyone has an opinion on him.
However, as an athlete, he’s perhaps one of the best baseball players of this – or any generation
Recently, I went out to San Francisco and caught the All-Star events out there. Knowing I was going to be in the epicenter of the whole Barry Bonds and BALCO hoopla, I always took a moment to ask what Giants fans felt about him.
For the most part, most fans out there loved him with great reverence and it was irrelevant to them whether or not he cheated or not. They appreciate a guy, no matter how he was perceived by the media, as one who was loyal, brought them great joy and more importantly has made history time and time again in front of their eyes.
Well, unless you have been away from the television or the internet, Barry Bonds is on the cusp of breaking Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record. In that respect, most fans outside of San Francisco and even the commissioner of baseball, Bud Selig, are looking towards the historic moment with incredible disdain & indifference.
Most ask themselves, how could the sport let Bonds who at times could be ornery, rude and bitter allow him to approach the record that the larger-than-life Babe Ruth held once and the dignified and quiet Hank Aaron currently holds?
The moment is fast approaching us; however, I am going see he forest from the trees on this issue. It may be a little different from what you have heard in the media, but it’s what I feel.
Simply, there are other forces than Barry Bonds at play.
In my heart of hearts, if drug use in sports really wanted to be stopped, it would have been done long, long ago. If baseball, much less any other sport wanted to stop illicit use of drugs, then Bug Selig and others in position of authority would have the gumption to style the drug testing program held by the Olympics.
To be even more blunt, Bud Selig, baseball and even the players themselves could have nipped the problem in the bud, long, long ago; however, are the three reasons why.
July 23rd, 2007 at 10:16 pm
The sad reality is that when you are such a superstar as Barry Bonds and others (Shaquille O’Neal, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer) the ego of the the person just blows out of proportion.
The athlete feels that he / she can do anything without any serious consqeuences.
But the interesting thing about this is that it is the fans who are such blind followers that actually create this inflated ego feeling in the athlete.
If everyone treated them with normal respect as you do a decent person, they wouldn’t get so carried away.
August 3rd, 2007 at 10:27 am
The only person who Barry Bonds should be a hero to is his boy and his daughter.
Sports (especially baseball) is business first, entertainment second and important third.
This is why there is a baseball commish to serve the owners, a players union rep to serve the players and a beer guy to serve the fans.
Go Barry! Honor Hank!