You did it. Not only did you tie the record, but you have done it on your own terms.
No amount of discussion can minimize how difficult that must have been for him No disrespect to Hammering Hank. I remember exactly where I was April 8Th 1974. Hank Aaron had the mountains of his generation to climb to pass Babe Ruth. He took on segregation, integration and prejudice to pass Babe Ruth.. There is not an accomplishment in sport that can reduce the importance of what Mr Aaron accomplished. He will always be revered.
Barry Bonds shouldn’t be revered for his accomplishments, but he certainly should be respected as one of Baseball’s all time best. Barry Bonds should be appreciated for being the most prolific home run hitter in baseball history when he breaks the record.
Every generation of sport has its own unique fingerprint of change. Every generation of sport has traditions that have been retained and those that have been lost. For some reason there are a lot of baseball fans who seem not to recognize the challenges of each generation. That only the “gold old days” mattered.
The PR problem Barry Bonds faces is that all baseball fans know far less about players from their past than they think they do, and that allows them to think far more fondly of them.
Those of us who grew up pre cable, satellite and Internet don’t know nearly as much about our sports icons from the early ’80s and before as we think we do. Back then we got the game of the week and Sports Illustrated as our source of national baseball information.
Barry Bonds has had the misfortune of winding up his career and tying the record in the generation of Massive Media. The last 10 years , with the advent of satellite TV, digital cable, the Internet and even camera phones, have placed every minute of Barry (and most prominent figures) lives under continuous scrutiny. Unlike the legendary stories in baseball history that were never made public at the time they happened to protect the player involved, today there is a “bounty of fame” on any person or outlet who can catch Barry in anything that can be sold to an Internet site or any of the sports TV networks across the country.
The escalation of scrutiny, even since late 90’s annual Home Run Derbies , has been dramatic. Everything is on video these days.
Barry, rather than taking the “film me please, I’m a celebrity” approach to media scrutiny, has done everything he possibly can to live his life on his own terms. He hasn’t been media friendly. He has been family friendly… to his own family.
I respect that to no end.
In 25 years any controversy associated with Barry’s quest for the record will be long forgotten. In 2032, For all the video available on demand that would allow the most die hard fan to relive these 2007 moments as if it were happening in real time, they wont. In 2032 there will be something new that captures our imagination and attention while we yearn, like every generation before us, for the Good Old Days when we watched the great players of our youth, Bonds, Arod, Glavine reach milestones that gave us something to cheer about.
Thank you Barry Bonds for all of the good things you have done in S.F. Best wishes for your future – you are owed recognition for you accomplishments in baseball and a place in the Hall of Fame. We look forward to seeing you play next year wherever that may be. Be positive!!
Comment by Ann Freisen -
http://www.endthedebate.com – isn\’t it the best way to put an end to the controversy? Let people have their say and we\’ll see what happens to Barry\’s balls. Will you vote to smash it as most people seem to be doing?
Comment by Yuri Baranov -
Yes! but do you have any guesses?
Comment by Melissa -
100% agree with you on this Mark. When are people going to realize the Bonds doesn\’t like the media, and the media writes nothing but negativity about him because of. And the best part? Bonds doesn\’t change and kiss their butts just to get good press. He\’s doing his own thing, and isn\’t going to kiss anyones butt just for good press. Gotta respect that!
Comment by Norm -
I have to apologize. I read this blog ever few months which, should explain my delay in commenting on this article.
Well said Mr. Cuban. You have to respect one of the great all-around players in the game – who, late in his career, decided to become the home run champ. After never leading his league in HRs per at bat, he led the NL three years in a row. Beginning at age 37. For those Bonds skeptics, I invite you to read an article providing an alternate view of Bond\’s ability to peak late in his career.
Its all in (or on) the Elbow. Enjoy!
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003621797
Comment by Clarence Bennett -
It\’s PATHETIC that people \”love\” and \”hate\” athletes. I love love he athletics of Barry Sanders and I even think he is a nice guy. I used to hate the overrated athleticism (my opinion) of Shaq (thought he was just a big load) ad thought he was a big-mouth. Now I respect him for the things he does off the court. But I never HATED Shaq the way people hate Barry Bonds (or Michael Vick), and I never worshipped Barry Sanders. Athletes are people too, and where I come from, I was taught not to hate. Some of these same hateful people call themselves Christians (which I am). They should be ashamed for teaching their children their stupid obsession called hate!
Comment by yemrej -
I don\’t know how anyone could read \”Game of Shadows\” and not have complete and utter contempt for Bonds. If Bonds had somehow cheated his way to an NBA title we\’d be having a different discussion I suspect…love this blog by the way, a must read.
Comment by Mark -
Sounds to me like you\’re blaming the media for the controversy surrounding Bonds. He\’s a cheater and he\’s made a mockery of the record books. I know Giants fans who trot out legal arguments that he hasn\’t been convicted of anything. He\’s guilty in my court of lacking integrity, morality and virtue. His career should\’ve ended years ago and several hundred home runs short of the record book.
I\’m actually surprised by your stance on this, Cuban. I think it\’s a slippery slope when we take a non-chalant attitude towards our sports stars, heroes and leaders. Maybe the win at all costs attitude is more pervasive than I think, I\’m hoping that it\’s not. Let\’s draw a line: on one side stands Lou Gehrig, Roberto Clemente and Jackie Robinson. On the other, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds. Let me know where you stand.
Comment by Paul -
I agree that everyone will look back on this day, not as a steroids day, but as a day a record was broken.
I put together a video from game clips of Barry hitting 754, 755 and 756. If you want to relive some history, check it out.
Comment by lohssanami -
Not going to remember the moment, him or baseball. The big hitters of Sosa, Bonds, McGuire and Conseco ruined baseball for me. I view it the same way as I view wrestling or entertainment weekly. To the youth, to be a good baseball player continue chasing Aaron and stay away from the big headed creep who only got stronger with age.
Comment by kemit -
I couldn\’t agree more. Being media friendly doesn\’t reflect on who you really are.
Well said.
Comment by Chris Hamoen -
Bonds has always rubbed me the wrong way. The steroids thing doesn\’t really bother me – if you got rid of all the players who ever did roids, there would be no MLB. He\’s always seemed arrogant to me..
Comment by mavericks shirt -
It is unfortunate. What should have been a celebration of a historic moment in our national pastime is tainted by the widely held belief that Barry Bonds achievement was due to the illegal and unethical use of anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. While the legal processes are still playing themselves out, the court of public opinion believes that this record appears to be at least suspect, if not tainted. The message this so-called home run record sends to our youth will be tragic if they, in any way, are left with the notion that cheating counts.
In all the hoopla surrounding this week\’s event, we have lost sight of the millions of kids who look up to elite athletes from all sports. In this case, it is my fear that, until the controversy is cleared up with respect to whether Bonds used performance enhancing drugs to help him achieve this record, many children have gotten the message that its okay to use drugs to help them achieve their goals. My 16 year old son Taylor got that message from his sports heroes and began injecting himself with hard core anabolic steroids. About 6 months later he was dead.
When are we all going to recognize that the discussion about whether Bonds cheated is about so much more than whether the guys from the \”old days\” did things that were somehow judged by Mark Cuban and others to be some kind of equivalent behavior?
Comment by Don Hooton -
Funny how he accomplished something none of us have been able to do, yet he can\’t accomplish what so many have: being a nice guy.
Comment by Dana McCall -
I remember Bonds\’ days in Pittsburgh when he could care less about anyone but himself. Now this steroid controversy only supports that. The media has showed that I\’m not the only one who feels this way. As stated in Post 15 \”Cheating is wrong! If BB\’s was a Wall Street investor or the head of a big corporation he\’d be in jail\”…., Mary, I couldn\’t agree more!
Comment by Dave -
Well said. I think that sometimes we know a little to much about our favorite sports \”heros\”.
Comment by Jim -
Well said. I think that sometimes we know a little to much about our favorite sports \”heros\”.
Comment by Jim -
Press Release
8/11/07
Re: singer/songwriter Dr BLT releases new Barry Bonds \”record\”
Dr BLT\’s own indie label, Smash Records is pleased to offer the following for immediate release.
The new record by Dr BLT that was released the minute Barry Bonds came out with his \”new record,\” is now available in Dr BLT\’s full One Manned \”Banned\” mix. Here\’s the link:
The Bases are Loaded (And so are the Players)
Bittersweet \”Tribute\” to Barry Bonds
Dr BLT copyright 2007
http://www.drblt.net/music/BasesRMix3.mp3
Comment by Dr BLT -
Chinese people don\’t know who\’s Bonds or Ruth. What is the record he tied?
Comment by Louis Liu -
I love what you do with the Mavs, but your actions elsewhere make me cringe to admit you are a fellow Pennsylvanian.
Where I was brought up in PA, everyone knew cheating was not the way to play. Bonds has successfully taken a huge amount of natural talent and forever cast a dark shadow over his greatness. Had he never strayed off the path he would have been enshined in the Hall as a great player and hitter. Now, he will forever be remembered as the poster child for how NOT to play the game.
How sad.
I see nothing in his \”accomplishment\” worthy of praise. It is even worse knowing you apparently do. You once appeared to be a good guy who won. Now, more and more, you appear to be just another lump hanging out with the stinky turds in the cesspool.
Comment by Michael Brenner -
It seems to me that Barry hasn\’t hit too many homers that barely got over the wall. Maybe someone should go look at film and count the ones that might be questionable. He usually hits them on the button and there is no doubt. Not to mention his home park being not so homer friendly. I personally believe many pitchers were juiced too. MLB is as much to blame for turning the other cheek in the 90\’s. Bonds is the focal point and easy to dogpile on because he is a bit of jerk personality wise. Players have and always will look for an edge. It\’s a natural side effect of intense competition.
Comment by Rich -
Adam Licht, you are a moron. Being a womanizer and/or an alcoholic is not illegal. Using steroids (which we all know Bonds did) is illegal. I hope you can see the difference when you\’re talking about placing asterisks next to players\’ names. Also, what a class act Bonds is for saying he wiped out Babe Ruth when he broke his record. And Bonds wonders why people despise him, amazing.
Comment by Sean L -
The year is 2007 and we have a new home run king in Major League Baseball, or do we? That seems to be the question revolving around Barry Bonds new home run record of 756 homers. Needless to say there is much speculation about how legitimate this new record is. There are polls online asking should there be an asterick beside his name in the record books. One online poll showed a whopping 76% of americans said yes. While this online poll is obviously not a consensus it does say something for the power of the media and how people are forming opinions bases solely on hearsay.
Does this mean in todays society there is no more innocent until proven guilty? Do we simply want to think the worst because we are now a society of so-called Haters? Or is it because Barry is black and we (a society of still predominantly white) want the asterick because he is black; possibly calling into question the legitimacy of his record? Regardless of our reasoning the truth in the matter is that nothing was ever PROVEN against Barry Bonds. Allow the man to enjoy his record, allow the record books to show he is the true home run king, and allow not the media to influence our perceptions.
Therefore, unless something is irrefutably proven against him, let us say Congatulations Barry, job well done.
Comment by Gilchrist -
The freshest perspective I\’ve seen on this issue. Congratulations, Barry Bonds, from a very biased San Francisco Giants fan.
Comment by Spencer Ferguson -
He has been family friendly… to his own family?????
I guess you forgot about the fact that he supported a mistress for years. I wouldn\’t call that family friendly.
I don\’t think he should be crucified alone because I believe that Selig and MLB is to blame. They promoted an environment where they ignored cheating for years and even profited from it. Bonds, like others, probably decided when watching MLB whore itself for HRs during the Big Mac/Sosa Maris chase that he could no longer allow lesser players to get the $ and glory because they were cheating. Even a good guy like Palmero couldn\’t avoid the temptation. Selig\’s hear no evil approach has caused a black eye to this sport and lost a great record to a cheater. The smug, judgemental look on Selig\’s face makes me sick.
Comment by Dain Hampton -
I think he\’s around 650 homers w/o taking any performance enhancement drugs. I met him in Denver after a game at a club with one of his buddies. He was friendly when I said hi and shook my hand..I\’m a fan!
Comment by PPC Management -
I\’m not a huge baseball fan, and I certainly wasn\’t around 50 years ago, but even I know Babe Ruth was a womanizing old drunk. So now we\’ll excuse Barry Bonds because he lives in the age of media? Celebrity is celebrity. BooHoo all the way to the bank. Or the clear clinic.
Just another in the long line of preposterous excuses being made for someone who had all the talent in the world and didn\’t trust himself enough to simply go out and compete. His legacy is of his own making. Period.
Comment by Don Jackson -
But let\’s use this as an opportunity to celebrate the TRUE record holder, hammerin\’ Hank Aaron. Mr. Aaron was so good that it took 33 years to break the record, and it took a natural top 10 homerun hitter, full of steroids and HGH, playing to the age of 43 to break the record! FULL CREDIT to the true home run champion!
Comment by Joel Shoemake -
Bonds cheated. It\’s true that he was good before…but then he cheated! What is the consequence of cheating, if we will give credit to the cheater when they break records? I choose to give NO credit to this man for breaking this record.
Comment by Joel Shoemake -
nice website
very informative
Comment by program -
In regards to whether or not his records are tainted, I don\’t think it matters whether or not he took steroids. Steroids don\’t suddenly make you a superhuman baseball player. Even with steroids, I bet he had to bust his ass in the gym and at practice to be able to do what he did and I respect that.
Comment by Juan E -
Congrads to Barry, in the age of steroids, he seems to be the only one who was able to do it! I personally bought 4 figurines at http://www.orangeonions.com because he is going to the hall and it is an awesome deal!
Comment by dave -
My father was a bookie in Chicago in the 40s and 50s. When I was growing up he told me that EVERY game, race, fight, competition, etc. was fixed. I didn\’t believe that then, and I don\’t believe it now, but recent events have shown us that sometimes games are not what they appear to be. Regardless, the records that were accomplished during those games are the icons we revere today and for which we diss certain people because they break those records. The point is that people and organizations sometimes cheat. However, rarely are they alone in their cheating. For every home run hitter that may be, or was, cheating, there is probably a pitcher or position player cheating as well. While we discuss how many contemporary hitters have joined the 500/600/700 homer club, let\’s not forget how many pitchers have recently joined the 95/100 MPH fastball club. In his day Nolan Ryan was a terror. He was alone in how fast he could throw a baseball. What was his top speed? 97, 98, 100 MPH? Today it is routine for pitchers to be throwing 97 MPH, and 100 MPH, while unusual is not unique. It does not take superlative talent to throw that fast on occasion. However, it probably does take some unnatural substance to allow the human body to throw that hard on a sustained basis without causing injury. As others have observed, Barry Bonds was a great player before he bulked up. The reason he bulked up is because his contemporaries were doing it. He wanted to compete. The fact that he did it better than others shouldn\’t be a reason for condemning him. If anything, he should be held up as an icon or doing whatever it takes to succeed. Whether we like it, or not, that is what we admire. Always have, always will.
Comment by Craig -
Under the current circumstances that surround the NBA, Im amazed you would support Barry Bonds. Barry Bonds cheated on his taxes, cheated on his wife, cheated professional baseball with illegal performance enhancing drugs and time will tell he probably committed perjury. Perjury is very serious. Im looking forward to your comments after Donaghy is subpoenaed to testify in front of the Grand Jury and he commits perjury to save his butt and implicates the NBA and powers that be.
Comment by quinn -
So Barry Bonds broke the record!
If you look at the numbers, A-Rod will pass the record in no time. Hopefully he can stay healthy. The best part of Bonds hit was the fan that got the ball. He was escorted out by about 20 cops! The whole \’ceremony\’ after the hit was a little long and dragged out, but if anything, the MLB needed it. Hopefully they can retain all their viewers from the HR chase, which isn\’t so likely. And hopefully Barry Bonds can be viewed as a positive role model instead of a steroid guy.
Check me at http://www.clutch3.com
Comment by The Spin -
Family friendly?!! If using your son as a shield from the media and cheating on your wife is family friendly……Congratulations Barry
Comment by Jim Suugs -
Mike Genette said, \”Well, lets see: for the longest time it WAS NOT considered cheating by baseball and we know that a lot of players openly took steroids.\”
Well let\’s see: for the longest time steroids and use of steroids is illegal in this country, except medically (which should be banned all together in my opinion). A lot of the rules of baseball, and what was expected of players are governed by the Laws of the United States. Just in case you forgot.
The sad thing is, Bonds is just a reflection of how greedy our society has become. People will do anything for the all mighty dollar and power, including destroying your body, family, and others. But where does it go when you die? You can\’t take it with you. Someone famous once said, \”What does it profit man to gain the whole world, yet lose his soul in the end?\” Record aside, that is the true tragedy of Bonds.
Comment by Nate -
@All that wrote their opinions of BB in the most negative and nefaric manner. You know what he did again! Michaelramirez.biz wrote a song playing at the stadiums today and radio stations across the country called \”Feel my Flow\”, its about the game and the players, their habits and their skills. Brilliant Enjoy! Congratulations BB!
Comment by Mary Clemente -
\”I understand if you don\’t like him, but if you really think about what he\’s accomplished and you are a true baseball fan, in light of all that has happened in baseball during Barry\’s career, how can you not respect him and his accomplishments?\”
Digitalwrex -what planet are you on?
All self respecting baseball fans like players who played to the best of their ability and who didn\’t cheat to do it; i.e (Tom Glavine as an example)so in response to your question: NO -i dont respect him or his accomplishmnents. Whilst i don\’t doubt his talent (he can play real well)i doubt the legality of him performing so.
He has never been and never will be a good role model for anyone wanting to get into baseball. I say the same about MCGwire, Sosa and Canseco -they are all tainted…
Comment by marts -
congratulations anyways..
Comment by jean morris -
Hey Mark, Its great to see a difference in opinions about cheating. As long as you don\’t get caught,its ok then right? So maybe when we talk to our kids about things like this we should say \”Sure its ok to cheat, take roids, just don\’t get caught my little one. Who knows maybe you can even be a big league player someday if you master the skills of cheating, Hell maybe even become president.\” The only catch is MOST get caught and pay a big price. Physically, mentally and spiritualy, and don\’t confuse spirituality to religion. Most know the difference. I remember seeing a guy on tv on evening. A billionaire, He said something to the effect \” I wouldnt cheat or steal to get ahead of someone in business but if I get the chance to beat the guy fair and square, I would try to crush him.\” Those werent the exact words but I think it was something to that effect. You remember seeing something like that? Barry is no doubt one of the greatest of our time but no more then anyone else that beat the rest of the field by cheating. He knows it, you know it, anybody that followed it knows it. Now its just a matter of how you feel about cheating. Thanks for the thoughts.
Comment by Frankie from Lawnside -
Its interesting how the public expects (demands) that their sports heroes be good guys. The hatred for Barry Bonds is based on three things as far as I can see:
1. He is an ass.
2. He cheated on his wife
3. He did something that is classified as cheating.
Its too bad we dont listen to Charles Barkley when he says I am not a role model. There is no requirement for athletes to be role models. They are entertainers pure and simple and they are the same as all the other people in the entertainment industry who receive way too much money for what they do. Are there good guys, sure. When I was growing up in Detroit we had some terrific role model athletes: Gordie Howe, Al Kaline, Doak Walker. But we also had Bobby Layne, Alex Karras, and many others who got into trouble for a myriad of offenses.
Barry Bonds has no PR smarts, big deal. He is a great baseball player.
He cheated on his wife. Funny, but for all the angst and nasty comments of your bloggers, his wife and kids are at every game.
He did something that is classified as cheating. Well, lets see: for the longest time it WAS NOT considered cheating by baseball and we know that a lot of players openly took steroids. Now that it is illegal, no one has been able to prove the use of anything illegal by Barry. Doesnt it seem strange that the San Francisco DA is now on his third Grand Jury and has not been able to get one of them to indict Bonds??
I agree with you that 25 years from now this will be a non-issue. Many Hall of Fame players were jerks (see Ty Cobb) many admitted cheating (see Gaylord Perry) and certainly men who cheated on their wives (see Babe Ruth). The media in those days knew what was going on but chose to ignore it. Todays media needs to constantly stir the pot, get your interest with flaming headlines and get you to watch the latest on Sportscenter.
What a great world we live in.
Comment by Mike Genette -
I agree with you and we should give kudos to Barry for accomplishing this. However, his name can never be uttered without the thought of steroids. Plus people inside baseball, from the top to bottom hate Bonds for the most part. As do the media. . . which trickles down to the fans.
I can easily seeing Bonds go the route that McGuire took. No one respects him anymore.
Comment by Brant Tedeschi -
Anyone who does not think Berry Bonds uesed staroids should lookk at four pitchers of him and then tell yourself no he did not use them the oitchers im refering to are 1) his rookie pitcher 2) 10 years into his baseball life 3_ just after his 1998 session then 4) 2000 session the man came back 40 lb . haver with a hat size 1-1.5 times bigger I don\’t know why people just don\’tsee the truth about not only Berry but all the players involved in this and there are many to me thay are wors then Pet Rose he lied and got cought and in the end so will Berry and the rest is this anyway to tech our kids sports thats its ok to cheat not for me and to tell us thats it was ok becuse it was not agenist the law b/s it has been agenist the law for a long time ohhhh thats right sports over rids real law this whole thing makes me sick and i used to be a baseball fan but no more thank good for Roger Goodell of the N.F.L at lest he is trying to clean up his sport not shoveing b/s down our throt and calling it candy
Comment by Wayne Barnes -
BB did do it his own way…through cheating. Oh wait, I don\’t want to celebrate that…
m – tag.
Comment by Matthew -
I give credit, no matter the curmumstances, to anyone who is 43 years old, and can pull off what Bonds did ..
Comment by Security -
I think Bonds\’ feat is definitely a tremendous feat. Given the fact that in 1998, he wasn\’t even considered in the \”running\” to break this record. Ken Griffey Jr was though.
I disagree about Hammering Hank not being in the media spotlight. Yes, there was no cable, and tons and tons of media; but Hank Aaron did receive his fair share of criticism for breaking one of baseball\’s most hallowed record from the Babe. But he wasn\’t criticized for \”cheating,\” he was criticized because of the color of his skin.
Let us also not forget Roger Maris either. He was under so much pressure when he broke the Babe\’s record for most in a single season, that his hair was falling out. Not because he was cheating, but because baseball added more games that year, and nobody wanted to see Maris do it, they wanted Mickey Mantle to do it. Both he and Aaron received death threats, as well, I\’m sure Bonds has received the same; but why?
Because he cheated. I do agree with Barry that steroids does not give you the eye-hand coordination to hit the ball, let alone home runs. Where I disagree with Barry is that he already had that ability. He was a tremendous hitter, and was already going down in history as one of the all time greats. Steroids gave him the strength to use his natural eye-hand coordination to hit the ball further.
I know, I know, he claims he didn\’t know what the \”clear\” was. Here is a guy who knows every ingredient in his food, but a trainer says, \”here Barry, use this cream for your muscle aches;\” and he does so without question. Yeah right.
So congratulations Barry. You have tied Hank Aaron, and will eventually break the record; but you will go down in history as the greatest cheater of all time. If they let you in the Hall of Fame, then they need to reinstate Pete Rose; as well as apologize to him. To me, performance enhancement is worse than gambling; but in the end both are still cheating. Cheaters don\’t belong in sports history; and your record will always be tainted.
Comment by Nate -
If you respect and revere Barry for cheating in a professional sport, then why don\’t you use some the billions of dollars you have to install prosthetic-6 foot long arm extensions for D. Diop – then someone might be able to finally defend Duncans hook shot.
(PS – he can\’t score anyway, so it wouldnt matter that he cant use them for offense.)
Comment by Ryan Cooper -
And as far as Barry NOT ending up in the Hall of Fame, that would be a travesty the likes of Pete Rose not being in the Hall of Fame. Until Rose gets into the Hall, Cooperstown is a mockery; a travesty.
If, when it\’s all said and done, Barry, Mark, and Pete aren\’t in the Hall, then Baseball won\’t be worth watching or playing anymore.
Anything else is simply ridiculous.
Comment by Dozer -
Bonds is good to his family? Did you ever read the feature in Sports Illustrated in the Spring of 2006? Now I know that same media he is an ass to created that feature but the \”facts\” if they are facts show him to be a near evil family man.
Comment by Hunter -
I don\’t particularly care for Barry Bonds\’ attitude. However, what he has done and what he has endured is worth respecting. I\’ve posted a couple of blogs about Barry and his accomplishments.
Seriously folks, Barry is a baseball player. He goes out and plays just like everyone else. I don\’t care what anyone says about the steroid use. Even if he did it knowingly, and I\’m not saying he didn\’t, he wasn\’t the only one. Would you turn every record from the last 20 years and throw it out just because of the suspicion of something wrong? What if they proved it? If that\’s the case, then everyone from the last 15-20 years should be barred from the Hall of Fame because of the Era of Steroids.
Who knows who all was actually using? Maybe Maddux or Glavine were using. It\’s unusual in this day and age for a pitcher to last as far into their careers as they have. What about Nolan Ryan? Laying them open well into his 40\’s? Maybe he was hitting the stuff just a bit to stay active and healthy… Do you take him out of the Hall on suspicion? There are so many what if\’s and such.
The point is, we don\’t know. The games have been played. Bonds certainly wasn\’t the only one who used. And due to the nature of the situation, we may never know who all has and is using.
Comment by Dozer -
I dont think Barry Bonds is going to end up in the Hall of Fame. I think that once he retires, all of the stuff that they have been keeping bottled up is going to burst over and there is going to be a major backlash. It will be much worse than McGwire, and he only got 23 percent of the vote.
Comment by TJ -
Family friendly? Didn\’t realize Kimberly Bell was a family member.
Comment by Erik Rolfsen -
Mark –
Good perspective on this. I am a hater on Bonds because he is a not a media darling and he comes across as a punk ass b*tch!
Yet, you make a good point with the media lens being tightly screwed on the figures on the limelight and the results of that. Really interesting stuff.
Comment by Mitchell -
Hi Mark,
I think there is another component to the general public hatred for Barry Bonds…the Roger Maris factor.
Maris\’ 61st home run in 1961 was not celebrated with the fervor that would have occurred had it been hit by Mantle…because the guy that held the record before happened to have been a figure that was publicly loved years after his record — even years after his death.
Hank Aaron\’s 715th could be compared to Mantle hitting #61 rather than Maris — celebration with no resentment. Nobody minded when McGwire hit #62 — nobody raised a stink when Bonds hit #71 — because Maris wasn\’t loved, and McGwire\’s record was too new.
Wait until some young pitcher comes along and throws his 384th strikeout in a season…Nolan Ryan will be impressed, but baseball fans will throw a fit.
Comment by KellerMaverick -
Barry didn\’t suffer any \”misfortunes.\” It was his own fault he cheated with steroids. And he sure hasn\’t been the humble out-of-the-spotlight person you claim he is. He wanted all the attention he could get until it started getting negative. He started using roids in the first place because he was jealous of the attention that Big Mac and Slammy were getting hitting HRs (and using roids). Then, he signed off to have that ESPN show done about him Bonds On Bonds…
Comment by Mitchell Blatt, Juiced Sports Blog.com -
Congratulations for having the courage to speak out FOR Barry!!! I don\’t really follow baseball, but this constant bashing of Bonds has been hard to ignore…Has he been convicted of anything??? All these self-righteous, arrogant sports commentators who complain of \”rushing to judgement\” on other matters have no problem with condemning Bonds, and nullifying all that he has done as an athlete.
Comment by C.S. -
Mark,
Once again I am in agreement with you. While there is little question that Mr. Bonds has not been media friendly etc… I do not believe he is obligated to be. This is a man who has accomplished a great athletic feat and he should be respected for that. There are people who would prefer to tarnish Mr. Bonds with assumptions of guilt and improper behavior. I remind them that there is no conclusive proof of anything and it is easy to be critical from the outside. Keep up the good work, I plan to keep reading!
Comment by Thomas Pearce -
Let\’s be specific and say that BB did use the \”Clear\” and the \”Cream\”. Let\’s also say that this did enhance his size and power for a period of time while he was using it. With these assumptions it\’s important to remember that these things he used were not illegal at the time, so how is that cheating? Wouldn\’t some if not most of the blame have to fall on Baseball itself for not regulating, testing and setting rules. So why place all blame on one person?
If the argument is simply because these substances allowed BB, and others, to gain more power than they would \”naturally\” gained, then there are many many other supplements that would fall under that same category, many of which can be purchased and used legally.
In addition, I would think you also have to consider the effects of medication and steroid use in terms of medical treatment for injury. Why is it acceptable to take steroids for medical reasons? Would Curt Schilling have made it through game 2 (with a win) during the 2004 world series with out cortisone(steroids) shots? Wouldn\’t you say that cortisone enhanced his performance… allowing him to accomplish what he would not have been able to without having a shot?
It seems to me that hating BB and denouncing his accomplishments has become more trendy than anything else. People who don\’t even know baseball hate BB, and I\’d have to say that\’s rather ignorant. And in my opinion, people who do know baseball and still call BB a cheater are even more ignorant.
I understand if you don\’t like him, but if you really think about what he\’s accomplished and you are a true baseball fan, in light of all that has happened in baseball during Barry\’s career, how can you not respect him and his accomplishments?
Comment by digitalwrex -
The controversy will be long forgotten? That\’s sort of like dismissing the Watergate coverup as an unfortunate little lapse in judgment and extolling Richard Nixon as a misunderstood healer of nations, albeit with an enemies\’ list.
Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux have been under the same scrutiny as Barry Bonds. For the most part, so were Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn, two baseball Hall of Famers who somehow managed to play with class and dignity throughout their entire careers.
In fact, we are getting to know a lot of our past sports deities a lot better long after their careeers and lives have ended. Joe DiMaggio in a searing biography. Ted Williams in all his very flawed glory. Mickey Mantle as less than a golden god.
Bonds has every right to live a private life and devote himself to his family. That\’s EXACTLY what Glavine has done throughout his career. Didn\’t you feel a helluva lot better watching him win his 300th game Sunday night than you ever will about Bonds breaking Hank Aaron\’s home run record?
For the record, Aaron isn\’t particularly media-friendly either. But NO ONE looks askance at his home runs or how he hit them. Barry Bonds is an ass, pure and simple. So was — and is — Steve Carlton. But the latter won more than 300 games without artificial additives. And had Bonds done the same, we wouldn\’t be having this discussion.
It\’s almost like saying that O.J. Simpson\’s achievements on the football field someday will outlive all that\’s happened since. Some athletes, whatever the era, will always carry the baggage they created for themselves. Where have you gone, Rafael Palmeiro?
Comment by Ed Bark -
Agree with a lot of your sentiments, but to say he has been \”family friendly\” rings a little hollow considering it is almost undeniable that he had a mistress for many, many years.
Comment by Lucas -
There is no argument that Barry Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame, it is probably one of the top 20 players of all time. There should be no argument that he took something that allowed his head and feet to grow. How much did what he took help him improve his stats. Look at the stats! His numbers went up dramatically in his late 30s. That just doesn\’t happen naturally. Did others do what he did? Sure! Is this a reason to excuse him or justify his records? Not in my book. Perhaps I\’m living in a dream world, but I believe that character matters. And Bonds has none! I wouldn\’t cheer for him, even if he was on my team. Same thing with Chris Webber. Webber is a stupid ballplayer and an even worse character. I did say stupid, as in dumb. And because he is so self-centered, he is a poison to a team that demands discipline and playing smart. I hear that the Mavericks want to sign him. I have been a Mavericks fan since the 80s. Mark Aguirre drove me nuts. But Harper, Blackmon and others had great character. Tarpley couldn\’t help himself. He was sick. Today\’s Mavericks have great character. Yes, they can even be role models. But Webber is a known entity that we aren\’t stuck with. . . yet. Here is my bottom line. If Webber joins the Mavericks, then I depart as a fan. Whose more important? How many fans equals one Webber. I guess that\’s up to Mark C. to decide.
Comment by Mike -
thanks it s great job.
Comment by aytac -
Bonds has a record that wil be remembered because its tarnished.
Tarnished either by steroid use, hostility, rudeness and a lack of respect for the game.
Sure he grew up and plyed the game in the media age but he has always ben quick to use the media for his own benefits wheneever he needed to. As thge adage goes \”you live by the sword and you die by the sword\”.
Congratulations* on your record Barry…
Comment by marts -
I agree with many of things your posts states about Barry and how we should at least respect his decision to remain Barry throughout his entire career. I also agree that the sports media can really turn an outgoing fun loving professional athlete into a hot headed, egocentric and unapproachable citizen as well.
The price you pay for being great is an increasing price to pay both in terms of salary for pro athletes but more significantly to their overall sense of freedom, comfort and lifestyle. I\’m sure Barry would love to have one day go bye without his kids getting harassed at school or his wife getting nasty looks at the super market.
To bring this issue full circle to our current state of affairs with foreign relations. I have a few thoughts to share.
With today\’s global increase in media exposure, escalating awareness of wealth, divided understanding of what is good vs
evil and the focus on the haves vs. the have not\’s there is a lot to contemplate with being on top.
Follow me on this one it might get a little bumpy. Lets compare the perception of the United States and Barry Bonds.
United States – rich and egotistical – Barry Bonds
United States – accused of cheating – Barry Bonds
United States – closed approach to news media – Barry Bonds
I\’m sure your readers can think of a bunch more similarities.
The fact is today\’s public figures have to be conscious of the public perception if they are interested in managing the ebb and flow of the publics consciousness.
Mark,
Lets be honest. Although most people think you don\’t care what the public thinks, we know that is not totally accurate. You just choose to care about certain things much less then others. You have consciously been able to manage your public profile in way that affords you certain freedoms and opportunities to express yourself in way that is respected by enough people where you remain a crowd favorite. That is the art of PR.
Comment by Andrew -
All the ex-player commentators say he\’s the best batter they ever saw. Quickest hands to the ball, fastest turn, rarely chased a ball. Simply a freak. People also forget the 40-40 man.
But Mark.. To say he put is family first is a joke. Mistress, balco, c\’mon.. Nice family values.
Comment by Total Sports direct -
He\’ll be joining Flojo, Alzado and Benoit soon enough. True fans of the game will never forget, and never forgive.
He doesn\’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as a class act like Aaron.
Comment by Paul Cyopick -
They won\’t put Pete Rose in the hall of fame for gambling, but i guarantee you they are gonna put the steroid junkie Bonds in there for something he would have never accomplished without drugs. The record home run season should still be 63 also cause everyone who beat it was either drugged up or loadin their bats with weight. Lets ban all these cheaters from the game and let the ones who really love the game play and then if the records get broke, there will be a legitimate reason to celebrate. Bonds is a cheater, McGuire and Canseco were cheaters, and Sosa is a cheater. Do you really want these druggies to be your kids role models????
Comment by AC -
: In 25 years any controversy associated with Barry\’s quest for
: the record will be long forgotten.
Ha. Ha. Ha.
–Illinois
Comment by Illlinois -
Ugh Mark. \”On his own terms?\”…
…yea, his terms being, \”Take whatever drugs and other illegal substances I can get away with to improve my performance…the sanctity of the game…and the example I could have been to youngsters be damned…\”
Sorry, but we–and history–will never forget how Barry drugged his way into history…ever.
He can\’t hold a candle to the fine example of a player and a man that honorable Hank was.
May his name never sully Cooperstown.
Comment by Steve Morsa -
Mark
hes a cheat.. I would think that you as a potential owner should be distancing yourself from him. The guy didnt just cheat. hes a horrible rep for baseball all togather.. I actually heard on Mike and Mike today one of those guys defending him as well… all i can say is its a sad sad day.
Comment by Mike Verinder -
That\’s an interesting point about Bonds\’ subjectivity to increased media scrutiny. But Bonds has had some advantages that players of the \”olden days\” didn\’t. First, he\’s had some chemical assistance. You can argue that it hasn\’t been proven, but I think anyone who says that is only kidding themselves. And secondly, I think Bonds has had to deal with a lot less in the way of racism. Baseball hadn\’t been integrated for that long when Hank Aaron began his career, and while it isn\’t perfect now, my guess is that isn\’t a common theme in the saga that is Barry Bonds.
Comment by allonthefield -
@Acetrader: Anybody who uses the word \”Buggin and Sin\’s\” to describe anyone other than youself, needs to rethink your mono?
Comment by Mary Clemente -
This is a bit of a red herring.
Barry Bonds is talented but (as anyone with a clue knows) he got whatever career edge he had off steroids. Sports these days are about marketing and selling the idea of an American dream that is more of a wierd Frankenstein daydream.
At least back in the day sports were more real than they were Kool-Aid…
Comment by HEQ -
Today\’s players perform in little itty-bitty bandbox parks with short fences that artificially boost home run totals. I wonder what Bonds would have achieved if the Giants hadn\’t built Pac Bell Park; if he had to play home games at Dodger Stadium; if he never left Pittsburgh and had Three Rivers to deal with; if the NL hadn\’t placed a team in Denver, which effectively adds 30-40 feet to a long ball, etc. etc. We wouldn\’t be having this discussion, we\’d be celebrating Bonds reaching 600 or 650 about now instead. Ruth had to deal with early Yankee Stadium (the fences were a lot deeper back before the mid-70s rebuilding), Shibe Park, Navin Field, Sportsman\’s Park, Old Comiskey, League Park, Cleveland Municipal Stadium and Griffith Stadium, the deeper dimensions of which probably cost him 200 home runs compared to what he\’d accomplish if he had Coors Field, Minute Maid Park, etc. on the menu.
Some of Aaron\’s home run totals were hit in today\’s parks, but not many; I bet he would have reached 800 had he played in today\’s NL stadiums. Not to mention a lot of Aaron\’s homers were hit during an era extremely favorable to pitchers, the 1960s.
One last point, back in Ruth and Aaron\’s era, hitters didn\’t wear body armor and were susceptible to getting brushed back or hit outright if they crowded the plate. The table has turned so much in favor of the hitter today that they can crowd the plate with impunity and face no repurcussions – a brushback today is met with a charge to the mound, an ejection or a harmless clank off the elbow guard and a free trip to first. (Oh, how I would have loved to see Bonds square off against Bob Gibson! Gibby would go after your head just because you said \”hello\” to him before the game.)
With all these trends, Bonds\’ record will not last as long as Aaron\’s did. I give it 10-15 years tops – even if the sport remains drug-free.
Comment by history -
Excellent points, Mark!
What\’s sad is so many fans, in their lust to see Barry Bonds destroyed, ignore the fact that the guy was considered one of the top 50 players of all times by many in the sports media, BEFORE the steroid alligations.
Bonds had over 500 homers, 500 stolen bases, + 300 batting average, multiple gold gloves. HE WAS A HALL OF FAMER even then so the discussions of him not belonging in the hall of fame is plain stupid.
I\’ve long held the view that if Bonds were a media friendly guy, this wouldn\’t be near the issue that it is. This whole issue has given the media it\’s chance to get back at Barry.
Comment by FT -
Bonds would get much more respect if he wasn\’t a cheater and a despicable human being.
(And he was despicable BEFORE he took his first shot of HGH.)
Comment by Ken Carpenter -
I agree completely with Mark Cuban. As a San Francisco Giants season ticket holder for the last 8 years I have *far* more respect for Barry Bonds than I do for the Giants ownership, MLB or Bud Selig. And I assume that Bonds used performance enhancers (and I assume Giants management, ownership, MLB and Bud Selig were very well aware of this).
MLB was short-sighted in how they managed this record being broken. I don\’t blame Aaron for not showing up, but MLB should still have set things up so that this period was not just all about Barry, but a celebration of Hank Aaron\’s accomplishments too. It seems like a missed opportunity to me.
Whatever anyone thinks of Barry Bonds, he is unquestionably the best hitter (with or without performance enhancers) of my generation. Barry had amazing plate discipline even when he was svelt. This is his 14th season of 100 or more base on balls. The most walks Aaron ever had was 92.
I will be at the game tonight — and while I will not run out on the field and circle the bases with Bonds if he hits 756, I will stand and applaud with the other 42,000 and give this remarkably talented man his due.
Comment by Robert Seidman -
Amen Mark. I was quite proud as a baseball fan when a majority and then some of the San Diego crowd cheered Bonds\’ 755th. Most knowledgeable fans have some perspective on Barry Bonds, and still recognize that he is undoubtedly the greatest hitter of all time and remains one of the best in the game today. Perhaps we don\’t want our elite athletes using certain classes of substances, but it is beyond silly to turn it into another \”Reefer Madness\” with commercials warning kids that their balls will shrivel up. At the end of the day, the only way to build muscle is to do the work of tearing it down. Diet, supplements, drugs, etc. can only help with recovery so that the athlete can do more work. We might as well call studying an extra three hours for an important exam \”cheating\”.
Comment by Brad Hutchings -
Mark – very insightful and well put. I wish you would come home and buy the Pirates.
Continued success – Gary from Pittsburgh
Comment by Gary M. Cooper -
Mark–Good of you to write something positive about Barry Bonds. I\’ve been following Bonds since his freshman year at Arizona State some 25 years ago. Have been reading his box scores since then. Watched him turn pro after his sophomore year. He was a pure hitter back then. He excelled on all levels. He has received a raw deal. People that criticize him display their ignorance of pure talent. You probably noticed his talent early on when he signed on with Pittsburgh. If he did in fact juice, it probably did more to hamper his swing rather than help it. People on steroids have a hard time scratching their own back. It will take time for this to play out and to be demonstrated.
Comment by brady r baxter -
And when he attended Arizona State, his coach, the late Jim Brock, conducted a vote amongst his team. The question was simple. Keep Barry on the team or kick him off the team? The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of dismissing him from the team. Brock decided to keep him and the rest is history. Bonds has been an ass for a long time. But he\’s family friendly.
Comment by scott -
Family friendly? So you think cheating on your wife is family friendly? What does your wife think about that? Just because you\’re considering the acquistion of a baseball team doesn\’t give you the right to comment about baseball. Stick to being a nerd and comment on topics that fellow nerds would enjoy.
Comment by scott -
Yeah, as someone else said, if \”family friendly\” means cheating on your wife, then our moral standards have really gone downhill.
You are right in that athletes face far more scrutiny and media attention now than players did in the past. But Hank Aaron faced quite a bit of hatred back in his time and handed it with dignity. And if HE doesn\’t respect what Barry is accomplishing (which is obvious by his \”no comments\”), why should we?
It makes me sick that there are people like Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn that honor and represent the game with class and then you have guys like Barry who represents himself as an arrogant, selfish, \”woe is me\” cheater.
Comment by cwbys -
Yes, the spotlight is much more intense an unforgiving for pro athletes than it was in the past. Yes, Bonds is one of the best baseball players ever, and was even before he started juicing.
But the guy\’s a reprehensible POS. He cheated on the field. He cheated on his wife. He used his own kids in press conferences to try to drum up public sympathy for his \”plight.\” And you\’re wrong to suggest that he shunned the spotlight: he CRAVES attention as long as it\’s on his own terms. Remember the unwatchable \’Bonds on Bonds\’ on ESPN?
His athletic prowess is remarkable. So is his general despicableness. I think history will remember both sides of the Bonds equation.
Comment by Jeremy -
Really makes you think about what lies ahead in the upcoming generations of baseball. Will Alex Rodriguez topple Bonds in 8-9 years from now? Will the Steroid controversy ever die down, or will some new performance-enhancing element be the next big thing? Will the contract demands get out of hand? Will the Cubs EVER win the World Series!? (Nudge Nudge.)
Haha, take it easy folks!
Comment by Matthew -
Thanks, Mark! I agree – Bonds should be congratulated. I am one of his fans. Watching him hit balls out of the Giants ballpark is one of my favorite pasttimes. I also love how you congratulate him for not selling himself to the media. Good for Bonds. It\’s one of the things I love about him.
Comment by Annie -
@Acetrader: The subject is BB not the governor of California!
Comment by Mary Clemente -
@Adam
Does the Babe\’s womanizing give him an extra 50\’ of long-ball? If not, who cares, it didn\’t affect the game.
In my perfect world of worlds, every pitcher in the NL would have started intentionally walking Roidboy the moment he hit 754. \”Bases loaded?\” Who cares, the integrity of the game is at stake, walk him, protect Aaron\’s legacy. Some things transcend a \”single season\’s win/loss record\”, and this is one of them.
That Bonds will be known as being a better home run hitter than Aaron is just shameful.
Comment by Derek -
Bond has certainly lived in an era of scrutiny that Mays, Aaron, etc. did not have to deal with.
And in this age, he cheated on his wife and his girlfriend, cheated the IRS out of taxes and cheated the game of baseball by taking performance enhancing drugs.
And don\’t tell me it hasn\’t been proven. I challenge any one of you in your late 30s to gain 60lbs of pure muscle mass before you turn 40 without chemical help. It\’s impossible.
And that doesn\’t address how, at that advanced age, both is head and feet grew multiple sizes.
Yes, Bonds had the misfortune of growing up in an age of scrutiny while also being a complete slimeball. Fortunately for baseball, basketball and other professional sports the majority of their athletes handle the spotlight far more gracefully than Bonds does.
Comment by Jeff D -
I love how Bud Selig sat by and watched these players put on 30 pounds of muscle and 6 hat sizes while destroying homerun records but, now that baseball\’s dirty little steroid secret has hit the fan, he acts disgusted that Barry is about to become the all time homerun champion. Bud created the culture, Barry took advantage of it.
Selig should be sitting in the front row of every game wearing his size 14 Giants cap.
Comment by Steve -
Too much media has made me hate BB. Even if it is the media\’s fault, I still hate him.
Comment by chili -
You\’re quick to group Bonds in with Arod and Glavine where I\’m not too sure he belongs.
I don\’t think I will ever yearn for the days of Mark McGuire, Jose Canseco and Barry Bonds.
Comment by acsports -
The perspective is good, and I know I\’ll get flamed, but remember, we do live in a country of laws. BB has NEVER tested positive for an illegal substance with respect to the rules of the game. If he \”juiced\” and was the ONLY person who was able to beat the testing system, I\’d find that incredible. If he tested positive but it was never announced, I\’d find that even MORE incredible! We can\’t keep the smallest secret in the US..how would this stay under wraps?
Yes, he\’s not a particularly pleasant person…and if he wasn\’t such an ass to the darlings of the media, the millions of people who let the media make their minds up for them wouldn\’t have much to carp about. But he is the only one who\’s even come close to this record. And that\’s quite an accomplishment in my books, since I personally believe the Hammer is the greatest living ballplayer and maybe the best all around hitter of all time! Selig is pandering to the media in his tepid celebration of this milestone, and he should be ashamed of himself.
If it is proven that BB used ILLEGAL (in the context of the game\’s rules) substances, then I\’ll get on the bandwagon…until then….Congrats, BB, you are the new home run champ of baseball! And you and your accomplishments should be celebrated!!
Comment by KJ -
congrats to all these guys – ARod, Glavine, and Bonds. I remember a post you made a while back about the difference between athletes and successful entrepreneurs – athletes have to be superlative perpetually, whereas the entrepreneur has to only be right once, when he/she chooses the business to get into.
i played high school and college athletics – and my biggest challenge wasn\’t athleticism so much as discipline and consistency. I could never be consistent (infact was wildly inconsistent) – and thus that is a trait I admire the most about prof. athletes in general. Even the twelfth guy off the bench is good for a couple of dunks and five boards CONSISTENTLY. It\’s not just what they do – but the consistently high level at which they do it. Awesome and inspiring. In that sense the fraternity of athleticism is the subset of best minds from the overall set of best bodies.
As for the additional scrutiny of the digital age – I had a professor a couple of years ago who said that nothing withstands sufficient scrutiny. I\’m still not quite sure what he meant by that – maybe it\’s some Heisenberg kind of thing where too much scrutiny changes the thing you\’re observing so it isn\’t what it was before you started looking at it. I guess in that sense, the only way to do it is to be like Bonds – to carry about as if the scrutiny doesn\’t exist.
Comment by blyx -
Thank you Mr. Cuban for bringing a perspective to the ongoing debate about Barry Bonds that most of us never thought about. We definitely live in an age now of instant everything, if it happens at 12:40, it\’s all over the news by 12:50. I\’m sure there a lot more scandalous things that went on during \”the good old days\” than we will ever know but as you pointed out, the level of sophistication in media technology just didn\’t allow for those kinds of things to be released to the media, and I also think that the level of respect between the players and the media was much better as well. Thanks for the blog Mark, and keep up the good work.
Comment by Chris -
@Byran Edwards: You a mistaken!
Cheating is wrong! If BB\’s was a Wall Street investor or the head of a big corporation he\’d be in jail.
Put your head into the WSJ/NYT/BBC regarding white collar criminals before you compare them to BB. My favorite all time line from CEO\’s and Corporations nailed for looting the american shareholders of their hard earned cash. We agree to pay $1.4 billion in fines, \”without admitting or denying guilt\”, then its right back to finding a new way to cheat people! The NYP, front page when Ken Lay died, check the coffin to make sure, is an endelible memory. Let\’s not forget Clinton pardon of Marc Rich? My favortie russian proverb: He who pays picks the music!
Comment by Mary Clemente -
If it is simply the media scrutiny that has changed, then how do you explain players like Tony Gwynn. Gwynn was one of the most consistent hitters of all time, played roughly the same time as Bonds, and yet few if any people have anything bad to say about him. Everyone knows that Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth were not upstanding citizens outside the ballpark. It is the person, not the lens through which we see the person. If anything, modern players have a greater opportunity to change the public perception of themselves through interviews, personal blogs, press conferences, etc.
Comment by Jesus Houston -
Oh yeah he\’s so family friendly that he repeatedly cheated on his wife, perhaps we should give Barry a congrats for that too.
Comment by Scott -
Mark,
I have the utmost respect for you!
New paragraph and sentence. You couldn\’t be MORE wrong! Instead of writing to congratulate Bonds why not write a blog congratulating Ken Lay and Enron or the fine folks at Tyco or heck lets go way back and thank Ivan Boskey. Cheating is wrong! If BB\’s was a Wall Street investor or the head of a big corporation he\’d be in jail.
The real harm and danger of BB\’s, Mark McGwire and Sammy (I no speak English) Sosa is that they\’ve drowned the legitimate accomplishments of Ken Griffey Jr. and Perhaps A Rod. 600 home runs are a once in a lifetime accomplishment.
Three people before the year 2000 did it. Hank, The Babe and Say Hey Willie are once in a lifetime. Three people have done in it in the last five years?!?!? Of the top ten all time four of them are steriod users (Bonds, Sosa, McGwire and Ralael Palmeiro).
If some chemist invented a steriod to help heal injuries and that steriod led to someone breaking Cal Ripkins all time hit streak would you then congratulate him as well? I doubt it.
We (baseball fan) should be having a love fest with Ken Griffey Jr. instead of this side show hate fest with Bonds. I don\’t even like Jr. But I respect his accomplishment. Perhaps Bonds would have hit 600 the right way. We\’ll never know.
Bryan
Comment by Bryan Edwards -
I\’ve read this blog for a few years now, and this is my first comment. I couldn\’t agree more with your post. Furthermore, I would add that it seems so arbitrary that steroids and HGH are even outlawed in sports. Why is it okay to give your body things to help it heal faster (protein, creatine, etc) but steroids is not okay? If the argument is related to how natural a substance something is, then HGH shouldn\’t be outlawed. If the argument is how harmful, than HGH again is arguably there. If the argument is comparison to a previous generation, well that boat sailed a long time ago too… Regardless, thanks for giving Bonds his credit. Adam
Comment by Adam Andreassen -
Bonds enjoys quicker access to the inside pitch than average hitters because his \”assistant\” – counter-intuitively – allows him to turn more rapidly. Everyone understands that skaters accelerate their spins by pulling their arms into their torsos, closer to their axes of rotation. When Bonds is confronted with an inside pitch, he spins like a skater because his upper front arm is \”assistant\”-sealed tightly against the side of his chest.
Comment by Russian bride -
The court of public opinion convicted Barry Bonds faster than a grand jury ever could. People talk about putting asterisks next to his name for achieving what he has, but then you have to put it next to every player that\’s ever had a problem. Do we mark Babe Ruth\’s records with an asterisk to acknowledge that he was an alcoholic and a womanizer? What about Mickey Mantle? Until you can prove a player was taking steroids, you can\’t belittle their accomplishments. Even if their head doubled in size the last few years.
Congrats to Tom Glavine, the new Mr. 300. Now all the Mets need to do is get healthy and start winning a few more games.
Comment by Adam Licht -
Bonds unnecessarily carries the brunt of the steroid age because he doesn\’t want to, or know how to, relate to fans. His decisions to take steroids aside, though, he clearly has tremendous hitting skills and is an adept player. He still has to be able to make contact with the ball and have control over his swing and his stance. These are all things his experience and acumen have brought; not steroids. Steroids just gives him the distance.
Comment by Andrew -
Yes… its okay to cheat… b/c in the future it will be forgotten… good lesson, thx!
Comment by Pat -
@Chris: I don\’t know where you come from! But the news that Nardelli will head up Chrysler made me dump all my stock today. Let me guess, being a liar, a cheat and an arse is applauded to the the tune of $210 million. He is coming aboard for the paltry sum of $1 a year? While at Home Depot, who was on the Board? At least Bonds and company entertain us, not delude us!
Comment by Mary Clemente -
\”but you have done it on your own terms. \”
Mark – seriously?? His own terms? I guess you can call illegal drug use, violation of league rules, and continually being well…downright rude, his own terms. Where I come from a man is judged by his character… being a liar, a cheat, and an ass, is not applauded.
Comment by Chris Doelle -
Even though Bonds may have gained an edge by using steriods, it\’s entirely possible that some of the pitchers that he faced also used performance enhancing drugs.
Comment by John Taras -
Unfortunately, Bonds will always be remembered for the later years when he bulked up and started cranking the home runs amidst all the steroid use. He would have still made the Hall of Fame had he not broken the Home Run record. The man was a 40/40 player. Too bad he has / the media has / water-cooler talk has destroyed his reputation.
Comment by Kip Nickell -
Thank you. Every generation has had their form of cheating. It\’s pretty hilarious that Bonds is so crucified when McGuire and Sosa did the same things. Hell, Sosa corked his bat, got caught, and no one really boos him. Bonds is still hitting homeruns despite everyone drinking haterade. He\’s most likely not on steroids now, yet he\’s still hitting homeruns and being pitched around. If everyone could hit 755 like Bonds did, they would. But they didn\’t. Thank you Mark for pointing out this generation\’s overexposure of celebraties where people can get mad about Paris Hilton not serving her full term (which was normal for her violation) yet politicians expose our national security and get a pardon and no one gets mad.
Comment by Patrick N -
Mark: You forgot A-Rod! Let\’s hear it for all of the Athletes that make us feel proud to be American\’s……
Comment by Mary Clemente -