AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > May > 13 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTime for Selig to come out of hiding
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
As inglorious history approaches, baseball commissioner Bud Selig continues to display the most dominant character trait of his tenure.
He stalls.
Nobody is quite certain what he’s waiting for.
A smoking syringe on YouTube?
A breakthrough moment for Barry Bonds with Dr. Phil, leading to sobbing, repentance and retirement?
Blessings from the heavens (Ruth) and the earth (Aaron)?
Not happening. We are way into the inevitable stage with Bonds, even if it has been six days since he last homered. Ten more home runs and he ties Hank Aaron. Eleven more and he claims the most cherished record in professional sports.
Meanwhile, baseball’s high-ranking sock puppet remains uncommitted on attending.
Great time to develop a conscience.
Bud Selig was named “acting commissioner” in 1992 when Fay Vincent resigned and took the soul of the office with him. Six years later, the owners removed the “acting” part of Selig’s title because, well, they knew Bud wasn’t going to do anything, anyway.
In short, Selig, a former owner, has had an executive view of this sport’s underbelly for decades. When baseballs began flying out of stadiums like Superballs, when players like Brady Anderson morphed into statistical cartoons (from 16 home runs to 50?), when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa did their best to obliterate memories of Roger Maris, Selig and owners didn’t investigate. They wore blinders in the light and counted ticket sales in the dark.
Now Bonds is on the verge of becoming the home run champion — and Selig doesn’t know if he should attend? The man should be duct-taped to the San Francisco Giants’ charter.
Never mind waiting until Bonds is only a swing away from tying Aaron. Selig should be there now. He should be made to watch Bonds’ every swing. So should anybody who ever allowed this era’s chemically enhanced assault on history to take place.
Every owner who focused on turnstiles and dollars.
Every TV executive who counted rating points.
Every union representative who stiff-armed cries for mandatory drug testing.
Watch.
Suffer.
Drink it up, like a hemlock smoothie.
Selig is struggling with this, partly because of his longtime friendship with Aaron, dating back to Milwaukee days. How unfortunate, yet deliciously ironic, it would be if Bonds breaks the record in Selig’s hometown June 18, 19 or 20, when the Giants visit the Brewers.
If Selig can’t sleep these days, there are ways to pass the time. Read every page of every transcript of every deposition he can obtain from the BALCO investigation. Watch highlights of Bonds’ 73-home-run season in 2001 at the age of 37, more than double what he hit two years earlier (34). Prepare a dramatic reading from, “Game of Shadows,” to be performed nightly during the seventh-inning stretch.
Personally, I don’t care whether Aaron is in attendance for the record. It’s his choice. He doesn’t owe the sport or anybody anything. He should not feel compelled to witness this, just as no athlete or public figure ever should feel compelled to take a stand on anything. It’s their life.
Aaron just wants peace. Let him have it.
But Selig is different. He represents baseball’s hierarchy. To go into hiding now after being front and center and mute for years seems even more disingenuous than usual.
Bonds is the poster-child for the steroid era. That’s slightly unfair because he was (or is) hardly alone. Other hitters recorded obscene statistics. Other pitchers suddenly grew titanium arms, some of whom Bonds probably homered off of. But Bonds is the standard for infamy because unlike, say, McGwire, he is still playing and he’s about to make history.
Sunday was a day of rest for Bonds. But Selig’s head still hurts. He is hoping for a miracle — manna from above, or at least George Mitchell. He wants something tangible, anything, for a legitimate reason not to board a flight.
But this is baseball’s freak show, and Selig should not be allowed to hide from it. He can always crawl back under the rock when it’s over.
Permalink | Comments (58) | Post your comment | Categories: Braves / MLB, Jeff Schultz
Comments
By The Grinch
May 13, 2007 7:13 PM | Link to this
Well said, Jeff; though I don’t necessarily agree with the blanket statement that no athlete or public figure should ever feel compelled to take a stand on anything…was that meant to be sarcastic? Anyhoo, Selig is indeed a less than stellar commissioner. Breaking up corporate ownership of the Braves would be a nice start toward redemption.
By oasisbraves
May 13, 2007 7:29 PM | Link to this
It doesn’t matter. In a few years AROD will break the record. When that happens, Bonds wont be the homerun king, and he wont even have a WS Ring. At that time, we will NEVER have to hear the name BARRY BONDS again. Just like he said when he passed RUTH. He said “After I pass him, I don’t want to EVER hear his name mentioned again.”
By chris
May 13, 2007 8:30 PM | Link to this
Juke journalism
This article did not produce not one single thread of evidence that Bonds used steroids. Selig is not the only hypocrite, individuals pretending to be journalists but cannot write to save a soul are hypocrites as well. What’s your true journalism skills? Can we put that to a test? How well can you spell and write? Can we put all journalists to the same type of test they have subjected Bonds to? I did not think so.
By David
May 13, 2007 8:41 PM | Link to this
How about the writers Jeff? You all claim to be the conscience of your readers when it fits your agenda. Where were you? Huh?
By David
May 13, 2007 8:43 PM | Link to this
Bonds’ head is the only evidence I need he used steriods.
By Larry
May 13, 2007 9:13 PM | Link to this
Larry
Like Chris, who must hail from San Francisco, the only men left who support and defend Bonds are those who are perversely attracted to the fecal producing rectum of other men.
Chris,
Please take a bath to wash away the diarrhea odor, and tell your men to eat right!
By Don
May 13, 2007 10:35 PM | Link to this
When he is one home run shy of tying Hank he should be intentionally walked during every at bat until he gets the message and leaves the game. Bonds is an egotistical idiot.
By IlliniBrave
May 13, 2007 10:52 PM | Link to this
Well-said. The breadth and depth of hypocrisy and complicitness in baseball is astounding and appalling. But in addition to the players, owners, executives, and media moguls, you left out two groups - baseball writers and the fans that read their columns. I can’t believe I’m still reading columns written by people like Jeff Heyman (SI) and Jayson Stark (ESPN) who apologize for Bonds or try to deflect attention from the reall issue by bringing up emotional issues like race. What if all of your colleagues were to, in near unison, stand up and dare to say “the emperor has no clothes”, what would happen to any remaining shred of legitimacy for Bonds and his steroid-enhanced pursuit of history? And what would happen if no fans showed up at the park on the day Mr. Melon-Head hit 745? Can you see how that would play on Sportscenter? But as long as there are defenders of Bonds (or those like John Kruk who say “he hasn’t yet been proven guilty of anything” - yeah, good one Krukie!), and as long as the lemmings in the Bay Area fill up the stadium for Bonds, we will never be able to see this for what it truly is - pure simple hypocrisy.
By gotigers72
May 13, 2007 11:15 PM | Link to this
Bud “Jelly Spine” Selig is getting just what he deserves, criticism, heavy criticism for doing a pi** poor job of guiding the greatest game there is. He AND the owners sold their souls when balls were flying out of the parks, and people were flying through the turnstiles to watch those balls fly out of the parks. Bottom line - as usual in the good ol’ USA. Why does everything have to be about money in this country?
Now that there is testing for steroids, there is HGH which has no accurate test, and worse than that, bandbox ballparks [Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Texas, etc.] where pop flies go into the stands in record numbers, and record numbers of people go through the turnstiles to see pop flies go into the stands in record numbers.
Baseball attendance went up again last year, and I imagine it will go up again this year. I love this game so much that I can’t give it up. I am not a proponent of the dead ball era, but neither am I a proponent of performance enhancing drugs and small ballparks making a pitcher’s duel a thing of the past.
As for you chris, no Bonds has not admitted using steroids, nor has this article produced evidence that he has used, but my friend where there is smoke there’s fire and there is a raging inferno around Barry.
By john
May 13, 2007 11:55 PM | Link to this
oh no hear yall go again!!! if you guys are going to continue to bash barry’s size or shape or whatever, just please include roger clemens in your hatred. b/c for whatever reason he has swelled alot since the 86’ world series… but i know you guys will forever defend him… he’s your all- american guy…. all you people say barry is this and that yet none of you have ever met the man… so really you’re going off of hearsay… for the record i’m a braves fan and have been my whole life and im not from san fran either… you guys are influenced by the media!!! its amazing that this has been going on now for what damn near five years or so yet you still leave hope that “they” are going to get barry… you idiots! lol why hasn’t the names come out from the other investigations? great question!!! don’t you think if barry’s name was on any of them they would have said by now??? hell if you ask me i would bet kerry wood and mark prior were steroid users but yall would brush that off like clemens… i hope barry does it right here in hanks backyard… the book of shadows has so much evidence right? but damn barry has not even come close to going to prison… just like i thought then i’m definitely starting to think that it was all b****** from the jump!!! lol hey for all you guys who are 40+ in age go check your pics when you were in your 20’s… see if there is a difference you will be amaze… another funny thing, all of you who are hating barry say the stuff… aren’t yall tired of that same speech? barry’s head is bigger, barry’s an a*****… how about barry’s the best any of you have ever seen!!!!!!!!!!i can say i have seen 4 of those 745 with my own eyes with two at wrigley when he was a pirate one in the old fulton and one in the astrodome!!!! who cares if selig is there hell the commissioner kuhn wasn’t there when aaron passed ruth!! its also funny too how all these people claim to be a hank aaron fan but they not going to tell you how their dad hated the fact that he broke ruths white man’s record….do your thing barry there are plenty outside of san fran anticipating you passing aaron!!!!
By Bob Montag
May 13, 2007 11:59 PM | Link to this
Barry Who? Oh, you talking about the *. Someone with the Giants? To blank with him
By RICH
May 14, 2007 12:28 AM | Link to this
Bonds has not be found guilty and probably will never be. Selig should be at the rest of Bonds games until he breaks the record…then he should resign.
By Dre
May 14, 2007 3:23 AM | Link to this
This is such a load of crap! IWhat I am reading here is a bunch of people who claim to love America, but clearly cannot stand Americans.
Let’s clear the air for a second… BARRY BONDS MAY and I do say MAY have used steroids! The reason for the “MAY” is because NOT ONE test has come back to say that Barry Bonds has used steroids! What happened to the American way… innocent until proven guilty? I guess we should just throw that out the door and dog barry because of his NOT SO CHARMING WAYS! Yes, Barry is a first class A-HOLE! We all know that and that is PROVEN! One thing out of all this that is NOT proven is that Barry used steroids! Say what you like, jump up and down, kick and scream until your voice goes into this squeeky little pathatic sounds and that will NOt change the fact that NONE of you have the proof! We only have common sense that tells you that barry used Steroids, but if common sense and no proof was all we needed to make Barry guilty then let’s open up the old Law cases and start sending people to prison. Heck, let’s tell the truth about the killing of JFK! How many of you by the raise of hands believe that one undamaged bullet did all that crazy mess that the Goverment said that it did? Forever one that raised their hands… please never call Barry guilty of taking steroids anymore because that just made you sound plain stupid!
Come on people… let’s tell the truth about it all. Let’s just get it out in the open since everyone wants to dog Bonds out. I don’t see why people just can’t enjoy the moment! How do any of you know what Babe Ruth took or didn’t take or what about Hank? None of us know, we ONLY make assumptions that they didn’t take anything. If your honest with yourself, you would KNOW that what I just said is the truth, no one knows!
Yes, race does play a factor into all of this! When Arron was chasing the record they downed him, now that’s it’s another African American chasing the record, let’s find a reason to down him. Did ANYONE stand up and say that MAC was using steroids when he was chasing Roger Maris record… NO! Everyone stood around and cheered on and so did I. The second that barry started chasing MAC’s record then everyone jumps up and down.. it must be steroids! DANG! Everyone is quick to claim… I am NOT rascist… but in fact you ARE! I really hate the statement… I have black friends, what do that mean? to me it just means your rascist to the black people you do not know personally. yoou have stero-typed the rest of the black population until you can meet them personally. That’s all that means!
So, while we all celebrated the home runs in this juiced up era and bathed in the sun of MAC and Sammy chasing Maris, let’s give the same respect due to Barry the ungreatful or better yet do as your mommy told you. If you can’t say nothing nice, then say nothing at all.
By Chris
May 14, 2007 6:58 AM | Link to this
I really wish pitchers would just walk him in every at bat and not even give him a chance to hit one. But of course they won’t do that…just like current players seem to have a problem coming out and saying how full of crap Bonds holding the record would be.
By Kaye
May 14, 2007 7:04 AM | Link to this
Can I make the sugestion that they do not test Bond for steriods because they dont want it in the news. He most certainly has been taking steriods. A mans head stops growing after the age of 21. Bonds head started to grow at the age of 21 and he has no medical condition to cause it. Sorry, he is the steriod king of the era. He should be banned from baseball now before the damage is done and cant be reversed.
By Larry
May 14, 2007 7:06 AM | Link to this
Dre,
Look in the mirror! What you’ll see perfectly exemplifies what perpetuates the myth that Blacks are intellectually inferior.
By Mike
May 14, 2007 7:07 AM | Link to this
I think some of you forget that Barry did fail one of the ‘illegal substance’ tests. It was just swept under the rug though, just like everything else. Too bad everyone has to suffer this egomaniac and his ridiculous march towards another record that will praise a-hole Barry.
By Paul in J-ville
May 14, 2007 7:52 AM | Link to this
John, well said. Dre, quit trying to publish a book on a blog.
Fact is, Barry is still hitting homeruns with power even at age 43. Ty Cobb was a Di*k, as was Pete Rose, but give the devil its due. Barry is a freak of a player, plain and simple. People get over it, you never saw Barry’s work ethic nor his off season training which was tiger-like. Wake up you morons to the fact he still had to hit em and still is hitting them.
By joebrave
May 14, 2007 8:10 AM | Link to this
I’m no Barry Bonds fan never was never will be. I grew up on Hank Aaron,to put in simple terms; Hank Aaron,Willie Mays,Frank Robinson,etal,ae true giants among men,Barry Baonds is an egomaniacal spoiled f******* brat,did he juice?I don’t know but I’m sure he did,did Sosa juice,lemme see,I stopped having acne when I was 16,did Macjuice well silence is your best testimony,What I’m saying is Barry is doing this with Expectation,the expectation that H.Aaron and all of Baseball will kiss his A$$,no sorry pal ain’t gonna happen,He has alienated himself from every fan base outside of San Fran and don’t get me started about that city!!! Better men have played this game with more dignity and class than Bonds will ever have,or dream of having,But those men have something Bonds will never have,and that is stature,and respect among men for what they accomplished in a by gone era,an era that produced the purity of being a kid,of emulation of adoration,which is something Barry Bonds will never earn,and quite frankly does not deserve!!!
By joebrave
May 14, 2007 8:52 AM | Link to this
And to all you who will come down on me for my prior posts,No I’m not racist,I love Hank Aaron had the pleasure and yes it was a pleasure to meet the man,He is one of the most soft-spoken kindest people you will ever meet,but for all his fame and glory He earned his without one complaint not one!! He simply states life has been good to Him;Mr Bonds on the other hand comes off like some underpriveledged kid that grew up in the ghetto,let me assure that’s quite the contrary,He grew up privy to more than his share of being on easy street,so before I’m bashed here,I make 15.00/hr live in a 3 br with a mortgage,am the same age as Bonds,am I complaining Hell no I’m Happy with my lot in life,Does he complain Hell yes,nothing or noone has ever been fair and equal to him,B******!!! Mr Bonds sir you grew up in a major lague clubhouse,with Willie Mays as your godfather,sheesh feed that s** to somebody else~!!!!!!!
By Fit To Be Tied
May 14, 2007 9:02 AM | Link to this
Forget about making Mr. Selig visible. Let’s go one step further and make Mr. Selig disappear. Replace him with someone who has character and will stand up for the game and not be obsessed with accumulating dollars.
Fix it and they will come!
By Mad Mike
May 14, 2007 9:13 AM | Link to this
Chris:
OJ got away with murder in California. Why isn’t it conceivable that Bonds could get away with cheating in California?
By bigdaddy
May 14, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this
Of Rose, Cobb, Ruth, Aaron, and Bonds, which man had/has the most class and character?
Yep. Thought so.
And that’s what will be remembered long after this “race for the record” is forgotten.
It seems that a man chooses early—or his parents help choose for him—whether to develop character or be an a—hole. (I guess I don’t show much character using words like that, but I’m verbally limited.) Anyway, Henry Aaron made the right choice long ago.
By joebrave
May 14, 2007 9:32 AM | Link to this
I do agree that MLB needs a Roger Goddell tyoe to run the show!!!
By GE
May 14, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this
GO BARRY!! Regardless of what some of these yahoos say, you will be the home run king until AROD passes you up.Bowie Kuhn did not attend the night Hank broke the record right here in Atlanta, so what is the big deal if Selig does not show up.I really enjoy watching Barry inflict pain on those who do not like him. I believe that the steroid thing is just an excuse for people to vent and discredit him because he refuses to punk out to his critics. In the case of Hank, it was pure hate of a black man breaking the record. In Barry’s case, a lot of it is still the same old crap disguised as maintaining the integrity of the game. Obviously, Barry could care less. Good for him.
By don
May 14, 2007 9:52 AM | Link to this
Just as no knowledgeable person remotely compares Rose to Cobb, no one will compare Bonds to Ruth. As they say, Bonds couldn’t carry Ruth’s athletic supporter.
By Savannah Guy
May 14, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this
The Barry and Bud Spectacle
Good article. Trouble is, most in the MLB management hierarchy are guilty…if not of enabling steroid madness then of negligence. Selig always seems to stall, see which way the wind blows in the press and in Washington before having an opinion. He is a prototypical politician when baseball needs a visionary leader and an ethical guardian of this great game. But before I go on about Selig, let me throw in on Bonds.
On Barry Would Bonds be breaking Hank’s record without his “alleged” steroid taking? No way. Would he have been as much of an A-hole all these years without steroids? You bet (he’s hard-wired that way).
On Bud As commish, Selig has never been the master of ceremonies or the leader of anything other than his own “business” during a time when baseball is at a significant crossroad of traditional rules (and values) and modern mega-money, pay-per-view, bend the rules as long as the people pay spectacle.
A Cardboard Selig So, if Bud doesn’t want to visit the Giants games now to witness Bonds as he hits the last few homers on his way to an all-time record (insert asterisk here), then perhaps MLB could just create a life-size full-color cardboard cutout of Selig to cart along to all the Giants games. They could prop it up in each stadium. A battery-operated, hinged lower jaw and elbow could add some life to the old fella as he oohs and ahhs the inevitable Bonds home runs and his sarcastic, spitting, obligatory trot around the bases.
But then, would we even notice a difference with a cardboard Selig?
By CB
May 14, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this
I could be wrong, but didn’t Bonds admit to using steroid cream?
By GT80
May 14, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this
This is not about Barry Bonds and whether he did or did not do ‘roids. This is about Bud Selig and the poor job he has done as commissoner. MLB continues to thrive in spite of Selig, even though there are many ridiculous things that have occurred under his watch.
The blind eye to steroids is just one instance of his poor management of the game. How about the absurd use of the All Star game to determine home field advantage for the World Series? This as a reaction because he couldn’t figure out how to let baseball be a real baseball game when the stupid managers didn’t know what to do when they goofed up and used all their pitchers and still had a tie game. If Selig had a brain and spine he would have just said, hey, this is baseball, you still have 9 players in the lineup, you can shift someone else to pitch and let’s keep playing. Instead he threw up his hands and admitted that he didn’t have a clue, and then over-reacted by tying in the home field twist and saying “now the game counts”. What a joke.
And how about the interleague play and the unbalanced schedule? Gee, the fans like interleague play so let’s keep doing it. Great, but instead of making it fair and having every team play each other, we’ll create some standing rivals and play those games every year. Who cares that this means that the Mets have to play the Yankees every year and the Braves have to play the RedSox, but the Orioles get to play the Nats and St. Louis gets to play KC. Who cares if one team gets an advantage because they get to play a weaker team while their rival plays a stronger team.
Selig is a joke that cannot do what is right for baseball because he is a stooge for the owners (hell, he is one of the owners, even if on paper he doesn’t technically own the Brewers). And as long as the owners are making money they don’t want to do what is best for the overall game. And Selig will stay on as commissioner and continue to throw his hands up and admit that he doesn’t have a clue.
Just like with the Bonds situation. He doesn’t know whether he should just embrace the fact that Bonds will break the single most important record in the game and celebrate it since there is no hard proof that Bonds juiced, or whether he should come out and condemn Bonds because there is enough circumstantial evidence that he did? He’ll just throw up his hands and admit he doesn’t know what to do, knowing that this will pass and the game will continue to thrive and make money for his constituency.
By scribe
May 14, 2007 10:43 AM | Link to this
evidence: bonds head has grown 5/8ths of an inch in the past decade. His shoes size has grown 2 and a half sizes in the past decade. Last time I checked, this doesn’t happen to men in their mid 30’s. Bonds is a fraud and a liar. end of discussion
By BossLady
May 14, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this
Well said, Big daddy
By Dave
May 14, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this
Selig and the rest of the suits have been collecting cash while this has been going on with their heads in the sand!! Now they have to pay for their sins. It is a shame that America’s passtime has been handled the way it has been. But no fan should have expected anything different with a puppet put in as commissioner. The owners care about making money. The fan cares about the game. The only issue is that the fan has no say in the way things are run.
By Savannah Guy
May 14, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this
GT80 right on. Good post and great points.
You’ve inspired me to redesign the “carboard Selig” so that both elbows are hinged - so he can throw his arms up and say (with his lower jaw dropping ala Monty Python) and mouth “I’m Selig. I don’t have a clue and I don’t know what to do…so, uh, well, er, ummm…play ball”.
The cardboard Selig might also be more available for interviews. Perhaps some industrious fan out there with some extra time could fabricate this cardboard Bud and bring him to a game.
By Chris Y.
May 14, 2007 11:12 AM | Link to this
Man, anyone who cant tell that Barry has been using steroids is just plain stupid. How do you start getting better after age 35 or 36? I mean I know he was a pretty good player before that, but how do you start hitting HR’s and junk like he has so late in life? That just doesnt add up. And his head? Oh man how in the world does someones head get that big? I mean seriously, that thing is gigantic. I saw him last Saturday on FOX sitting next to someone on the bench and his head was like triple that guys size. Its ridiculous.
All this evidence and no wants to do anything about it. Yeah sure he hasnt been proven guilty yet. But theres a reason for that. How many times have they actually tested the man? And even if they have they dont want to bring it public because they dont want to put a bad image on the game. BS - Bonds breaking Hanks record is going to be one of the worst things for baseball - ever. I’d rather see another strike before I’d want to see Hanks record broken by that pompous pr*.
TO ALL MLB PITCHERS: PLEASE WALK THE MAN. DO NOT PITCH TO HIM. SOMEONE NEEDS TO STAND UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MORON BECAUSE BUD SELIG AND THE GOVERNMENT (TAX FRAUD) SURE WONT DO ANYTHING.
By dexter
May 14, 2007 11:16 AM | Link to this
I think BONDS will never get the respect as Aaron,Mays and others true greats,he never cared about that and when he retires a little people wiil remenber him,he will never be an ambassador of the baseball,he ll be in COOPERSTOWN any day,but the doubts about him will stay forever
By Kelley
May 14, 2007 11:17 AM | Link to this
My hope is that Bonds will hit number 754 and then suffer some injury that will keep him from returning to baseball and keep him from breaking the record.
I truly believe you reap what you sow and it would be fitting for him to come so close then not be able to break the record.
The thing that speaks most to his character is the reason why he started the steroids; he couldn’t stand to see McGuire and Sosa getting all the attention the year of their homerun chase. To me that says it all: he is a man who only cares about self, not a team player. He doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Hank Aaron.
By humbug
May 14, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this
Bud Selig is just being Bud Selig. He has never taken the initiative to correct any problem with baseball or his former endeavors. His only interest is making money without any responsibility. Maybe that’s why the owners put him in this position. Whether, when, or if Bonds breaks the record has nothing to do with the interests of Selig, he’s been this way about all of baseball.
By dale in newnan
May 14, 2007 12:00 PM | Link to this
All of you Bonds’ apologist seem to have selective memories. remembeer the leaked testimony of the grand jury? You know, the one where he feigned ignorance about “the clear” and “the cream”. WELL?!?
By GE
May 14, 2007 12:05 PM | Link to this
If Barry is too old to perform at his present level without some juice then how do you explain the 45 year old Roger Clemens performing at his present level? I wonder if he was juiced like McGuire and Sosa and a few others. Did Barry lie in front of Congress? I guess this is just a Barry thing.
Hey Larry, thanks for proving my point with your remarks about Dre.
By Grampus
May 14, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this
Nine out of ten people don’t care one way of the other. The season and all-time home run records only meant something for so long because each belonged to Ruth - who was larger that life - and because he owned them for so very long. Ruth made the home run what it is today. He made the records mean something to begin with.
Remember when Maris broke the single season record? He was vilified by New York. MLB stuck an asterisk by his name in the record books because the number of games in a season had increased since Ruth’s day. All that hating and Maris wasn’t even black. Imagine that. McGuire benefited from it having been done before and the distance of 40+ years. However, I seem to remember rumors in the air about drug enhanced performance at the time - and McGuire wasn’t even black. Imagine that.
Now that Ruth’s records have been broken more than once in recent memory and probably will be more often in the future, the heighten interest is waning. Records are made, broken, and we lose interest. It’s the American way.
By John
May 14, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this
When it comes down to it, in 20 years Willie Harris will be approaching 1000 home runs. He is destined to be the home run king.
By Cubs Fan
May 14, 2007 12:58 PM | Link to this
Last week I bought tickets to see the Cubs at Wrigley Field in mid-July—our first trip back to Chicago to spend time with family in three years. It turns out the team that is in Chicago when we go up to visit is none other than Bonds’ Giants. I thought about what I would do if Bonds actually broke the record on the day we attended.
If it happens I plan to turn my back to him as he circles the bases. I’d love to see a whole ballpark of fans do that when the day comes! That would be a way to send a message to him and all of baseball from the fans.
Anyone with me?
By Savannah Guy
May 14, 2007 1:10 PM | Link to this
Cubs Fan
Turning the back to Bonds…brilliant. Since you will be at the game there at Wrigley, you will be in a perfect venue to take the cardboard cutout of Bud Selig. See my 10:04 and 11:08 posts for instructions.
This Bud’s for you.
By outkasted
May 14, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this
protest, do what you feel but guess what… he will still round the bases and the run will still count…lol why has bonds investigation been the only thing to leak? we have had other busts but no names whatsoever have come out… go figure!! how do you know his shoe size and cap size? do you know roger clemens shoe size and cap size? of course not!!! you people sound like idiots… “oh i hope they just walk him every time…” ” oh i hope he gets hurt” “oh i hope they put an asterisk by it”…. i mean this stuff is just hilarious to read… has barry been an a***** to you? no b/c none of you have never met the man so basically you are just talking out of your a*….imagine if babe played today with this media…. he would be considered the biggest a***** in the history of sports… he came to games just wasted but you never know b/c for all accounts he was white… yeah cheer for arod so when he gets to 700 he will then be vilified for not doing it in a bankees uniform…. barry barry barry barry the home run king!!!!
By BooneDawg
May 14, 2007 1:56 PM | Link to this
Great article.
By Marty
May 14, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this
I just wish that any of the Bonds apologists could explain to me some reason, other than chemical tinkering, which could cause a 37-year-old man’s head to increase two hat sizes in ONE offseason. All these years later, I’ve still never heard a plausible explanation. No, you’ll continue to dodge the question, insisting that no one has “proof” and that everyone has always been against Bonds.
It is NOT a race thing — in fact, the mere suggestion is ridiculous. White people are somehow upset that a BLACK man is going to break the record held by ANOTHER black man? Do those of you who espouse this nonsense even stop to think about how stupid you sound? Once again, people can’t stand Bonds because he is an unapologetic cheater and an unabashed jerk. For the record, I don’t like Clemens either, but that’s just because he’s a jerk and this “I may come back, but I may not” nonsense has gotten out of hand.
Schultz is right about one thing — every baseball executive, every journalist, every announcer, every player, every manager, and every fan who has allowed the sport to be bastardized and damaged so severely these last fifteen years is partly to blame for where we find ourselves now with regard to Bonds. Everyone knew that there was something wrong with what McGwire and Sosa were all of a sudden doing, but we all put up with it. We created a monster, and now we’re stuck with him.
By Schultz is Hipocrite
May 14, 2007 2:32 PM | Link to this
Schultz you are calling some one a hipocrite. Look at you! You are a joke for a Sports writer. Never talk about any player that does not have class or leadship skills you don’t. It start with you. You Talk about people with half truths and lies, Gossip. And when you are dead wrong you won’t say am wrong will you hipocrite! What kind of apologists are you for telling half truths and Lies sport gossip writer!
By HR RECORDS WILL BE SHORT LIVED
May 14, 2007 3:26 PM | Link to this
Don’t worry, today’s idiot Americans love seeing guys swing at the ball like cavemen, then jog around the bases. They will continue to pay a lot of money to watch such boringness, thus there will be a supply of bigger and better “home run hitters”, meaning whatever record Bonds sets, it will be broken in his own lifetime (if his steroids ravaged heart holds out).
For example, the MLB single season hits record is now held by a Japanese - they actually know how to play the game of baseball in Japan, not just how to hit a lot of homeruns and jog around the bases.
Here are some records that will only be broken if Americans stop being idiots:
career hits
single season and career doubles
single season and career triples
single season and career stolen bases
and so on.
Question: how often, even in the National League, do you see a person walk, steal 2nd, get bunted to third, and score on a sacrifice fly? How many idiot Americans would consider that “fun baseball”?
By outkasted
May 14, 2007 3:33 PM | Link to this
go ask clemens how his head has swelled? but you keep saying that his hat size has gotten larger… show me where you seen the two different hat sizes… like i said you are talking out of your a*
By Johnny Evans
May 14, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this
I think the report from G=Mitchell should be made ASAP==before big head Bonds hits the breaker=
New subject==These Hall of Famers Disabled List==I think MLB shouldpro rate these huge salaries for those who continously stay on the DL=and draw millions=I am not against anyone making the bucks=however==they should work for it=by playing there profession==Some are real reasons=but some I really have doubts abputa few of them=some make it to the top in salary real quick=and most do not deserve the big salaries=just because they perform one or two years=look at some of the future Hall of Famers=who play day in and day out=many with injuries that would really send some of the Disabled List Hall of Famers to Ala. to see the DR= etc Mike Hampton=kevin Brown=K= wood=Mark Prior= just to name a few= SO HOW ABOUT PUSHING THE PRO RATED ISSUE WITH COMM==SELIG= HE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING= I DO NOT THINK I WILL RECOGNIZE b=BONDS AS THE HOME RUN KING=YES WALK HIM=REMEMBER WHEN HE WAS SKINNY JUST BEFORE LEAVING THE PIRATES=
JOHNNY L. EVANS CHESAPEAKE, VA
By Spike
May 14, 2007 4:12 PM | Link to this
You are right. He should grow a pair and either say he is going or announce why he is not and let the chips fall where they may
By Savannah Guy
May 14, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this
outkasted Since you seem to carry the torch for Bonds, maybe you should add that you carry his jockstrap too. Please tell us, is there even a need for a strap after a player injects, eats or lathers himself in ‘roids for years?
Since when do you need to “know” someone personally to know they are an a-hole? So, with your logic, a jerk is not a jerk unless he disses you personally…hungh?
By GT80
May 14, 2007 5:05 PM | Link to this
Folks, I repeat, THIS IS NOT ABOUT BONDS! He’s gonna break the record and while I’m not happy about it because I’m a lifelong Braves and Hank Aaron fan, I’m accepting of it. I think he’s a cheater but what the heck, he’s never been caught. So he will break the record and get his name in the books as the all-time home run hitter. This is more about Bud Selig and what a joke of a commissioner he is. Don’t hate Bonds for taking advantage of the lack of rules, hate the man who is supposed to be responsible for the integrity and well being of the game that turned his back when it was obvious somethign was going on and never pushed any rules until it’s too late.
And BTW, there’s an article in CNNSI quoting Chipper about the interleague schedule. As Chipper says, MLB is not interested in being fair.
Oh, and one more thing, about Clemens, I don’t trust him either. Maybe the reason he started taking half a year off is so he could cycle his dosage and be clean when he came back into the league. I’m just saying….
By outkasted
May 14, 2007 5:12 PM | Link to this
no i don’t carry s** for no one… but since you want to direct your comment towards me then so be it…but SAVANNAHGUY what proof do you have for any of your accusations? what did the book say besides from a “source”…if the source was real why not put his own name out there so we can say this person has first hand knowledge of barry using…but instead be a coward…probably like you… so i can say anybody is a a***** but what does that mean nothing… you are probably an a* hole in your everyday life… wishing you could play baseball… i bet your f* a* daddy rooted against aaron too…here you go ” I don’t like barry b/c he’s an a***** and he didn’t sign my hat for me” …. so you continue to hate this guy from afar but i will enjoy watching one the best to ever play this game… regardless of what you say he is still hitting homeruns… evryone else can get hot and are still not as feared as barry… so evidently the players in mlb know whos the baddest mf in baseball…. biatch!!!!
By outkasted
May 14, 2007 5:13 PM | Link to this
well said GT80
By Phil
May 14, 2007 5:13 PM | Link to this
I really don’t have a problem with Barry Bonds and if he did or didn’t use Steroids. What troubles me about the man, is, 1) He never had a throwing arm to speak of. Base runners (aka Sid Bream) have always ran on him at will. 2) He has always choked in the clutch, and 3), Today’s pitchers are not allowed to pitch inside to the man without him crying to the umps. He would not have hit half his 700+ total back in the day with pitchers like Drysdale, Kofax and Gibson facing him every day. By the time he hits homer 750, every other pitch should knock him flat of his a*!
By jb
May 14, 2007 6:53 PM | Link to this
I am not a big fan of Bonds. Despite his bulk, he still has to make contact, which he does well. Look at his walks to strike outs and compare them to today’s other power hitters. He only struck out 100 + times in one season. Like Ruth and Aaron, he hits for power and doesn’t strike out. If he hit his 73 “juiced”, just think how many “juiced” pitchers he faces. It probably would come close to balancing out. The parks Ruth played in and the era of the game will make his accomplishes second to none. He would often hit more home runs by himself than other teams would in a season. 755 was meant to be broken, and will be again. Dimaggio’s 57 game hitting streak is the only offensive record that may never be broken.
By Savannah Guy
May 14, 2007 7:04 PM | Link to this
Outkasted not gettin’ Outkrassed Let’s not resort to “yo mama’s dis and yo daddy’s dat” and other illiterate insults. Who said anything about hate? Since you brought it up, my dad knew Hank Aaron and loved the guy. I played baseball and always held Mr. Aaron up as an idol. I’ve got an autographed home run ball from Hank that he gave my dad after a game.
Can an a-hole like Bonds be a great player? You bet. To state the obvious, he’s is a great hitter and a mediocre fielder with a sub-average arm. Was Ty Cobb an a-hole? Yes. But also a great player.
So, Outkasted…whether Barry gets busted has absolutely zero effect on my day. If he breaks Hank’s record, which he will no doubt do soon, will always be a sports injustice in my opinion and should keep him out of the first few rounds of his inevitable HOF balloting.
So take your stupid and foul mouthed gangsta rants somewhere where it might actually impress someone. You might try a high school parking lot somewhere.