Bonds' is chasing the most prestigious record in all of sports, and as it stands now he is at 754, one away from tying, two away from breaking Henry "Hank" Aaron's record. In a recent poll conducted by the Associated Press, 55 percent of minority baseball fans, want Bonds to break Aaron's record. This number is in stark contrast to only 34 percent of white baseball fans who want Bonds to be the new home run king. Some in baseball are pulling for Bonds, his teammates and maybe a few other players around the league. Most are not pulling for Bonds, especially the Dodgers, the Braves and the media. Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated, wrote an entire column in the July 23, 2007 issue of what to do when Bonds hits the record. Some of his ideas are, "Hold up a sign that says, 'Seven Filthy Six,' another is to remind yourself that they put a gold medal around Ben Johnson's neck for a while too," and the ultimate insult to Bonds,"catch the ball and throw it back. You will never have to pay for a beer for the rest of your life." Reilly finishes the column with saying what will happen when this is all over, "Barry Bonds will have to go back to the one place where even he doesn't believe the lies. His mirror."
How can a record that means this much bring along with it so much negative baggage? How can one of the most popular sportswriters in America have such contempt towards one man? How can the man who holds the present record not even attempt to be there for that historic swing, let alone talk to him on the phone? But Bonds has his fair share of supporters too, including former manager Dusty Baker, and former teammate Kirk Rueter. Rueter told the AP, that the media just loves to write bad stuff about him, just because he didn't want to talk everyday. Dusty Baker, who was in the on-deck circle when Aaron hit his record breaking homer said, "it would mean a lot to me because I grew up idolizing Barry's father, Bobby Bonds." Baker went onto add, "I held Barry the day he was born." Another former teammate of Bonds, Ellis Burks wonders if so many people have something on Bonds why is he still playing? Bonds is also supported by the NAACP California chapter who said, "Barry Bonds is a legend in his own time and we should be celebrating his accomplishments on the baseball field, and not bury his accomplishments under a fire storm of innuendo, exaggerated claims, and pronouncements by individuals trying to save themselves from criminal litigation." When Bonds breaks the record, there will be cheers and there will be boos. The Bonds situation brings an issue to the forefront, what is cheating, is cheating another form of winning or is it a despicable act, and should we honor the cheaters even if we can't prove them guilty. All these questions will be asked on the day Bonds hits 756, and will be asked for many years later. The issue will then become will we ever know the truth?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
You write, "How can one of the most popular sportswriters in America have such neglect towards one man?"
What does that even mean? How does one "have neglect" toward someone? Reilly's column was the most well-written, well-argued thesis on this current malignancy in baseball. He articulated perfectly what most of us know in our guts to be true: this is fake. And one day, when someone else surpasses it, Barry Bonds and his 756 will be reduced to a footnote.
Thank you for your post. Neglect was a type-o. The correct word here is contempt. We have corrected this. Thank you again.
Post a Comment