The Barry watch is on....
Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:08 am
The Barry Bonds show will be in full tilt in the next couple of weeks. As he approaches the home run title, there will be many bashers saying he doesn’t deserve it. There will be the hometown fans that will be on top of the world. There will be the casual fans who only know the names: Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron. Does Barry Bonds deserve the record? In my mind without a doubt, I’m a fan through and through.
What a lot people fail to remember is: if we hate them, it doesn’t mean they are bad. Since the beginning of sports, you love your home team and you hate your competition. Red Sox fans hate the Yankees. Dodger fans hate the Giants. It goes on and on. People forget that the players are entertainers. Why do you watch Deion Sanders field a punt? Unless you were a Cowboys fan, you hated this guy because of his cocky attitude. You watched because you knew something exciting could happen, but most of all you knew he could beat you in one play. Do you think Chicago Bears fans loved Barry Sanders? I don’t think so. He could beat them in blink of an eye. When a great baseball player steps to the plate, it’s like time stops. Whatever you are doing in that moment, you stop to watch. Barry Bonds will be the moment. If you love him or hate him, you will watch. You will watch because it will be history. You might feel it is tainted, but it won’t matter.
Many fans feel he cheated. What is cheating? You look over friends shoulder on a test to get the answers. You take a short cut to the finish line to win a race. Did he take steroids? Maybe, did it make him an instant homerun hitter? Did he drink something and bang instant baseball hero? I think he was a great player and he put in hours and hours in the gym to get stronger. He worked and worked at his trade. Does strength make him a better baseball hitter? Maybe if you make contact, you can hit the ball further. Contact takes skill. You have to have great hand eye coordination. As Barry got older, he became the best player at making solid contact of all-time. You just couldn’t get him out in a big spot. I hear many people call him selfish. I find that hard to believe. If he was selfish, he would be swinging away trying to hit homeruns in every at bat. Yet, he stands there and watches ball after ball just waiting for something to hit. Some games he is lucky to see one pitch to hit. He has become the most feared hitter in baseball.
Babe Ruth is an all-time great. He changed the game of baseball. In my mind, he was a man among boys. He had the size and the strength. I think he was ahead of his time. After he played the game, other players would follow in his foot steps. They would emulate what he had done. Would he be the best player if he played today? Not even close. Do me a favor if you disagree, go back and look at the Olympic records from the 1920’s. Is there anything a person did better back then? Did they run faster or jump higher? Were they stronger? Almost every player is the size of Babe Ruth today. If you go back to the Little League World Series a few years back, Danny Almonte was a star. Why? He was a young man among boys. He had an edge. He was 14 competing against 12 year olds. I’m not saying Danny Almonte belong in the same sentence with Babe Ruth, but a player with an edge in skills and talent will dominate until the competition catches up with him. As Babe Ruth reached the end of his career, there were more players who could do similar things.
What Hank Aaron endured is truly amazing. How he was treated is embracing to me. I can’t even imagine what it was like to live during his era. For him to accomplish what he did, he has to be a special man. He played during a time where he was never respected as the best player of his era. When you look at him, you wonder why he doesn’t embrace the game he loved so much. The answer is easy. He was disrespected as a man. The fans didn’t love him for what he did. He gave his heart and soul to the game. The fans stole whatever passion he had left. Does he owe the game a guest appearance at Barry Bond’s crowning? When he had his moment of glory, he received hate mail and death threats. It’s time to pass the torch. Is he to pass on the great experience he had? Now, he gets his respect because the fans believe Barry’s chase is tainted. It’s kind of like getting spit on him again. The fans only want to give him respect now because they don’t like Barry. Hank Aaron is a Hall of Fame baseball player, but most of all, he is a man who helped change baseball and helped open doors for future black men. For that, he is an American hero.
Barry Bond’s father played under similar conditions. He played at the tail end of Hank Aaron career. There is no doubt what Bobby Bonds experienced was passed on to his son. His father taught him not to trust anyone. When you are not embraced, you don’t embrace. It may be a Barry flaw, but it might not be his fault.
The average fan will only connect Barry Bonds to steroids. They will know about the homers, but they won’t know he stole 50 bases before in a season. They won’t know he was intentionally walked 120 times in a season. Barry has been under a constant microscope. He has responded under unbelievable circumstances. During his career, he has never been surrounded by an all-star team. He has had a couple of star players, but the pressure was on his shoulders to lead the team to victory.
The media will be the painter. The picture could look like a rough sketch from a crime scene to a Picasso. How the average fan views Barry will a direct result of the media. For the true baseball fan, you will either love him or hate him. If you hate him, it is easy to use steroids. Is that the real reason or is it because they don’t like what he represents already?
The fans and the sports media are the jury. They will put Barry on trial for what he has done. Is he a jerk? I’m sure he has had his moments. I think we all have a moment or two when we act like an a$$hole . It could be on the drive to work when you are late. Why is this jerk driving so slowly? You’re tailgating him just waiting for the right moment to pass. As you pass him, there is the nice exchange of the finger. On the way home, you are glad the day is over. You look in your rear view mirror. Why is this a$$hole tailgating me? It is a different view, but the results are the same.
What if the rolls were reversed for the media? How would the media respond? Would they step up to the plate? Would their true colors show? Have they all been faithful? We seldom read about the sports writer who gets pulled over for a DUI. I’m sure they have never squeezed a buck out of their boss on an expense report. They have never screwed Uncle Sam a dollar during tax season. I think half of America is on some pill for something. The jury isn’t perfect by any means. Everyone has walked the line one time or another.
Barry Bonds the person might not be a person you want to know, but would you be a better person if someone was in your face for the last decade? Most of us can’t stand our significant other on our ass for more than a minute. As time passes Barry might grow and become more engaging as he moves away from the spot light.
Barry Bonds the baseball player is an all-time great. He will pass Hank Aaron on the all time home run list. He has done unbelievable things during his baseball career. Does he deserve the record? Who knows. Was he the only player to cross the line? What percentage of his competition was doing the same (pitchers included)? From Babe Ruth’s era until present time, the talent pool has grown at every level. In today’s game, there are so many more pitchers who throw hard. The game is more specialized. From the walks, lefty specialists, and the closers, was it harder for Barry Bonds than a Hanks Aaron who faced a pitcher running out of gas late in games? I’m not sure, but it seems like it would be.
As I said before, Barry didn’t just drink something and become Superman. If that was the case, you would think there would be more players doing what he has done. He is a special player with special talents. He has worked hard as his craft. He may never get the true respect for his career feats, but he will have set the bar for other to chase. Barry has entertained us for years. He has filled stadiums, gave us endless highlights on ESPN, and left us with questions about steroids. We may never know the real answer, but to me it won’t matter. I respect what he has accomplished. I understand the pitfalls. I will always remember that short quick swing with a short bat. Someday Barry might find peace with the media, but for now he is at their mercy. He might not be perfect, but I think we all have our faults. We have cut corners, offended someone here and there, and even broken a law or two. Until we walk in someone else’s shoes, we can only hope to understand how they arrived at home plate. Barry walked through a changing world. A world filled with questions about respect and disrespect. His Father had to ride in the back of the bus, but Barry can own the whole bus company that my friend is a changing world. The quest for the almighty dollar could be the bus driver in the steroid game. Until they can prove he is the one and only, he is just another player who played the game. A game within a game…..spit balls, corked bats, sand paper…it goes on and on.
[ July 23, 2007, 02:11 PM: Message edited by: CC's Desperados ]
What a lot people fail to remember is: if we hate them, it doesn’t mean they are bad. Since the beginning of sports, you love your home team and you hate your competition. Red Sox fans hate the Yankees. Dodger fans hate the Giants. It goes on and on. People forget that the players are entertainers. Why do you watch Deion Sanders field a punt? Unless you were a Cowboys fan, you hated this guy because of his cocky attitude. You watched because you knew something exciting could happen, but most of all you knew he could beat you in one play. Do you think Chicago Bears fans loved Barry Sanders? I don’t think so. He could beat them in blink of an eye. When a great baseball player steps to the plate, it’s like time stops. Whatever you are doing in that moment, you stop to watch. Barry Bonds will be the moment. If you love him or hate him, you will watch. You will watch because it will be history. You might feel it is tainted, but it won’t matter.
Many fans feel he cheated. What is cheating? You look over friends shoulder on a test to get the answers. You take a short cut to the finish line to win a race. Did he take steroids? Maybe, did it make him an instant homerun hitter? Did he drink something and bang instant baseball hero? I think he was a great player and he put in hours and hours in the gym to get stronger. He worked and worked at his trade. Does strength make him a better baseball hitter? Maybe if you make contact, you can hit the ball further. Contact takes skill. You have to have great hand eye coordination. As Barry got older, he became the best player at making solid contact of all-time. You just couldn’t get him out in a big spot. I hear many people call him selfish. I find that hard to believe. If he was selfish, he would be swinging away trying to hit homeruns in every at bat. Yet, he stands there and watches ball after ball just waiting for something to hit. Some games he is lucky to see one pitch to hit. He has become the most feared hitter in baseball.
Babe Ruth is an all-time great. He changed the game of baseball. In my mind, he was a man among boys. He had the size and the strength. I think he was ahead of his time. After he played the game, other players would follow in his foot steps. They would emulate what he had done. Would he be the best player if he played today? Not even close. Do me a favor if you disagree, go back and look at the Olympic records from the 1920’s. Is there anything a person did better back then? Did they run faster or jump higher? Were they stronger? Almost every player is the size of Babe Ruth today. If you go back to the Little League World Series a few years back, Danny Almonte was a star. Why? He was a young man among boys. He had an edge. He was 14 competing against 12 year olds. I’m not saying Danny Almonte belong in the same sentence with Babe Ruth, but a player with an edge in skills and talent will dominate until the competition catches up with him. As Babe Ruth reached the end of his career, there were more players who could do similar things.
What Hank Aaron endured is truly amazing. How he was treated is embracing to me. I can’t even imagine what it was like to live during his era. For him to accomplish what he did, he has to be a special man. He played during a time where he was never respected as the best player of his era. When you look at him, you wonder why he doesn’t embrace the game he loved so much. The answer is easy. He was disrespected as a man. The fans didn’t love him for what he did. He gave his heart and soul to the game. The fans stole whatever passion he had left. Does he owe the game a guest appearance at Barry Bond’s crowning? When he had his moment of glory, he received hate mail and death threats. It’s time to pass the torch. Is he to pass on the great experience he had? Now, he gets his respect because the fans believe Barry’s chase is tainted. It’s kind of like getting spit on him again. The fans only want to give him respect now because they don’t like Barry. Hank Aaron is a Hall of Fame baseball player, but most of all, he is a man who helped change baseball and helped open doors for future black men. For that, he is an American hero.
Barry Bond’s father played under similar conditions. He played at the tail end of Hank Aaron career. There is no doubt what Bobby Bonds experienced was passed on to his son. His father taught him not to trust anyone. When you are not embraced, you don’t embrace. It may be a Barry flaw, but it might not be his fault.
The average fan will only connect Barry Bonds to steroids. They will know about the homers, but they won’t know he stole 50 bases before in a season. They won’t know he was intentionally walked 120 times in a season. Barry has been under a constant microscope. He has responded under unbelievable circumstances. During his career, he has never been surrounded by an all-star team. He has had a couple of star players, but the pressure was on his shoulders to lead the team to victory.
The media will be the painter. The picture could look like a rough sketch from a crime scene to a Picasso. How the average fan views Barry will a direct result of the media. For the true baseball fan, you will either love him or hate him. If you hate him, it is easy to use steroids. Is that the real reason or is it because they don’t like what he represents already?
The fans and the sports media are the jury. They will put Barry on trial for what he has done. Is he a jerk? I’m sure he has had his moments. I think we all have a moment or two when we act like an a$$hole . It could be on the drive to work when you are late. Why is this jerk driving so slowly? You’re tailgating him just waiting for the right moment to pass. As you pass him, there is the nice exchange of the finger. On the way home, you are glad the day is over. You look in your rear view mirror. Why is this a$$hole tailgating me? It is a different view, but the results are the same.
What if the rolls were reversed for the media? How would the media respond? Would they step up to the plate? Would their true colors show? Have they all been faithful? We seldom read about the sports writer who gets pulled over for a DUI. I’m sure they have never squeezed a buck out of their boss on an expense report. They have never screwed Uncle Sam a dollar during tax season. I think half of America is on some pill for something. The jury isn’t perfect by any means. Everyone has walked the line one time or another.
Barry Bonds the person might not be a person you want to know, but would you be a better person if someone was in your face for the last decade? Most of us can’t stand our significant other on our ass for more than a minute. As time passes Barry might grow and become more engaging as he moves away from the spot light.
Barry Bonds the baseball player is an all-time great. He will pass Hank Aaron on the all time home run list. He has done unbelievable things during his baseball career. Does he deserve the record? Who knows. Was he the only player to cross the line? What percentage of his competition was doing the same (pitchers included)? From Babe Ruth’s era until present time, the talent pool has grown at every level. In today’s game, there are so many more pitchers who throw hard. The game is more specialized. From the walks, lefty specialists, and the closers, was it harder for Barry Bonds than a Hanks Aaron who faced a pitcher running out of gas late in games? I’m not sure, but it seems like it would be.
As I said before, Barry didn’t just drink something and become Superman. If that was the case, you would think there would be more players doing what he has done. He is a special player with special talents. He has worked hard as his craft. He may never get the true respect for his career feats, but he will have set the bar for other to chase. Barry has entertained us for years. He has filled stadiums, gave us endless highlights on ESPN, and left us with questions about steroids. We may never know the real answer, but to me it won’t matter. I respect what he has accomplished. I understand the pitfalls. I will always remember that short quick swing with a short bat. Someday Barry might find peace with the media, but for now he is at their mercy. He might not be perfect, but I think we all have our faults. We have cut corners, offended someone here and there, and even broken a law or two. Until we walk in someone else’s shoes, we can only hope to understand how they arrived at home plate. Barry walked through a changing world. A world filled with questions about respect and disrespect. His Father had to ride in the back of the bus, but Barry can own the whole bus company that my friend is a changing world. The quest for the almighty dollar could be the bus driver in the steroid game. Until they can prove he is the one and only, he is just another player who played the game. A game within a game…..spit balls, corked bats, sand paper…it goes on and on.
[ July 23, 2007, 02:11 PM: Message edited by: CC's Desperados ]