Barry Bonds

[g8trbone]

Okay, so I am sitting here enjoying my Don Pepin Cuban Classic 1979 (Thank you Joel!!!) and I just watched Barry Bonds launch #754. So, I figured I would ask the question:

Do you want to see Barry Bonds break Hank Aaron's home run record?

[bigpoppapuff-cl]

absolutely!!!!...YES!!!!

[Labman-cl]

Records are made to be broken...so yeah, I hope he does it.

[bobbyg29-cl]

The bottom line for me is that I don't really care one way or the other. Comparing athletes from different eras is impossible so I personally don't care about who holds the record. When Bonds passes Aaron it will not diminish Hammerin' Hank's amazing career in any way.

While we are on the subject of Bonds here are some of my thoughts.
-While the guy is a complete tool of a human being and an obvious steroid/HGH user, he is still (drugs or not) the best baseball player I have seen play in my life time.
-For those that say "well he never failed a drug test" let me remind you that Al Capone was never convicted of anything but tax evasion and OJ Simpson is still walking the street...would you not label them gangster and murder respectively because they were never actually formally caught?
-Although it is nice to see him get some negative attention because he is such a jerk, I think the steroid "witch hunt" for Barry Bonds is totally unfair. Why just focus on him as the root of all evil? Jason Giambi all but admitted to it and still won comeback player of the year and in the NFL Shawn Merriman of the Charges tested positive, was suspended yet still made the Pro Bowl and was second in the voting for Defensive Player of the Year.

[GoinFerSmoke]

Best players I got to see when I was young... Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter, Bobby Bonds, Gaylord Perry, Juan Marichal, Chis Speier Tito Fuentes, Jim Barr, Garry Maddox, Vida Blue, Gene Tenace, Bert Campaneris, Sal Bando, Regi Jackson... those were the days...

Being from Sacramento had two great teams to choose from the Oakland A's and S.F. Giants!


AS for Barry... I think each eras achievements should be viewed and praised individually. We change and adapt constantly...

Look at different areas of sports... the mile, high jump even gymnastics... once was thought of as an achievement now is viewed as nothing compared to the advancements we've obtained since...

Barry is Barry, he used steroids, he is doing what he is paid to do however he obtained it... personally I don't think records in many sports are looked at with the importance they were at one time, this is one of those...

[g8trbone]

7 votes but only four opinions voiced.

I want to say no because of one of the points Rob made. I do not like Barry Bonds as a person. His personal life (what we know of it) is not very good and his attitude towards other people sucks. I will admit he is one hell of a ball player and would have made the HOF without the steriods but he has some sort of internal drive that made him cheat. I will say that I think A-Rod has a much better chance to surpass Barry as Best of this era.

[Gatormoye]

I say no. If he didn't use steriods he wouldn't have broken the record. You can go back and see the differance his home runs started going up and he was getting bigger very fast. I now alot of people who work out and without steriods it takes a long time. With the juice you get big fast like bonds.

[The Korean-cl]

I voted no, just because I feel that Hank was better consistant player, had to deal with more that just a little hate due to his race and I completely disagree with everything Barry Bonds. He is an ass, uses steriods. While I voted no, I think that years down the road, it will only make Hank's legend stand out brighter, and for that I'm happy.

[Shelby07]

It is really irrelevant, he's gonna break the record. I think they really need to put a "*" next to his name, though.

Baseball stars are supposed to be heros (ok - so I'm a bit old fashoned.) Barry Bonds is no hero. He's a miserable human being and cheated in order to break the record (yeah, yeah, I know... there's no proof, but it looks like a duck to me.) He was never an outstanding hitter until his neck grew 4 sizes. This isn't the kind of example that should be held up to today's young kids. Things are bad enough in certain parts of the country without this clown being made larger than life.

...and that's what I think. Thanks for asking.

[Gatormoye]

I think if people knew his home runs per year went up around 25 to 30 when all of a sudden he got bigger. That increase came in one year.

[dHUTCH]

Personally.......dont care......I think Hank was a much better person and a much better player. Like stated earlier...he will break the record, its just a matter of when now.

[Ceedee]

Records are made to be broken. Regardless of what Barry "is" as a person ( I don't know him personally), he is an amazing hitter, there is no contradicting that. I believe that Hank Aaron would agree. Either on the juice or not, he can hit the ball. I dunno if in the end this controversy will be good for baseball or not, but I will be tipping my hat to him when he hits the HR to go ahead of Hank Aaron. Good for him.

On another tack, Barry is most definitely not a "hero" of mine - nor other modern athletes for that matter. I think that putting athletes up on a pedestal is part of our culture and it is a bit sad really. This necessity to idolize very well paid athletes is becoming a bit disturbing to me and I think that this really has skewed our perception of what things are important to us in our everyday lives. Making this situation out to be more important than I feel it should be, is the problem. Good for Barry in beating Hank Aaron. What does it represent to me? Well, it means he hit more homers than Hank. Ok. In 5, 10, 20, 50 years, this conversation will most likely be happening again with the next best hitter to come along and beat Barry Bonds' record.

CD

[McFortner]

Barry Bonds is the best Baseball player Steroids could make.

Michael

[northidahotim-cl]

Curious? Are all of you who commend Barry baseball fans? I'm disgusted that someone with his attitude toward the fans, an obvious cheater, can break such an important record.

[FoZzMaN-cl]

I can disregard the fact that he's an asshole - so was Ty Cobb, and no one is contesting his membership in the HoF.
What I hate is that he's morally bankrupt. He's a cheater, period. Is he the only one? HA! Certainly not. But he seems to be the one who acts as if he's beyond reproach, and as if the fans should shut up and be grateful. He acts like the fans, the world, OWE HIM something. At least Giambi admitted it (sort of), and acted a bit humble about it. If not apologetic, he at least seems a bit embarrassed...

No, I don't want him to have the record. I don't want him to have the HR/season record either. I want someone honest to have the records, to go down as one of the greatest that ever lived. I want that guy to play because he loves the friggin game like the fans do & enjoys it like he did when he was a kid. Say what you want about Jeter, A Rod, David Wright - love 'em, or hate 'em - they don't take the game or the fans for granted.

Sorry if I'm a bit sappy about this stuff, but with 2 of the greatest players - on & off the field - getting enshrined this past weekend (obviously Gwynn & Ripken), this crap with Barry just seems even worse.