The heist is over. Finally. At least the feat is. Now, we await the fallout.
Barry Bonds stole the most hallowed milestone in sports. He fraudulently gained the title of all-time MLB home run king. Step aside Hank Aaron, your 33-year-old title now belongs to one of the most despicable athletes in sports history.
We all know the story. We all know the names of many steroid-generation baseball characters who have made Aaron, Ruth, Mays, Robinson, McCovey and Williams more revered than ever. Bonds and his BALCO-buddies have made us even more respectful of the accomplishments of these great players.
If Barry Bonds has done nothing, he has at least brought me back to many fond memories. Aaron’s historic #715. Maris’ dramatic #61. Ted Williams’ #521 in his last at-bat. The home run ball I caught from the bat of Harmon Killebrew, while on his way to the then-magic 500 home run plateau. Unfortunately, it’s a high price to pay to bring back memorable times-past.
So, what now Mr. Selig? Since it was you and the MLB players’ union that greedily turned your collective backs on the early days of steroid use to “save baseball” and drive up player salaries, what will you now do to “save face” for baseball? And, lest we forget, it was Selig, et al, who knowingly allowed millions of baseball fans to get caught-up in the hysteria of 1998 when those other two frauds, McGwire and Sosa, put on their “Roid Show” while the Maris family politely looked on. MLB knew then…like it knows now.
Mr. Selig - baseball fans everywhere await some type of comment or decision. Better yet, baseball’s legitimate 500-plus home run club waits.
Despicability, disgrace and disgust converged last night.
Bonds is despicable, Bud Selig is disgraceful, and their lawyers are disgusting.
The sword rattling of the trial lawyers is among the putrid reasons why Selig is tepid in banning Bonds from baseball. Both Selig’s and Bonds’ own attorneys warned that any financial losses Bonds might suffer as a consequence of negative publicity generated by MLB or the commissioner could fall squarely on the shameful, slumped shoulders of Major League Baseball.
And so as cowards while Bonds and others juiced themselves into the record books, MLB and Selig remain cowards with their caution.
Comment by Bostonian — August 8, 2007 @ 10:42 am
Selig and MLB do indeed seem cowardly, but check out the MLB website and you’ll note that they remain capitalistic.
Selig and MLB won’t embrace Bonds and the new record publicly, but they were quick to put up all the ‘Bonds 756′ gear up for sale in their store! Shameless!
Comment by Manny — August 8, 2007 @ 10:58 am