Barry Bonds is a funny man

[healer677]

Keep the Juice Monkeys out of the HOF

His time will come - if baseball can keep the greatest hitter of all time (Charlie Hustle) out of the Hall, they can keep Bonds out.

The same media that he's been pissing off for the last two decades is the same group that will have to induct him.

I look at Bonds the same way I look at Ben Johnson.....a pathetic shell of their former self. Granted Johnson didn't seem to be all that bright, Bonds' problem is he may be that bright, but he's too stupid to realize he's been caught and convicted by the same media he has shown so much disdain for.

Some people will argue the indescretions of people like Ruth and such- to that I say....they're already in the HOF. Bonds isn't yet.

 

[moneyshotz]

This really annoys me that people think that "athletes" are only responsible to "shoot da puck in da net, throw the ball in the hoop".... these people are called "AMATEURS" and they are very rarely bothered with the same type of scrutiny as the "PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES".

Reality check dude..... Barry Bonds gets paid LARGE sums of money to hit a baseball and sellout seats not give politically correct speeches. Allen Iverson gets paid LARGE sums of money to score points and sell out seats not give politically correct speeches. Randy Moss gets paid LARGE sums of money to score TD's and sell out seats not give politically correct speeches. Mike Tyson gets paid LARGE sums of money to knock people out and sell out arena's & pay per views not give politically correct speeches.

The bottom line is people pay to see the best most exciting players not the best roll models. Barkley was right when he said youre parents should be you're rollmodels not athletes.

As a fan of many sports I could care less if a athlete can articulate himself well or not. It is nice and refreshing to hear a athlete who has a brain speak but it's not a necessity for me. I'm paying my money to go to his game to see the best of my generation at his sport perform not give speech's.

 

[wildchilds]

An interesting piece on espn, even during all the Barry Bonds hate

In an ESPN poll of 109 Hall of Fame voters, only 43.1 percent said they would definitely vote for McGwire on the first ballot, with 19.3 percent undecided. Another 3.7 percent said they would probably vote for McGwire.

Only 65 of 155 Hall voters told the AP they would vote for McGwire when he becomes eligible in two years or were leaning that way; 52 said no or were leaning that way; and 38 were undecided.

Barry Bonds would get enough support to make it into Cooperstown, but he's far from being a shoo-in, according to results from the AP survey.

Bonds received 105 votes for election, 25 against and 25 were undecided.

Players need 75 percent of the Baseball Writers' Association of America vote to get into the Hall.

McGwire got just 55.6 percent support from those who gave a yes/no response, while Bonds was at 80.8 percent.

"I will not vote for Mark McGwire," Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times told the AP. "It's obvious from his own statements he used some form of performance-enhancing drugs and it's obvious from his statistics he did not become a Hall of Fame-type player until he did so."

McGwire and Bonds are two of the biggest names in baseball -- one past, one present.

McGwire hit 583 home runs and ranks sixth on the career list and broke Roger Maris' record in 1998 by hitting 70 home runs.

Bonds hit 73 home runs in 2001, breaking McGwire's mark

 

[wildchilds]

Cont:
"The Hall of Fame is not a museum for saints. It's filled with racists, philanderers, players who used cork bats and spitters and everything at their disposal to their advantage," he said. "It's hard for me to single McGwire out. Unless he commits a crime, he's on my ballot."

As for Bonds, Schulman said: "I think he was a Hall of Famer before he had those monster home run seasons. ... Even if he were convicted of a crime, I would probably give him my vote to be consistent within myself. I've always felt Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. I'd have to get some damning evidence confirmed on Barry before I would knock him off my first ballot."

Kevin Roberts of the Courier-Post echoed Schulman's sentiments.

"I can't believe a lot of people are shocked, shocked by this revelation," he said. "It really never occurred to me that he hadn't done 'em, so he doesn't become not a Hall of Famer with this revelation."

There's no telling when members of the BBWAA will be asked to decide on Bonds -- players must be retired for five years before going on the ballot.

"I don't have to make this decision until 2007, but my feeling right now is that I won't vote for any player from this era on the first ballot," Sporting News' Ken Rosenthal said. "And the reason is, I don't know who did what during the steroid times."

The AP contacted members of the BBWAA who are eligible to vote or will be by 2007 and asked whether they would support Bonds and/or McGwire for the Hall. Seventeen of those were AP sports writers.

This year, 516 votes were cast for the Hall by BBWAA voters, who must be members of the organization for 10 consecutive years or more. The total of eligible voters is likely to increase slightly by the time McGwire and Bonds appear on the ballot.

Sheldon Ocker of the Akron Beacon Journal said no to McGwire -- but not because of the steroid issue.

"The only thing he has done to make him worthy of the Hall of Fame was break the home run record," he said. "Overall, he hasn't been good enough to get in."

Dan Le Batard of The Miami Herald said he would vote for both.

"Barry Bonds is the greatest player of our lifetime, with or without steroids. He won three MVPs as a stick figure," he said. "I don't think they were cheating. Something has to be against the rules for you to be cheating. Despite their size, these guys climbed through a loophole."

Baseball did not ban steroids until 2002.

"I begrudge the era that tolerated this more than I begrudge the man," said Jeff Horrigan of the Boston Herald, who said he would vote for both. "You can't wipe out the '90s."

Chris Haft, who covers the Giants for the San Jose Mercury News, would vote for Bonds but isn't sure about McGwire.

"I think a lot more will come out between now and two years from now. The events will make our decision a lot easier," he said. "All of us who vote take this really seriously. We also have the right to change our mind, because we're painfully human."

 

[slowandeasy]

Reality check dude..... Barry Bonds gets paid LARGE sums of money to hit a baseball and sellout seats not give politically correct speeches. Allen Iverson gets paid LARGE sums of money to score points and sell out seats not give politically correct speeches. Randy Moss gets paid LARGE sums of money to score TD's and sell out seats not give politically correct speeches. Mike Tyson gets paid LARGE sums of money to knock people out and sell out arena's & pay per views not give politically correct speeches.

The bottom line is people pay to see the best most exciting players not the best roll models. Barkley was right when he said youre parents should be you're rollmodels not athletes.

As a fan of many sports I could care less if a athlete can articulate himself well or not. It is nice and refreshing to hear a athlete who has a brain speak but it's not a necessity for me. I'm paying my money to go to his game to see the best of my generation at his sport perform not give speech's.

Remedial Reading dude...

Did not say that they had to give politically correct speeches or even good speeches...

Did say that they are not just paid to score points.... For example... Latrell Sprewell is a great player, and he is making a good salary, but I do not believe that he has a shoe contract, or any endorsement deals etc...
I can guarantee you that very few people show up at the Arena just because Latrell is playing.... And the moment this farking asshat's talent slip, he will be out of the league...

Did say that "athletes" like every other person in a child's life has an impact on him/her, and needs to realize that they have an obligation...

Did imply that an athlete should feel obligated to society and his adoring fans

Do agree that parents should be your roll models, but not all children are blessed with good parents... not all good parents have the luxury of "being there" for their children... Therefore, society (that's the child's uncle, cousin, grandparents, neighbor, hockey coach, and yes... the actor on TV or the athlete that he loves to watch), needs to help out... which part of that is difficult!!!!!!

 

[moneyshotz]

Did say that they are not just paid to score points.... For example... Latrell Sprewell is a great player, and he is making a good salary, but I do not believe that he has a shoe contract, or any endorsement deals etc... I can guarantee you that very few people show up at the Arena just because Latrell is playing.... And the moment this farking asshat's talent slip, he will be out of the league...

I have to agree with you here I dont think people show up to see Spree play anymore. They show up to see KG play. Latrell is on the downside of his career. Actually this past September he tried to hold out at the beginning of the season because he wanted 10mil a season and that he didnt care if the TimberWolves won or lost just as long as he got paid. Whata loser, he knows that the chemistry between him Cassels and KG is what wins them games and that management would give in and pay him the 10mil. If I was GM for that team I would'ov told him to take a walk. 10mil for a washed up palyer who try's to hold a team hostage in order to increase his already 7mil a year. He said he needed more money because 7mil a year wasnt enough to keep up his life style and he was struggling financially...

Spree has no class

 

[slowandeasy]

Spree has no class

Lots of these guys have no class, just shit loads of money.....

 

[Toronto Passions]

Lots of these guys have no class, just shit loads of money.....

Don't forget about the company covered credit card along with free hotel and travel accomodations while they are playing on the road.

 

[slowandeasy]

Black Athletes as Rolemodels

There has been lots of debate on this "Athlete is not a role model" thing. While I agree with this theory, it seems to be based on a premise that is not reality... What I mean is that in a perfect world, everyone who decides to have a child would be qualified to do so, and is willing to make the sacrifice to ensure that their child/children receive a good upbringing.

While I admire Charles Barkley for challenging parents (particularily black parents) to take more responsibility for their kids, this does not really address the issue of bad parents.

The only way for children of bad parents to survive and become healthy adults are for other people in their lives to step up as role models... whether it be cousins, uncles, aunts, neighbors, family friends, teachers, the guy at the YMCA, coaches etc... not the thugs, robbers, drug dealers or gang bangers....

Raising a child is difficult enough if you are a well educated couple making good money and a good network of family and friends..... imagine not having any of those things and trying to raise a child.

This brings me to Black Athletes as Rolemodels...
The fact is that Black America has some very serious social issues to deal with. I am not a demographic expert, but I do know that a disporportionate amount of black families are below the poverty line in the USA to name one of these problems.

Now if Black Athletes are not willing to step up to the table to show their fans a different way of life, then who is going to do it... The rappers are not going to do it....

...My brotha from anotha motha Wayne Gretzky can only do so much...

There is only so long that we can hear "the white man has beaten us down, that's why a brother cannot get up" before it becomes redundant.