Politics, News & Issues >
Baseball
Get a Widget for this title
RSS FeedDo the fans hate Barry Bonds as much as the media portrays?
Results so far:
| Yes | 45% | 167 votes | Total: 371 votes | |
| No | 55% | 204 votes |
Yes
Write now
Print
Invite a writer™
Add to FavoritesBarry Bonds has been playing Major League Baseball since the mid-eighties. Since then, he has become one of the most prolific hitters of the current times. However, one thing is clearly evident in the latter stages of his career. He used a controlled substance to enhance his performance. His physical appearance from when he started in the league to the present date shows he has gained an enormous amount of body mass.
The problem with Barry Bonds however is not so much the abuse of controlled substances. It is the fact that he is arrogant individual who does not believe he should be interviewed. He has an attitude with the media and it bleeds through to the public. He refuses to correct this image as well. When there is a historic event, whether a home run or such, instead of giving the ball to the Hall of Fame, he wants it for himself. He rarely is seen giving autographs.
When you are a public figure or sports figure, there are two things which will give you a positive image in the media's eye. First, perform to the best of your abilities and without artificial enhancements. Second, be candid and show a willingness to talk with the media. The first criteria, the media will endure them. The second criteria, is a requirement for the media to portray a positive image. The fans develop their mind set about a particular athlete with a combination of both criteria.
Fans react well when the athlete's positive image is portrayed in the media. With regards to the performance enhancement drugs, fans seem to look beyond the fact it changes the purity of the game. However, if the athlete has a negative attitude towards them and everyone else, the fans only exacerbate the issues the athlete has. For example, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire both have been investigated for performance enhancement drugs. However, it seems their image was tarnished very little.
What does this tell about the media? It shows that if an athlete is accessible and keeps a positive image with the media then he is still a fan favorite. However, if the media has a tough time getting an interview with the athlete, his or her image will be subject to scrutiny and every time they do anything, they are viewed through a negative spectrum.
Learn more about this author, Patrick Caulden.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
I think the fans are fairly evenly divided over Bonds, with the majority on his side. I went to a game in Cincinnati on June 3, 2007, where the Giants were visiting the Reds. My family and I sat close to the third-base line in the shallow outfield. Barry Bonds was playing left field and we seemed close enough to reach out and shake hands with him.
Coming into the park, people were passing out "Bury Bonds" signs. I told a young lady that I would not need one since I was a fan of Barry Bonds. She smiled and told me lots of people had told her the same thing.
When Bonds was introduced, there was a mixture of boos and yeas for him. It seemed about 50-50 to me. He smiled and waved to the people in our section who were giving him the "thumbs up" sign.
One thing was obvious. And, that was this will very likely be his last year. He jogged so slowly to his position and always took an opportunity to rest on one knee when the action stopped (changing pitchers, etc.). (In fact, he further injured his leg in the very next game.)
We were almost all Reds fans in our section and there was no doubt whom the faithful wanted to win the game. You could hear all the banter when it was announced that Freel would be starting his first game after his collision injury several weeks ago. Reds fans love Freel for his hustle and versatility. He improves the chances of winning.
However, on Bond's first trip to the plate, you could tell a little hush had come over the crowd. To root for a moment in history, or to root for Harang to strike Bonds out. Baseball history won the moment and the crowd, except for a very few, went wild when Bonds jacked one into the right field stands-a "no-doubter!"
With that checked off our list of things to see, we got back to serious baseball and cheered when he made outs later in the game. We were willing to root for a baseball icon, but real fans still want their team to win.
We got the best of all baseball worlds, Bonds homered and the Reds won!
Learn more about this author, Doctor Bob.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Difference of opinion? Debate now.
- Baseball
- Do you respect Barry Bonds' breaking of Major League Baseball's home run record?
- Should Barry Bonds be allowed into the Hall of Fame?
- Joe Torre: Does he live up to the hype?
- Will the Mitchell Report and Bud Selig's actions wreck the credibility of baseball?
- Is Barry Bonds' 756 home run ball worth $500,000?
- Can old baseball players really compete with players 25 years younger than them?
