Home > Politics, News & Issues > Sports News & Opinion > Baseball News & Opinion
Do you respect Barry Bonds' breaking of Major League Baseball's home run record?
Results so far:
| Yes | 47% | 180 votes | Total: 381 votes | |
| No | 53% | 201 votes |
Yes
by Brian Williams
Created on: August 16, 2007 Last Updated: March 27, 2012
In the summer of August 2007, Barry Lamaar Bonds stepped into history once again and broke Hank Aaron's long time home run record. If you were to ask me, do I respect Barry Bond's all-time home run record, I would tell you YES!
Barry Bonds, son of Hall of Famer Bobby Bonds, was raised by "3" Hall of Fame players: Willie McCovey, Willie Mays, and of course Bobby Bonds. Between those three players that's over 1400 career home runs combined! To have that kind of tuteledge, is priceless! It's already a blessing just being the son of a Hall of Famer, and then be a student of the game to two more all time superstars!
Unfortunately, jealousy maybe the cloud that shrouds this historic event. Barry Bonds was considerably rude to players and fans. Sheffield made bitter statements to Bonds, fans had a tough time getting autographs and the stadium, and Bonds constantly ignored the media a long time before the steroid allegations. Barry was labeled by John Q. Public as a jerk. Barry just kept on ignoring them. Bonds got into a fight with then teammate Jeff Kent, the incident exploded, fines were distributed, then the incident died down. Bonds made the Giants contenders, and when Pac-Bell Park open it's gates, Bonds christened the stage with a home run into McCovey Cove! With all of these incidents, little did we know about his off season training.
When BALCO entered the scene, it would change Barry Bonds, Major League Baseball, and their history forever! When Jose Canseco admitted using steroids, he implicated Bonds, McGwire, and even Ivan Rodridguez into the steroid ring. A tasteless effort to sell his biography, the book gained enormous attention. Bonds was questioned, and he spoke of not knowing he took a steroid-based substance. You see, whether or not you believe that statement, it's no secret that when you ingest something, be by mouth, or applied on your skin, there are always additives. When Oat-Bran was popular, it was revealed later that it may cause cancer, Great, thanks for telling me after you put it in everything we eat! So what Bonds said, was in fact credible.
When the book entitled, The Game of Shadows came out, it explained in detail how Barry took the alleged substance, The Cream and the Clear. This book sparked a Federal investigation, and made fans consider "the asterisk".
Although Barry Bonds deserves this criticism from fans, he does not deserve to be an asterisk. A label like that would be a travesty. It's not just Barry Bonds, it's half of the League! What ever you feel should happen to Bonds will spill over to all the great marks in baseball. Everything will be judged. The long time records will be an asterisk. Bonds didn't use steroids, he used Performance enhancers. This is a substance, it's not anabolic steroids, it would be hard to inject a lotion-based syrum. The substance under investigation from BALCO, was rubbed in. Not injected. So this substance, is not 100% steroids. With names like Alzado, Mutuzack to name a few, both of these athletes are dead now from using anabolic steroids, that substance has to be injected, to take effect. So many players have/are using enhancers that you never knew. Most people didn't know that angro was in Mcgwires' locker, but when he hit 70 home runs in a single season, Mcgwire was never accused like Bonds was. If you are a Mcgwire fan, I am, I am an A's fan, I don't want nothing bad to happen to him either, but McGwire will have to answer to his critics if Bonds gets convicted!
Learn more about this author, Brian Williams.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
No
by John Krutz
Created on: July 29, 2008 Last Updated: October 31, 2008
Why does Barry Bonds deserve my respect? Simply put, he doesn't. Yes he is in the history books for hitting the most home runs all-time, but did he do it with class or without cheating, I think not. No one should respect a silver spooned crybaby who had to cheat his way to get to the top.
First, lets tackle the class issue. Pro athletes are the envy of every young boy and many adults, whether they like it or not. Simply doing great between the lines of the field is not enough. They should act like role models, not to say they have to live the ideal off field life, but they should treat people with respect like a role model should. Barry Bonds treated no one with respect, his teammates and the media all hated the guy because of the way he treated them. He will go down in baseball history as one of the biggest jerks who ever played the game. In America we don't respect that type of attitude especially in someone who is supposed to a role model. Bonds was given every opportunity to succeed at America's favorite game and he did. Yet, one would think someone in his position would have been gracious for all his opportunities and successes, but he wasn't. Also, with his huge stardom he could have done great things to promote the game and give something back to say thanks for all the things baseball had done for hime. Instead Bonds just gave everyone attitude and nothing back to the game, what a guy.
Next, HE CHEATED! He took steroids; we all know it and that is not only cheating but steroids are also illegal. The fact of the matter is he would NOT have broken the record without steroids. So he cheated to break a record, is that respectable? This guy was born into baseball royalty, he grew up around the all-time greats and that alone is more of an advantage than just about anyone has had. But he had to get an even bigger advantage by taking steroids. Yes, I know the argument that many people were doing it, but that doesn't make it right, especially if the guy wants our respect.
Any American, not just baseball fans, shouldn't respect Barry Bonds. The man was given every opportunity to succeed in baseball, the American pastime. Yet, he decided to spit on the game by cheating to break its most hallowed record. He acted like he was the king of the game and everyone else was a peasant, in other words completely classless. Someone in his position should have tried to give back to the game that gave him so much, but not Barry. To get respect you give respect, that's why I don't respect Barry Bonds.
Learn more about this author, John Krutz.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Write and get published
Share with other writers
Polish your freelancing skills
Quality articles from proven freelancers
Exclusive rights, fast turnaround
Brand engagement, business blogging -- our writers do it all
INFORMATION
Copyright © 2002-2012 Helium, Inc. All rights reserved.
Helium.com: A Service of RR Donnelley