We don't have to like him, but ...

[winghaz]

I don't like Barry Bonds. I believe he has cheated by using steroids to juice up his home run numbers. I also don't like him because he's just not a nice guy -- he's all for one person only, and that's Barry Bonds.

But Barry is going to break the most sacred record in all of baseball. The most sacred record in all of sports.

I don't like any of it.

I especially don't like how some are playing the race card in this. Hank Aaron, when he got all that hate mail on his way to breaking Babe Ruth's record, had reason to point out racism. The only people being racist toward Barry Bonds are a handful of KKK-style nutcases.

But Barry is going to break the most sacred record in all of baseball. The most sacred record in all of sports.

How do we handle this? Do we gripe and say it's not really a record because it's tainted? Can we really do that when baseball itself is accepting the record?

I wish this was somebody like Ken Griffey Jr. breaking the record, but it's not. So how do I react? How do you all react?

Comments, please?

[infrared41]

My reaction along with a few others can be found here http://boards.sportslogos.net/index.php?showtopic=49183

[NJTank]

I don't like Barry Bonds. I believe he has cheated by using steroids to juice up his home run numbers. I also don't like him because he's just not a nice guy -- he's all for one person only, and that's Barry Bonds.

But Barry is going to break the most sacred record in all of baseball. The most sacred record in all of sports.

I don't like any of it.

I especially don't like how some are playing the race card in this. Hank Aaron, when he got all that hate mail on his way to breaking Babe Ruth's record, had reason to point out racism. The only people being racist toward Barry Bonds are a handful of KKK-style nutcases.

But Barry is going to break the most sacred record in all of baseball. The most sacred record in all of sports.

How do we handle this? Do we gripe and say it's not really a record because it's tainted? Can we really do that when baseball itself is accepting the record?

I wish this was somebody like Ken Griffey Jr. breaking the record, but it's not. So how do I react? How do you all react?

Comments, please?

Never recognize it put that asterisk there and wait til someone legit comes along like A-Rod.

[whitedawg22]

I don't like Barry Bonds. I believe he has cheated by using steroids to juice up his home run numbers. I also don't like him because he's just not a nice guy -- he's all for one person only, and that's Barry Bonds.

But Barry is going to break the most sacred record in all of baseball. The most sacred record in all of sports.

I don't like any of it.

I especially don't like how some are playing the race card in this. Hank Aaron, when he got all that hate mail on his way to breaking Babe Ruth's record, had reason to point out racism. The only people being racist toward Barry Bonds are a handful of KKK-style nutcases.

But Barry is going to break the most sacred record in all of baseball. The most sacred record in all of sports.

How do we handle this? Do we gripe and say it's not really a record because it's tainted? Can we really do that when baseball itself is accepting the record?

I wish this was somebody like Ken Griffey Jr. breaking the record, but it's not. So how do I react? How do you all react?

Comments, please?

Never recognize it put that asterisk there and wait til someone legit comes along like A-Rod.

So you're just going to wait to recognize the record until someone you likes breaks it?

Barry sucks, but he's going to have the record according to the rules at the time. He hasn't been convicted of anything yet.

[STL FANATIC]

Doesn't matter if Barry is convicted or not. There's very little doubt he did what he did, and yes, it was against the rules at that time too.

But there's no precedent for erasing the stats of cheaters.

And there shouldn't be.

Just let everyone think a little less of his accomplishments, but we don't have to pretend they didn't happen.

And I say this as a big Bonds detractor.

[IceCap]

I'll just choose not to recognize it, like the US and Communist China for thirty years. Will it still count as far as far as the records go? Yes.

That still doesn't make it any less invalid in my mind.

[STL FANATIC]

I'll just choose not to recognize it, like the US and Communist China for thirty years. Will it still count as far as far as the records go? Yes.

That still doesn't make it any less invalid in my mind.

Which is exactly how it should be done. Although it'd probably annoy the heck out of me if people decide to make a point to continue calling Aaron the record holder.

I don't mind if they call Bonds the illegit record holder everytime, but I don't think I'd like people lieing about who actually holds it.

[FiddySicks]

The main reson I like it and will celebrate it is because its getting so many people's panties in such a damn painful twist.

[EatSleepJeep]

I'm going to laugh if they decide to release the indictment when he's at 754.

[NJTank]

I'm going to laugh if they decide to release the indictment when he's at 754.

[slightly shotgunned]

The main reason I like it and will celebrate it is because its getting so many people's panties in such a damn painful twist.

Agreed. So many people hate it that it makes me want to cheer for him even though i couldn't care less about baseball and its records.

...is that wrong?

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

i don't get how this record is some holy religious record? to me its just another record like most career strike outs or career goals.if he breaks it, my life don't change and i certainly don't think that God is going to come down and smite San Fran and turn it in to a pillar of salt for barry breaking the holy record. so what that he breaks the record. i just wish he could do it in a yankees uniform just really piss everyone off.

[Telemundo219]

i don't get how this record is some holy religious record? to me its just another record like most career strike outs or career goals.if he breaks it, my life don't change and i certainly don't think that God is going to come down and smite San Fran and turn it in to a pillar of salt for barry breaking the holy record. so what that he breaks the record. i just wish he could do it in a yankees uniform just really piss everyone off.

Agreed.

[Roger Clemente]

Doesn't matter if Barry is convicted or not. There's very little doubt he did what he did, and yes, it was against the rules at that time too.

But there's no precedent for erasing the stats of cheaters.

And there shouldn't be.

Just let everyone think a little less of his accomplishments, but we don't have to pretend they didn't happen.

And I say this as a big Bonds detractor.

*fakecough*MarkMcGwireinsameboat*fakecough*turnothercheek*fakecough*

--Roger "Time?" Clemente.

[Shumway]

Well, when F.P. Santangelo makes his triumphant return and hits 800 in one season, this talk won't matter.

Plus, my F.P. signed baseball will skyrocket in value.

[winghaz]

i don't get how this record is some holy religious record? to me its just another record like most career strike outs or career goals.if he breaks it, my life don't change and i certainly don't think that God is going to come down and smite San Fran and turn it in to a pillar of salt for barry breaking the holy record. so what that he breaks the record. i just wish he could do it in a yankees uniform just really piss everyone off.

It's such a huge, holy record because of the history behind it and the people who have held the record.

Look at the hate mail Hank Aaron got when he was about to break Babe Ruth's record. Look at how, when he broke the remembered, it's so remembered.

Home run records are glamorous records, period. Look at the fanfare when Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris' record. Look at what Maris had to go through when he broke Ruth's record.

The only other record that was broke that received a lot of fanfare was when Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games played record.

[TFoA]

i don't get how this record is some holy religious record? to me its just another record like most career strike outs or career goals.if he breaks it, my life don't change and i certainly don't think that God is going to come down and smite San Fran and turn it in to a pillar of salt for barry breaking the holy record. so what that he breaks the record. i just wish he could do it in a yankees uniform just really piss everyone off.

I attribute it to the fact that baseball is probably the most sacred sport in the U.S. Football's the most popular right now, but baseball is the sport that has meant the most in American history. The all-time HR record is the most prestigious record in the most prestigious game in America, so obviously if some guy who's being portrayed as a villain is about to break that record, people are going to get pissy about it.

[CS85]

I'm curious to see what happens when he gets to within 1 of the record. In my wildest of dreams, no pitcher would throw to him. Out of principal alone, he is intentionally walked, game score be damned.

I, like some of you, won't ever consider him better than Aaron. I understand it takes talent to hit a ball regardless of how jacked up you are, but with that manufactured strength some of those homers should've been doubles or fly outs.

[EatSleepJeep]

I'm curious to see what happens when he gets to within 1 of the record. In my wildest of dreams, no pitcher would throw to him. Out of principal alone, he is intentionally walked, game score be damned.

I, like some of you, won't ever consider him better than Aaron. I understand it takes talent to hit a ball regardless of how jacked up you are, but with that manufactured strength some of those homers should've been doubles or fly outs.

I'd like to see every pitcher throw at his ridiculous shin/elbow pad.

Or his oversized melon of a head.

It's quite hard to hit home runs when it's 92mph into your ear.