The Greatest Player

How long must I hear the inane babble of the media, non-Giant fans and certain politicians spewing out the same old lines? “Barry Bonds is an arrogant jerk!” “Major League Baseball should put an asterisk next to his homerun records!” “He should be banned from baseball!” Blah…blah…blah…

How is Barry Bonds an ignorant jerk to millions of people he’s never even encountered?

Everyone I’ve talked to who loathes Mr. Bonds has never even met him.

They have, in fact, gathered all of their information from the media, yes, the same media that will savagely rumble through celebrities’ trash, take photos of them and their families on their own property, no matter how inappropriate the shot may be.

I’d hate to see what the media would think of me. If in fact, I was a hot-shot celebrity and I found someone browsing through my trash, or taking pictures of my family and me, they’d be leaving my property in agony after stumbling upon one of my booby-traps.

Why should there be an asterisk by Bonds’ homerun records? If that is the case, then there should be one by almost every baseball player who has ever played the game!

Baseball has been filled with players who have been trying to get an edge on other players and teams. With spit-balls, corked-bats, and stealing signs. How can Babe Ruth be the “King” when discrimination prevented some of the best players from playing?

Why do we not hear petitions and rallies for an asterisk next to his homerun records?

People were placing the scarlet “S” on Bonds before the evidence came out– using a before and after, side-by-side comparison of Bond’s head-size as proof of steroid usage.

Does anyone have a side-by-side comparison of the newest known steroid user, Alex Sanchez? Point proven.

If we are indeed looking for our athletes to be honest, respectful, hard-working, role-models, etc, then we ought to just keep to pee-wee football and little league baseball.

After all, they are only entertainers. I have yet to see congress go after the slums of Hollywood, where morality and role-models ceases to exist. Drug users, spousal abusers, and alcoholics, fill the stars of the Hollywood walk of fame.

If you think for one second that Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, or Henry Aaron never cheated or would never cheat, to get more fame and everything that comes with it– endorsements, money, women, an unforgettable long-lasting profound legacy– then perhaps you are more ignorant than I. And I still believe Bonds is innocent until proven guilty.

The fact is, I watch sports to see the best athletes and whether you like it or not Bonds is one of the greatest players/athletes, if not THE GREATEST PLAYER, to put on a uniform.

So congress butt-out, media shut-up, and fans enjoy the beautiful, magnificent game of baseball.