V is for vendetta Against Bonds
If the United States had spent as much money on catching Osama Bin Laden as getting Barry Bonds, he might be gone right now. Let's call this exactly what it is—a vendetta against Barry Bonds because a black man had the temerity to tell the sports writers of America to "go to hell." He should be applauded rather than castigated.
This weekend Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron's homerun record. Bravo for Barry. Still, they (certain sports writers) are still whining.
In my mind my, this is purely a racial issue. The last time I checked, San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds never tested positive for steroid use. Never! Let me say that again. Never! Yet, the press and a majority of the white American public have pronounced him guilty. Saying he will taint the homerun record Hank Aaron record broke that white America never wanted him to break.
Yes, the steroid evidence came from respected sources in the industry, but the report of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq also came from impeccable sources including the President of the United States. Yet, five years later, the weapons of mass destruction still can't be found.
The thought on Bond's record is split along racial lines because this is a clear racial issue. Again, Bonds never tested positive for steroids. It doesn't make any difference what writers suspect, believe, guess, predict, imagine or anything else—Barry Bonds never tested positive for steroids PERIOD. This Black American sees it as a clear vendetta by the white dominated press to deny Barry his rightful dues.
Although Barry Bonds is no Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali wasn't Muhammad Ali when he refused to go into the service. The white press hated him as did a large portion of the United States, but now he is the beloved Muhammad Ali. Ali's crime, unlike Bond's crime, was rubbing white folk's face in his overwhelming talent by telling them about it. Barry's is the opposite. He doesn't have to talk with reporters. They seem to write whatever they feel about him regardless of the facts. Again, Bonds never tested positive for steroids, a fact that must irk those members of the press in the Bonds lynch mob.
The stampede to the hanging tree in Bond's case gives cause for concern. Aside from "he said, she said" information, the evidence is circumstantial and highly questionable. Whether it's worthwhile news, is debatable. Nevertheless, it's news.
Like life, Major League Baseball isn't the pristine pastoral game shoved down American throats by Wall Street marketeers. The late Steve Howe pitched for 12 years in the majors despite arrests for cocaine possession and testing positive for the cocaine seven times. Evidently, as long as Howe could throw a 90 mph fastball, teams forgot about his drug issues. Maybe we should forfeit his wins and have the teams affected play those games again.
Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter, one of baseball's highest symbols of excellence, while high on LSD. Mickey Mantle was a drunk and Ty Cobb was a racist. Yet, they are in baseball's hall of fame. On the other hand, Pete Rose, one of baseball's greatest hitters was banished from the game for gambling, which seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
There have been gamblers, thieves, racists like John Rocker, wife beaters, drug users, alcoholics, corked bats, grease balls, spit balls, emery balls and liars like Raphael Palmeiro who went before Congress and denied steroid use only to be caught two months later with dirty piss. Who cares? If you're a gambler, you do. If you're a fan, you do, unless the suspect plays for the home team.
I've only mentioned the most obvious examples, but there are more--plenty more. By now, my point should be clear. Casting the first stone from a dirty glass house is dangerous. Until someone finds the "smoking needle" with Barry Bonds, it's all hearsay.
I've liked Barry Bonds since he started playing, but not because of his obvious skills. I liked him from the beginning for telling the media "It's none of your business." Because of his proclivity for ignoring the press, he's been a target from the moment he hit the bigs.
In a way, I hope the MLB takes away Bond's records. It would make Barry bigger than ever. He would become a man persecuted by the "powers that be" who went so far as to start a smear campaign just because they didn't like him.
Of course, since he's never tested positive for steroids, the lawsuit payoffs would be gigantic. So, let's throw out the records first and then watch the money fly. That's the American way. We can ask questions later--play ball!
If the United States had spent as much money on catching Osama Bin Laden as getting Barry Bonds, he might be gone right now. Let's call this exactly what it is—a vendetta against Barry Bonds because a black man had the temerity to tell the sports writers of America to "go to hell." He should be applauded rather than castigated.
This weekend Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron's homerun record. Bravo for Barry. Still, they (certain sports writers) are still whining.
In my mind my, this is purely a racial issue. The last time I checked, San Francisco slugger Barry Bonds never tested positive for steroid use. Never! Let me say that again. Never! Yet, the press and a majority of the white American public have pronounced him guilty. Saying he will taint the homerun record Hank Aaron record broke that white America never wanted him to break.
Yes, the steroid evidence came from respected sources in the industry, but the report of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq also came from impeccable sources including the President of the United States. Yet, five years later, the weapons of mass destruction still can't be found.
The thought on Bond's record is split along racial lines because this is a clear racial issue. Again, Bonds never tested positive for steroids. It doesn't make any difference what writers suspect, believe, guess, predict, imagine or anything else—Barry Bonds never tested positive for steroids PERIOD. This Black American sees it as a clear vendetta by the white dominated press to deny Barry his rightful dues.
Although Barry Bonds is no Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Ali wasn't Muhammad Ali when he refused to go into the service. The white press hated him as did a large portion of the United States, but now he is the beloved Muhammad Ali. Ali's crime, unlike Bond's crime, was rubbing white folk's face in his overwhelming talent by telling them about it. Barry's is the opposite. He doesn't have to talk with reporters. They seem to write whatever they feel about him regardless of the facts. Again, Bonds never tested positive for steroids, a fact that must irk those members of the press in the Bonds lynch mob.
The stampede to the hanging tree in Bond's case gives cause for concern. Aside from "he said, she said" information, the evidence is circumstantial and highly questionable. Whether it's worthwhile news, is debatable. Nevertheless, it's news.
Like life, Major League Baseball isn't the pristine pastoral game shoved down American throats by Wall Street marketeers. The late Steve Howe pitched for 12 years in the majors despite arrests for cocaine possession and testing positive for the cocaine seven times. Evidently, as long as Howe could throw a 90 mph fastball, teams forgot about his drug issues. Maybe we should forfeit his wins and have the teams affected play those games again.
Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter, one of baseball's highest symbols of excellence, while high on LSD. Mickey Mantle was a drunk and Ty Cobb was a racist. Yet, they are in baseball's hall of fame. On the other hand, Pete Rose, one of baseball's greatest hitters was banished from the game for gambling, which seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
There have been gamblers, thieves, racists like John Rocker, wife beaters, drug users, alcoholics, corked bats, grease balls, spit balls, emery balls and liars like Raphael Palmeiro who went before Congress and denied steroid use only to be caught two months later with dirty piss. Who cares? If you're a gambler, you do. If you're a fan, you do, unless the suspect plays for the home team.
I've only mentioned the most obvious examples, but there are more--plenty more. By now, my point should be clear. Casting the first stone from a dirty glass house is dangerous. Until someone finds the "smoking needle" with Barry Bonds, it's all hearsay.
I've liked Barry Bonds since he started playing, but not because of his obvious skills. I liked him from the beginning for telling the media "It's none of your business." Because of his proclivity for ignoring the press, he's been a target from the moment he hit the bigs.
In a way, I hope the MLB takes away Bond's records. It would make Barry bigger than ever. He would become a man persecuted by the "powers that be" who went so far as to start a smear campaign just because they didn't like him.
Of course, since he's never tested positive for steroids, the lawsuit payoffs would be gigantic. So, let's throw out the records first and then watch the money fly. That's the American way. We can ask questions later--play ball!