Brooks On Bonds

As Barry Bonds approaches the 755 home run mark (that would tie him with Hank Aaron for the all time record), I can't help but add my two cents to the hot debate of him tainting this sacred baseball record. Since popular music has been turning me off lately, I find myself listening to sports talk radio and NPR more and more when I drive to school. One of the sports talk guys made an interesting point the other day when he claimed that he only cared about steroid use until somebody starts breaking records. (Now I must note that as of June 25, 2007, Barry Bonds have never tested positive for steroids, thus all of this is speculative until proven guilty.) The thrust of the sports talk guy argument was, "If players want to inject stuff into their bodies to hit more home runs for the sake of filling seats in the stands, but later subject themselves to dangerous side effects and possibly death, then let them do it. Their lost is my gain." However, the sports talk guy was quick to note that once sacred records begin to be shattered, then he has a problem with steroid usage. As I was driving through Cambridge, I had to laugh at that comment and say to myself, "You can't have your cake and eat it too."

 

As with any child whose father love sports, my dad's favorite team and players became my favorite team and players. I don't know why this is true but it's pretty universal across the board. Maybe its because we love and admire our dads so much that we want to be just like them when we grow up. Which means that if a dad cheers for the team with the worst record in the NFL, then you can bet his son will be wearing a #1 finger foam right next to him. In my case, my dad was a Barry Bonds fans so I respectively took him on as my favorite player. I can still remember the day Barry Bonds was traded to San Francisco Giants, which clinched San Fan as my favorite city of all time (my  favorite football team was the 49ers). Therefore, since Bonds is my favorite player, I have to endure the onslaught of hatred and anger towards him as he approaches the record. My words to all of the Bonds Haters out there are "You can't have your cake and eat it too." Just as McGuire and Sosa brought excitement back to the game during that magical year of home run heaven, Bonds is bringing excitement back to the sport. Bonds is filling up the seats with fans who want a glimpse of greatness or who want a glimpse at greediness, but either way you put it, Bonds is filling up seats. Some people want an asterisk next to his name, after he breaks the record, but until he's proven guilty, I don't see a need for the little reminder that he might have cheated. That is not how our legal system work and that shouldn't be how our sport heroes should be remembered. Although, I once admit, Bonds is twice the size of his former self and while most players his age should be slowing down, Bonds  swing is better than ever. However, if the test came back negative then it came back negative.
In conclusion, let's enjoy the moment and celebrate the milestone. Ken Griffey Jr. (who was my second favorite player as a kid) will probably break the record in a few years, which means Bonds will fade into the background and out of the spotlight that he desperately wants to avoid anyway.