|
|
Post by CentreHice on Jul 20, 2007 15:39:35 GMT -5
I'm not.
My reasons, in order:
a. I'm not nearly enough of a baseball fan.
b. "Enhancement" is totally obvious....even though he still has to jack it out of the park.
Sosa and McGuire were discredited to some extent (not quite to the extent of Ben Johnson), yet Bonds seems to be the Carl Lewis of baseball.
c. Teammates over the years have called him arrogant and selfish. (from the reports I've heard on sportstalk radio).
Hank Aaron won't even be there when his record is broken. More along the lines of congratulating him after it's broken, if then. For Aaron to react this way, considering the amount of abuse he took throughout his career--including death threats in his pursuit of Babe Ruth's HR record--speaks volumes.
Some call it hypocritical of Aaron, in light of his exploits being disregarded and devalued by many. But I say those opinions are/were racist in nature.
Aaron's reaction to Bonds has to be based on enhancement/steroids...and I can't say as I fault him for that.
Thoughts guys?
|
|
|
|
Post by jkr on Jul 20, 2007 16:24:37 GMT -5
I should be interested because this should be a momentous occasion in baseball but it will be diminished because of the controversy around Bonds.
I'm with Aaron on this one. If he doesn't respect Bonds & the way he has reached this point, then he doesn't have to be there.
|
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jul 20, 2007 18:55:46 GMT -5
I remember where I was when Hammerin' Hank hit the home run to beat Babe Ruth's record. I was working in a dry cleaners in Ottawa.
He was a very talented but unappreciated ball player before he became "Barry Bondoid." However, while he made his own choices, major league baseball is also accountable for this mess. They basically turned a blind eye to any steroid use and provided lip service when asked about it.
We can crucify "Bondoid" all we want. But, he's not the only one to blame here.
As for Aaron, I respect his decision. He's earned his respect unlike "Bondoid."
Cheers.
|
|
|
|
Post by clear observer on Jul 21, 2007 11:33:43 GMT -5
Seriously, how much do steroids help one hit a 102 mph fastball 500 feet out of the park? To the extent where it will make you the home-run king of all-time? He's a goof, granted, but his record(s) SHOULD be acknowledged, IMHO....with an asterisk, of course  . |
|
|
|
Post by roke on Jul 21, 2007 12:42:18 GMT -5
Seriously, how much do steroids help one hit a 102 mph fastball 500 feet out of the park? To the extent where it will make you the home-run king of all-time? He's a goof, granted, but his record(s) SHOULD be acknowledged, IMHO....with an asterisk, of course . I agree with you CO and I'm interpreting your wink as you kidding regarding the asterik. After all, what are they going to put? Most Home Runs in a Career- 762 Barry Bonds* *Achieved within the rules laid down by baseball |
|
|
|
Post by CentreHice on Jul 21, 2007 12:53:55 GMT -5
Seriously, how much do steroids help one hit a 102 mph fastball 500 feet out of the park? To the extent where it will make you the home-run king of all-time? He's a goof, granted, but his record(s) SHOULD be acknowledged, IMHO....with an asterisk, of course . What's the asterisk for? If steroids didn't work, athletes wouldn't use them. Major league/Olympic sports are rife with them. For a lot of these athletes, two things are mandatory: a good agent, and a good masking agent.  Barry Bonds 1 and 2: that just ain't pizza. ![]()  Somebody with his talent who adds that much mass, strength, and bat speed.... |
|
|
|
Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jul 21, 2007 14:22:32 GMT -5
Before the steroid accusations, Bondoid credited most of his success to a little-known bat maker from Ottawa. Sam Holman, founder of "Sam Bats," makes his bats from maple rather than the traditional Louisville ash.
However, while "Sam Bats" is flying extremely well, there's more to Bondoid's success than merely harder, more improved bats. From what I've heard discussed about it on TV, the "supplements" Bondoid has been taking allow him to come around on the ball quicker than if he weren't taking anything.
So, he's stronger in the first place, comes around quicker on the ball and has a harder, better-made bat. The results speak for themselves ... and yes CO, there will always be an Astrix.
And rightly so.
Cheers.
|
|
|
|
Post by roke on Jul 21, 2007 18:26:30 GMT -5
Seriously, how much do steroids help one hit a 102 mph fastball 500 feet out of the park? To the extent where it will make you the home-run king of all-time? He's a goof, granted, but his record(s) SHOULD be acknowledged, IMHO....with an asterisk, of course . What's the asterisk for? If steroids didn't work, athletes wouldn't use them. Major league/Olympic sports are rife with them. For a lot of these athletes, two things are mandatory: a good agent, and a good masking agent. Barry Bonds 1 and 2: that just ain't pizza. Somebody with his talent who adds that much mass, strength, and bat speed.... Why should Bonds have an atserisk next to his name for doing something which was not against the rules of the game? Baseball even turned a blind eye to the steroids issue and did nothing to change the rules or fix the problem? I'd say it wasn't right for Bonds to use performance enhancers (if he did) but Major League Baseball condoned his actions by their inaction in my opinion. |
|
|
|
Post by Skilly on Jul 21, 2007 18:56:01 GMT -5
The one arguement missing in all this that I never hear many talk about is longevity. The steroids helped Bonds not get injured ..... he is what, 43 years old. He rarely misses many games in a season. With age most athletes slow down, get weaker, are prone to injury and aches that drive them to retirement ... not our Barry though.
He hit more homeruns the older he got .... the only saving grace in all this is that he won't have the record very long. Alex Rodriguez (another tool) will pass Bonds within 10 years.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cranky on Jul 22, 2007 11:19:40 GMT -5
It's all about bat speed.... About twenty years ago, I use to play in an industrial league in softball. I came in 9th in home runs in the first year and needless to say, I wanted to be number one. I contacted Easton and they put me on to the regional manager. To make a long story short, he sold me a crude accelerometer, which was something you strapped on to your bat and it measured how fast you swung the bat. The faster the swing, the more power, the further the ball would go. Simple science. So during the winter, with a hundred swings a night (every night) and a few hundred dollars spent at the local bat cage with a 60 ounce bat, I was able to bring my bat speed up about 15%. Voila, 3rd in the league. Remember, the formula is KE=1/2mv2, that is velocity squared. So a 15% increase in bat speed translate to a massive increase in energy level when the bat meets the ball. I came in 3rd in the league (which amounts to a hill of beans! LOL!) . Those long fly balls that kept falling into the warning track got wings. Next year, repeat...but....there is only so much one can do with the body one inherits. I couldn't put more speed (energy) in the bat because my writsts started to hurt. In fact, both of the guys who beat me in the HR race had HUGE wrists. They both played hardball and softball for a LONG time so their body naturally translated their physical advantages. My ultra compatitve nature wanted to beat them but the body said NO! LOL! So where does that leave Bonds? Simple, he is a cheater. Roids help the body develop muscles and allows one to work harder and longer at it, beyond what normal people would consider "enough is enough" .Taking roids would allow Bonds (Conseco etc) and anybody of their ilk to push their natural abilities. While it may not do much for their ability to make contact with the ball (hiting eye) , even a 5% increase in bat speed would translate to a huge increase in homeruns. After all, 30 feet makes the difference between a home run king and a long fly ball hitter. The facts of life is that football and baseball players benefit from roids and hockey players benefit uppers and pain killers. Note: Wow, this is along way from what I used. The principle is the same. Mine was a weight on a spring. The harder you swung, the higher the velocity, the further the weight would push against the spring and move a small indicator on a scale. It looked like one of those small fish scales.  |
|
.
