[Sladeophile]

So Barry Bonds is only 1 homerun from tying The Babes record and I can honestly say that I am sad. I was hoping he would retire or the steroid thing would force him out, but I am pretty sure it's going to happen. It is sickening to me that they are still letting him play. Anyway, just my thoughts. Here's to the asterisk...

Slade

 

[roadtonowhere08]

I agree. The honor could not be going to a bigger baby

 

[Jeff Guidry]

This is the final nail on the coffin of baseball as a relevant sport in the United States.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Nothing to be sad about IMO.

Different times, different social issues, different levels of competition (especially in terms ot the ability of opposing pitchers). The list goes on.

In fact, different drug influences as well. Babe is legendary for his high octane lifestyle. I'd imagine that if they took away all of the home runs that Babe Ruth hit when he was half sauced, he wouldn't have nearly 714. Rumor has it that he used to throw down a couple of beers and 4 to 5 shots in between double headers at McCutty's (I think that was the name of the place) across from Comisky Park in Chicago.

Besides, I think they're blown the whole thing up with Bonds. Most definitely different media influences.

 

[Sladeophile]

Nope, there is a huge difference with Ruth being sloshed from LEGAL alcohol and bonds using performance enhancing drugs that are ILLEGAL. There is no argument to be made, it's cheating.

 

[dhp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sladeophile Nope, there is a huge difference with Ruth being sloshed from LEGAL alcohol and bonds using performance enhancing drugs that are ILLEGAL. There is no argument to be made, it's cheating.

performance enhancing drugs weren't made illegal until just very recently

 

[Sladeophile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieInAFire performance enhancing drugs weren't made illegal until just very recently

Steroids have been illegal plenty long enough for players to know the consequences...

 

[Ferbose]

MLB intentionally made their drug testing non-existent for the longest time, so Sosa and Big Mac can break home run records and draw in crowds.
Now the league will see one of its great players disgrace the record made by one of its greatest players--ironic enough.
You reap what you sow...
I feel no pitty for MLB.
I don't blame Bonds, because he was just doing what others were doing.
MLB is to be blamed for alowing all this crap to happen, for the league's own greed.

 

[Wodgy]

I agree with the original poster. In a just world, Bonds would not be allowed in the Baseball Hall of Fame. It's a disgrace to the sport. If Bonds was a recreational or small-scale steroid user, it might be different, but his involvement with BALCO was on a very different and much larger scale.

 

[roadtonowhere08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus Nothing to be sad about IMO. Different times, different social issues, different levels of competition (especially in terms ot the ability of opposing pitchers). The list goes on. In fact, different drug influences as well. Babe is legendary for his high octane lifestyle. I'd imagine that if they took away all of the home runs that Babe Ruth hit when he was half sauced, he wouldn't have nearly 714. Rumor has it that he used to throw down a couple of beers and 4 to 5 shots in between double headers at McCutty's (I think that was the name of the place) across from Comisky Park in Chicago. Besides, I think they're blown the whole thing up with Bonds. Most definitely different media influences.

LOL, if anything, they should add home runs to his total. I wouldn't be able to see the ball, let alone smack it out of the park if I was a drunk. I really think everyone is at fault here except for the players that played by the rules. The fans, MLB, juiced players, media, everyone is at fault for this. I stopped being a fan of baseball after Griffey left Seattle. He said he wanted to be on a "winning team". I was young, bit I wised up to know it's all about the money, not the fans. Those days are long gone.

 

[dhp]

bonds is a product of the times

 

[Wmcmanus]

I'm not here to argue, but Babe Ruth played from 1914-1935. Prohibition was from 1920-1929. In other words, during the heart of his career. Drinking was ILLEGAL. Totally. No exceptions (except for famous baseball players of course who they would gladly serve).

But to be fair, I've never really followed the Bonds story too closely. As such, I really shouldn't be saying things like I did above (about the media overblowing the situation). But my guess is that they did. They pretty much overblow anything these days, don't they?

Yet, there is a difference. Bonds apparently took illegal drugs to enhance his performance. He did so knowingly and to gain an unfair advantage over the competition. Babe just went out on benders because he liked having a good time and he was talented enough to do so without it having a negative effect on his performance on the field. In fact, it would be hard to argue in any meaningful way that the consumption of alcohol would have enhanced his performance. Quite the opposite, in fact. (Although I've been known to "run the table" when playing pool with a couple of beers under my belt, and this NEVER happens when I'm sober. So who knows.) In any case, Babe knew it was illegal, but he didn't do it with the intent of gaining an advantage over the competition. In fact, towards the end of his career, he was hundreds of home runs ahead of ANYONE so he didn't have a thing to prove. He was just out for a good time.

I'm not really advocating cultural relevancy either. But in truth, Ruth's career was marred as well. Yet, everyone loved him. He was the Babe! Back then, baseball really was the national past time. Sports heros were larger than life. There was no TV, so if ever you wanted to actually see the Babe, you had to go to the park. Otherwise the newspaper was as close as you would get. For years, the Yankees were dominant and played to sold out stadiums across the country, everywhere they went. A lot of this had to do with the Babe.

If Babe Ruth had faced the media scrutiny that Barry Bonds has faced, would he have been so loved? Would history have been so kind to his legend? Hard to tell. Different times.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieInAFire bonds is a product of the times

As was Ruth. Bonds, because of the times, has become an evil villan. Ruth, because of the times, was practically Julius Caesar.

 

[morphine]

I'm with you Slade. The entire Bonds saga(among other things) makes me completely disregard all of Baseball's records now.

m

 

[rx7_fan]

I love baseball, and I don't think Barry Bonds derserves to be in the same breath as Babe Ruth. It doesn't matter when MLB legalize or illegalize drugs, that's not the point; the point is the Babe did it without enhancements, and apparently Bond did. So why would they be on the same level?