Sad day for baseball when a serious ass like Bonds gets that record. I think when you compare McGwire/Sosa Chase of 1998 to this year, you'll see how fans are generally disinterested in it this year, and that speaks volumes about how people don't care for Barry. My goodness the Cardinals announcers were downright depressed when the news came in. Busch Stadium was like a morgue when it was announced.
I don't like Bonds. I think he is an ass. But he, along with Ted Williams, are the two greatest men to play left field in the history of baseball. Bonds is close to 500 steals in his career and is approaching (is it?) 600 home runs. That is just ridiculous when you think about it. I'm not a big baseball fan and I'm even less of a Bonds fan but the guy is an incredible baseball player.
I think when you compare McGwire/Sosa Chase of 1998 to this year, you'll see how fans are generally disinterested in it this year, and that speaks volumes about how people don't care for Barry. When McGwire and Sosa went after the record in 1998, it was the chase of the most storied record in baseball history, and it hadn't been touched in 37 years. Bonds is breaking a record that's three years old. I'd say that's why it isn't getting as much attention, not because people don't like the guy. I personally am thrilled that he got it, because someone other than McGwire has the record. McGwire's attitude during the chase of 1998 was sick. Every time the media tried to talk to the guy he acted like it was such a huge burden. He's sitting there making millions and millions of dollars per season, and is going after the biggest record in baseball, and then has the nerve to get pissed when people ask him about it. The Cards were out of the race, what else are they supposed to talk about? I know Bonds may not be the most popular guy on the team, but he is a great family guy, and he at least has the decency to answer with a smile questions about the chase. You guys don't know what he does in the lockerroom, etc. You're relying on reports from the media, many of whom don't like the guy because of the way he ignored the media years ago. The only thing we know about their personalities is the way they appear on camera, and whether that be fair or not, Bonds this year has shown a lot more enthusiasm and excitement about it than McGwire did in 98. GO BARRY!
I think it is sad that you have guys hitting this many home runs in a season. I'm 28 and I remember when hitting 50 homers in a year is an accomplishment. Hell, that ass Bonds had that probably at the end of July. When 5 of the greatest homer totals in a season has taken place in the last 4 to 5 seasons, baseball needs to quit denying that the ball is juiced and do something. I mean guys like Bret Boone have 36 homers!! That should tell you something right there. Hell, as I'm typing this, that f***er Bonds hit #72! Also, an interesting side note: former major leaguer, Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes tied Sadahru Oh's single season homer record in Japan with 56 but he was never able to break it. It's funny..he had a chance to tie it when he played a team managed by Oh, but guess what? He never got any good pitches to hit..I wonder why?
I don't think it has anything to do with people not caring about Barry. The fact that 2 guys were hammering homers at a pace that was unheard of at the time and that the record was so old are why many people seem disinterested. Also, baseball was still trying to recover from the strike at the time and the race between McGwire and Sosa helped bring people back to baseball.
WTF are you talking about. McGwire may have been a little bad early in the year but he came around and finally embraced it and then when he combined with Sosa they were great with the media. I have never heard people say McGwire had a horrible attitude during the chase. At times he would say, "hey we just lost so hitting homers isn't that important" or maybe say "why don't you talk to a teammate who did something when he didn't get a homer," but he was good to the media after the beginning of the season. And since when has bonds been answering questions with a smile on his face until very recently. All I have ever heard other people say is how much better mac was during his chase than barry was with reporters and such. Either you have a very skewed view of what has happened or everybody else in the world is wrong.
All I have ever heard other people say is how much better mac was during his chase than barry was with reporters and such. Either you have a very skewed view of what has happened or everybody else in the world is wrong. I'm guessing you heard this from the media. Last I checked, many of them had a significant bias against Bonds for his actions in previous years. Everyone was looking for the positives in McGwire, because he was breaking one of the most historic records ever. Now, Bonds is breaking a three year old record, and most people are looking for the negatives in here. I watched comments from McGwire frequently in 1998. I've watched comments from Bonds almost every night in 2001. I'm fairly convinced that Bonds has a better attitude, at least in this season. You're relying too much on what the biased media tells you...
Yes, of course, that must be it. Me and Rick Riley have dinner together every night to discuss the relative attitudes of Mac vs Barry and then I form my opinions. In fact, I watched Mac chase the record through 98 and I've watched Barry in 01. Mac wasn't all that gracious at the beginning but he did come around and seemed to embrace the moment. I don't need the "biased media" to tell me what I can see on the tv. I watched with my own eyes when mcgwire talked after games, and i've watched with my own eyes when barry has talked after games. Granted I've watched less of Barry than Mark but that doesn't mean I didn't see McGwire act nicer and nicer as the season progressed. Of course there were probably bumps along the way as frustration would take over as a natural consequence of losing, but for the most part he opened up and had a good relationship. I don't see why you think the media wanted to give us a "perfect angel" impression of mark just for the hell of it and wanted to demonize bonds just for the hell of it. Everyone knows of Bonds relationship with the media and he didn't get the reputation b/c the media just wanted to start something one day. He has earned it from everything I have heard him say, not from what other people have said. Bonds has definitely been a little better later in the season but still not on mark's level. I especially like this thing you said about McGwire: Every time the media tried to talk to the guy he acted like it was such a huge burden. He's sitting there making millions and millions of dollars per season, and is going after the biggest record in baseball, and then has the nerve to get pissed when people ask him about it. Yeah that doesn't describe Barry at all.
Shouldn't McGwire's 70 homers have an asterick next to it, since he was using a performance enhancing drug? Personally, I don't think Bonds is as big an ass as people make him out to be. He may not by Tony Gwynn or Cal Ripken Jr. by a mile, but he in my mind is no worse than the average major league player. He's just never got off on a good foot with the media, and thats had a ripple effect on his reputation. Azim da Dream
