ESPN is making a big deal out of the fact that Selig isn't going to have a celebration of some sort when Bonds passes Ruth's 714 home runs past whatever the ballpark that it happens in does. They quoted Selig as saying "Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record. We don't celebrate anybody the second or third time in. We celebrate new records, that's what we do. We're being consistent... there's nothing to read into that." Selig's quote falls into my line of thinking, and this is probably ESPN stirring up controversy. He will deservedly get a curtain call and have it recognized at whatever game it happens at, but I don't really think much should happen past that. Anyway, next in the spot ESPN's Jeff Brantley and Buster Olney went on to claim that it's because of the steroids issue that MLB doesn't want to celebrate him passing Ruth. They then went on to question whether if it was a different super star such as Ripken, Clemens, or Gwynn if Selig would treat it differently. Personally, I don't understand what they want. If Bonds passes Aaron, I'm sure they'll do something special for him. The last big record in baseball that I can think of was Ripken breaking Gehrig's consecutive games record. Did they do anything special for him, have some sort of celebration? All I remember is seeing him receive a curtain call. Or if you buy into the steroids spin that ESPN's putting on it, what did they did do when Rose, who was similarly disgraced, passed Ty Cobb in all time hits? Do you think they should have a celebration past a curtain call? If so, what should it consist of?
I'm not asking if Bonds is a prick or if he was/is on steroids. I'm asking whether Bonds passing Ruth in all time home runs is deserves some sort of "celebration" by Major League Baseball. Granted, I'm still fuzzy on what exactly ESPN is expecting when the say celebration.
It's not a new record, so no, don't celebrate it. Edit: I think he's going to be suspended before he gets the chance to break it though...
Except we know he used steroids. He admitted to using the "clear" and the "cream" The only question is whether he used them "knowingly."
to celebrate 715 would be disrespectful to hank aaron. its bad enough he went through all that crap breaking the record.
Better questions are: Was there a MLB celebration when Pete Rose passed Hank Aaron for second place in career hits? Or when Roger Clemens & the Unit passed Steve Carlton for second place in career strikeouts? There's never been a league-sponsored celebration for 2nd place. Never. Ever. I might have mentioned this somewhere before, but espn is crap. The sooner people stop taking 95% of what they say seriously, the better off we'll all be.
What was the celebration like when he passed Everett Scott for 2nd place? Oh...arkoe, Rose was not "similarly disgraced" when he passed Ty Cobb.
I could care less about what Bonds does or what MLB does for him. He is an arrogant jackass that will get what he really deserves. Celebration or suspension only time will tell.
