Bonds, the HR chase & the race issue

Schilling first of all should shut the fuck up. He said Bonds cheated on his wife, on his taxes, and on the game. None of that has been proven. I think he's got more things to worry about in his life than Barry Bonds. If I were Bonds, I'd sic my lawyers on his fat ass.

 

He won't do that, because it would open a huge can of worms that the lid is tightly closed on right now. Don't need the alleged mistress getting pulled up in front of a public court in a civil case.

 

On that we can agree. Schilling really doesn't belong in the discussion and is way out of line talking about Bonds' personal life.

 

Sorry, but I find the throwing out of the race card as being intellectually dishonest.

It allows the whole scale criminalization of black men through the media to go on unfettered. And its the reliance of that criminalization that allows those two clowns from the SF Chronicle to make a name for themselves, knowing their accusations would remain unchallenged on a wide scale while leaving sites like these whose users question their accusations and motives in the minority. Look at the reaction to Jason Grimsely, a known steroid abuser and distributor, and his accusations towards Roger Clemens. And this was post-Canseco's book and Palmeiro's testimony. Wasn't the environment the same that Bonds now encounters? The climate was perfect for the Clemens story to catch life, it was ripe for the picking. You had someone with a distinguished pedigree for his comments to be taken seriously, being Roger's former teamate as well as Roger's own personal baggage (ask Mike Piazza), compared to two obscure reporters. Did his comments go on unabated? Of course not because there isn't this overall guilty before proven innocent sentiment of white males to rely on, so his accusations were widely questioned. Big difference.

You maybe very right in the variables that play a role in the overall dislike for Barry. But does race play a role? Of course it does. To the degree that Barry believes it does? I tend to agree. But for you to package race in the form of a dismissive card is dead wrong.

 

Chee --

And I'll say again, as I have time and again, that if you believe race is the dominant issue, then you honestly think that half the nation would be rooting against Ken Griffey Jr if injuries hadn't hampered his quest to pass Aaron.

And if you believe that, then I honestly don't respect your opinion very much.

Barry is a black man trying to pass a black man.

Griffey is a black man trying to pass a black man.

Both are black men with black fathers who played in the big leagues.

Yet the public has a very different perception of Barry and of Griffey.

Why is that, then, if the racial variable remains the same? Because Barry has treated people like shit his entire working life, while Griffey -- certainly no angel -- has endeared himself to people.

I fully expect that 90 percent of the country or more would be rooting for Griffey, compared to 50 percent for Barry. I fully expect 90 percent or so to root for ARod when he comes along and breaks Barry's record.

It ain't a black thing. It's an asshole thing.

 

I agree with you on the larger point but this part is wrong. First, Grimsley wasn't a "known steroid abuser and distributer." He allegedly received a shipment of hGH if I'm not mistaken. That's it. Second, the affidavit written by Jeff Novitzky about his interview with Grimsley was challenged from the beginning and the interview wasn't recorded because, you guessed it, Novitzky's recording device failed. That's apparently enough proof if you want to write a book but a non-starter in the real world.

 

Where did I allude to it being a dominant issue? Simply put, it is an issue. I never gave it top status. It's apart of the overall dynamic that is Barry Bonds. Saying it isn't would be foolish.

 

Sorry, I took this to mean that you that race was the predominant or secondary issue.

If I misunderstood, I apologize.

It is, however, a tertiary issue at best. PED's AND being an asshole contribute the lion's share toward people's attitudes about Barry.

Race would be a distant, distant third, as I think my earlier example proves.

 

Ragu, great sig change.

 

Thanks for correcting me. I had no clue.

One of the many reasons why I love this site.