U think many don't want Bonds to hit 70+ because...

[34399]

I hear fans root or talking against Bonds breaking the HR record cause he is not an overall fan favorite, and because of his personality, but do you guys think it has something to do with him being black???

For instance:
When Mac & Sosa was competing for the HR title before, how come more people favored somewhat on Mac's side instead of Sosa? They both were great guys right? HHmmm, gotta wonder if deep down, not one person wanted to admit it, but many saw Sosa as a great person, but many more saw Mac as the great white-hope. Okay, maybe Great white-hope is pushing it, but you know what I mean. Think about it.

Another instance,
Look at all the death threats Hank Aaron got before he broke the legendary Babe Ruth's record. Okay okay, you are saying 'back in those days, racial tension was more extreme'...okay you're right, however, does that mean it doesn't go, in some cases, to that extreme today??? Remember, on Espn this year 2001, Ken Griffey, was saying he gets 100's of death threats even today. I doubt Cal Ripken was getting numerous death threats on his way to breaking his longest game streak record, I doubt Paul Molitor was getting threats trying to beat Joe D's consecutive game hit streak years ago. Maybe these guys got threats, but maybe by one or two crazy fans every week, unlike Griffey who gets hundreds a week. I wouldn't be surprised if Barry Bonds is starting to get a ton right now.

So I ask you...do a lot of the people who don't want to see Barry Bonds beat Mac's HR record, is it really because of his personality or is there, not in most, but in many, a deep seated bias because he is black???

 

[Snake Plissken]

I don't want him to do it because he is a arrogant self-centered asshole. The guy is just a hard person to like. In my Opinion it has nothing to do with his skin color but everything to do with his attitude. Cal Ripkin use to stay hours after a game was over to sign autographs until everybody who wanted one got one, That my friend is CLASS
Something Barry Bonds doesn't know anything about.

[This message has been edited by Snake Plissken (edited 06-17-2001).]

 

[scrubbo]

Snake is right. He's an asshole. He's even disliked by his own team. Not one of them came out to homeplate and congratulated him when he hit his 500th.
I have a friend who runs the S.f Giants fantasy camp and he reiterated the same sentiments as Snake " arrogant asshole"

 

[MadJack]

Larry King actually wrote a public letter to Cal in the Washington Post asking that he tie the record and take a seat for the record breaker. What an idiot. I wish I could find the letter, but can't.

Rip's life was threatened as well.

I'm rooting for Bonds. I think it would be great!!

----------------------------------

Call him "Iron Man," call him stud, or just call him Cal. But never call him lucky.

Last night, Cal Ripken Jr. proved that he really is the most durable and most devoted man in baseball. Through injuries, slumps, criticism, and threats against his life, Ripken has done what many thought couldn't be done and what many didn't want to be done: He has broken Lou Gehrig's consecutive-games-played record of 2,130 games.

Ripken stepped on the field May 30, 1982, in a Baltimore uniform at the ripe age of 21 and has played in every Orioles game since. That is not to say it was without injury. During the streak, Ripken has suffered serious ankle and knee injuries that nearly caused him to miss a game.

But despite the pain, he continued to play in order to keep the streak alive. What's more impressive is that he played the entire streak in the field -- never as a pinch-hitter or designated hitter.

Criticism has been a problem for Ripken in the past and has been especially thick this past month as he closed in on the record. Ripken is obviously a great hitter. But, as do all great hitters, he has had his share of slumps.

While he struggled through a slump, there was always talk of giving him a couple of days off to rest because he was only hurting the team. During a slump, taking someone out of the lineup for a few days doesn't really mean it's going to bring their bat back when they come back.

Ripken has even had to contend with criticism from Mr. Baseball himself, Larry King. You know, the guy with the talk show. Good ol' Larry seems to think that Ripken purposely shouldn't break the record for fear that people will forget who Lou Gehrig was.

Good call, Larry. I'm sure everyone has just about forgotten Babe Ruth since Hank Aaron broke his record for most career home runs. Also, who can remember the player's record of most career hits that Pete Rose broke? I think his name was Ty Cobb. Isn't he in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, or something?

I have only one serious question to ask Larry King: Who did Lou Gehrig overtake when he broke the record for consecutive games played, or did you forget? (It was Everett Scott, for those of you who are curious.)

Something even more idiotic than criticism by Larry "what's his name?" King is that Ripken has received numerous threats against his life.

Yes, America's finest citizens have threatened to kill Ripken if he breaks the record (Okay Larry, no more calls).

Threats are obviously nothing new to the famous. Hank Aaron was threatened when he was about to break Ruth's record. Mitch Williams was threatened when he threw a pitch that lost the World Series. And how could we forget about the knob that stabbed Monica Seles in order to knock her out of the No. 1 spot in women's tennis?

Aside from his overwhelming durability and determination, Ripken is, to put it simply, a class act. He is not, by any means, cocky or flashy. He does his job day-in and day-out without complaint. He is influential on and off the field, a pillar in the community. He loves his family, friends, teammates, fans, and especially the game of baseball. Ripken, in a sense, is a model person just as much as a model baseball player.

When Cal Ripken Jr. passed Lou Gehrig's record Wednesday night, an unexplainable thrill filled the hearts of baseball fans all over the world. Today, an overwhelming pride and joy is in the minds of all those who talk about it. "He did it," they'll say. "It was long and hard, but by God he did it, and we love him for it."

He would have done it even if it meant catching the ball with his teeth.

Baseball may have suddenly found a way to win its way back into the hearts of America and possibly regain much of the respect and integrity it has lost from the strike of 1994. Cal Ripken Jr. overtook an "untouchable" record Wednesday, and it is the best thing baseball has seen since Nolan Ryan set the 5,000 strikeout mark.

For baseball's sake, it couldn't have come at a better time, and it couldn't have been done by a better person.

 

[djv]

Now if we could find someone to break the 56 game hitting streak. You would think with so much week pitching it would happen.

 

[34399]

Ichiru was doing good, can u imagine him getting close to the 56 game hit streak, how many threats he would get because he's Japanese.

 

[Gatorbait]

Would luv to see Bonds get the record. Sweetest swing in the game.

 

[Its Gravy]

I want Bonds to whack the Record, I hope he hits 100 homeruns.

I want Ichiro to break the 56 game hitting streak too. I hope he hits in 75 games.

I would love it....

 

[katts]

I'm a white man, not racist at all, and I personally don't give a crap about the color or the attitude. To me Barry Bonds has been the greatest overall player in the last 15 years and if there's one guy who deserves to break McGwire's record it's gotta be him.

And I think that any true baseball fan, i.e. anyone loving the sport - not the people playing it - are able to completely separate the attitude and color thing from the athletic abilities. When I watch a baseball game, I watch it because I like it. I don't really care what the guy is all about in real life.

BTW I'm a little tired of hearing black people complaining about that racism thing. And here I allready hear a lot of blacks calling me a racist just because I said that. I met a lot of black people mentionning the "racism" as the main reason of most of their problems... Come on.. We're in 2001. This is old crap. Get over it.

 

[34399]

I bet Tiger Woods get tons of threats like Griffey does, especially being in a predominantly white sport like golf.

 

[woodpony]

Any time a record can be broken, I am all for it. Color does not matter. Sosa and Mark M. was a great asset to Baseball and Bonds is as well. Asshole or not - it is good for the game. BTW people who you may think that are not asshole's may be the biggest ones out there.

 

[Subagoto]

The color of Bond's skin has nothing to do with it. The fact that he is on the West coast, I think, plays into it. Most of the MLB fanbase is on the East coast, combine that with the late West coast games SF plays, and he just does not get the coverage that Mac and Sosa got. It is also early in the season. Wait till the end of July! Plus, he is a very difficult person to root for does as well. He is definitely not a fan favorite, even in SF. Also, I have a hard time rooting for a guy who could not throw out Sid Breem scoring from 2nd from deep short, regardless of how many HR he hits! LOL

 

[azbob]

Looks like the only way to get Bonds to stop hitting home runs is to get him in the playoffs.

Everyone knows the guy wilts under pressure which is one of the many reasons his teammates dispise him.

 

[Neemer]

Black, yellow, white, green, purple, red, or blue, it simply just doesn't matter. This isn't back in the days of Hank Aaron, where his life was seriously threatened in breaking Ruth's record. I'm not stupid enough to believe that racism doesn't play a part in some fan's attitudes, but I feel like the majority of fans don't want Bonds to break the record b/c he's simply just an arrogant asshole....

 

[scrubbo]

My earlier response might have indicated that I'm anti Bonds. I'm not and don't give a crap if he breaks the record or not.
I've always been a huge baseball fan but the game truely sucks. Every year about this time all the teams with no $ start selling off their teams to the Braves, yankmees, Mets etc.... Its not only the summer yard sales bothering me but they go on strike frequently, the balls juiced, new ballparks are built for players to hit 100 home runs( except for detroit)and yes, the Dh rule still sucks!!!
With all this said I still love to go out to the ballpark and watch my lowly Mets. The only problem is I live in NC so its tough to make many games.
If mlb works out some kind of hard salary cap I might stick around but they are losing me.

 

[cruisin]

Being from the Bay Area, I'll add my 2cents.
Any, and I mean ANY baseball player that's too busy or big for his britches to sign an autograph for a kid, doesn't deserve any respect, as these players were once children too, standing there reaching out onto the field in hopes their favorite player would acknowledge them with an autograph and a smile. These multi-million --gazillion dollar contracts are way out of control, and some of the players right along with them.

Isn't it AMAZING how Bonds, SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONTRACT YEAR, is hitting like there's no tomorrow and not getting injured? It's just a miracle. It makes me want to throw up. He's all about himself, and not about the game of baseball, and that's why he'll NEVER EVER be a Fan Favorite or a team player. I hope McGwire holds on for a while, as since the record was just broken, let him have it at least for a while. I don't care who breaks it---at least ANYBODY BUT Bonds.

 

[Snake Plissken]

That 98 season with Mac & Sammy was magical and I think it would be a shame if someone like Bonds would break it. The way Mark ran over to the Maris family after he it the record home run was fantastic and the way Sammy ran in from right field to congratulate him just goes to show me what class acts both are. I think Bonds is a tremendous player but he is out for himself and if he does break the record it won't be nearly as special.

 

[JohnWise]

I remember Bonds with the Pirates. His attitude hasn't changed. He is a great player and I respect that. But I would rather see somebody else break the 70. But if he does, it's a helluva accomplishment. Baseball is so boring, but I still like it. If Bonds just flirts it will make it more interesting for me anyway.
Good night.

[This message has been edited by JohnWise (edited 06-18-2001).]

 

[34399]

How the heck do you guys know he doesn't sign baseballs, if he doesn't, who cares. Jordan makes way more money when he was playing with the Bulls, but even Jordan did not sign autographs, because he said once you sign one, you feel guilty that you can't sign for everyone, and if you do sign for people, and the few you miss, they complain or swear at him. How the heck can Barry stay there and sign 100's of balls, it will soon turn to 1000's of people and then multiple thousands and it will get out of hand, especially someone like Bonds. Half the people will just put it on ebay or try to sell it anyways. it's understandable Bonds don't sign for anyone.

 

[34399]

Lets make some comparisons people...

Snake Plissken
You say Barry don't take the time to sign for fans.....well, when you pass by a homeless person, which you'd look like a billionaire compared to him, do you stop and take the time to give them money??? I think not.

Neemer
Bonds an arrogant asshole?? Don't mix arrogance with pure honesty. When a guy says he is good....he is being honest. I guess if you tell people on here that you had a good year picking games, you're being arrogant??? I don't think so. I'm sure you'd say you were being honest.

Cruisin
You say Bonds is all about himself?? Hmmm, that's strange, didn't Bonds say the most important thing left in his career is winning a championship...I don't remember him ever saying he wants an MVP, gold glove, or the homerun record. And oh yah, real smart huh, you say now he is on a hitting tear because he is in contract year...oh yah right, on his next contract year, if he has another, he will go on a 90 homerun pace, because he chooses to. Hey Cruisin, maybe if your boss offered you double your salary, you can go out and hit over 35 homeruns before all star break.


Madjack
has good points.

Katts, Gatorbait and Gravy...
makes sense and appreciate Bonds like I do.