FanNation - The Republic of Sport

IF THEY ATTEND OR DONT ATTENDEN WHO CARES, THIS IS A MESSAGE FROM ME AND THE BLACKS IN OXFORD,MS BLAST THAT RECORD IN THE GROUND AS SOON AS U CAN MR BONDS WE WILL BE WITH U AND WATCHING AND HOPING TO U DO... PEACE... TAREK ULYSSES HOWELL

I think Bonds not dissing Aaron is a no-brainer. Aaron was one of the classiest people to play baseball when I was growing up. He endured more than any person should have had to endure when chasing Ruth. While Bonds is not universally popular or admired, he cannot even come close to dealing with the type of stress Aaron did. Bonds is smart enough to know that in any public war of words, he is going to come out a loser, and therefore, it is not even worth wasting his time. Bud Selig, on the other hand, I think is fair game. He has not handled this situation well, at all.(As a Twins fan, Selig is definitly NOT my Bud after he tried to have my team whacked a couple of years ago)

I think Selig is showing a complete lack of class by not being there. I have been a Bonds fan since his days in Pittsburgh. I know he can be brash, but he is among the greatest to ever tie on spikes. I know that Bonds probably used the juice, but he has never tested positive. That sort of negates Selig being able to say that he doesn't want to go because the record is tainted. Bud needs to suck it up or it is going to be a very negative part of his "legacy".

So Bonds is one short of the record and then cant get a hit to save his life. Which particular game should Bud Selig attend?

Hank Aaron can do no wrong. He is a class individual. Bonds on the other hand can do no right. He will always be looked at with suspicion. Is it right? I don't know. But that's reality. That being said, Bud Selig should be there.

HE IS NOT A CHEATER...it wasnt illegal before so you cant say he cheated!!!!

This is not a racial thing, after all Hank Aaron was African American. The difference between the two players in personality, the way a person should be judged. Aaron was a class act who worked hard and was never accused of doing anything to hurt the game, all he did was do good for the game. Bonds on the other hand has been accused of steroids with information to back it up, he treats the media like crap and prefers to not give anything back but instead just complains about the sport that has given him everything. They're total opposites and I support Hammerin' Hank for not attending, he shouldn't have to be thrown into controversy like this, he doesn't deserve that trouble. Selig on the other hand should be there, he doesn't need to congratulate Bonds, but he should be there, it's his job.

ballingjoe- It was illegal in the U.S. therefore yes, it was cheating. And even besides that it's immoral so it's cheating. Selig deserves much of the blame too but Bonds should not be let off the hook at all.

Bonds has always been out for Barry and Barry only. He has always treated the media like crap, fans are not all that important to him and in essence has alienated himself to this point. It is like the end of the movie "For Love of the Game". When the day is done and he has the record he's going to realize that other than his kids and the people that are living off his money there is no one else who really cares and can share in his accomplishment. Aaron doesn't need to show up...why would he? His record is broken, he's moved on with his life and is still very respected. Selig should go but not make a big deal out of it. Just go and watch it like any other game. Barry may break the record but he will NEVER be a player like Hank Aaron...NEVER. I'll be happy when he breaks the record because then and only then may we possibly get a break from seeing his face on TV every day and every night on ESPN.

The difference with Bonds is that he says what he feels. Most ballplayers take the cookie-cutter approach with the media. It actually makes me have more respect for him that he speaks his mind.

Somwrester2001...I guess you are refering to when Barry actually speaks to the media instead of shunning them or refusing to speak to them like he does most the time? How mature of him to speak his mind only when he wants to talk instead of realizing he is on a team and it is just courteous of ballplayers that are making millions off of the fans to actually give the media some time other than when it suits his egotistical lifestyle.

Then Bonds thing is not about race in the slightest bit. It has nothing, repeat nothing to do with this issue at all.
He cheated, with the collusion of MLB, call them white if you want to, and they are all complicit in this tainted record.
One can still dislike a person or think they cheated without it having to do with race.
It may still be valid to look at race as a factor, but in this case that factor is zero.

This is MLB's fault. Your calling Bonds's a cheater, but the policies were never in place to hold players accountable. Do you really think baseball is that honorable? For that matter, do you think sports today is that honorable? Everyone is looking for an edge. It's common practice in NASCAR. How many other b'ball players used as well? What about them? If you want to disgrace Barry's records, then baseball needs to share that disgrace equally.
And I ain't no Bonds fan....

Juice...or no juice Barry Bonds is a great player. He is a player that will undoubtebly be in the Hall of Fame.

Lets remember that the "Juice" only increases power not hand eye coordination. Barry Bonds still had to "see the ball, hit the ball." Lets not take that away from him.

Let Hank Aaron and Bud Selig track it or not track it. It's not their day.. it's Barry Bond's.

LET ME FIRST SAY THAT I AM NOT A BARRY BONDS FAN. THIS HAS MORE TO DO WITH BEING A DODGER FAN AND HATING THE GIANTS. BUT ALL OF YOU IDIOTS WHO LET THE MEDIA TURN YOU AGAINST THIS MAN IS A SHAME. UNLESS YOU HAVE HAD A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE WITH HIM, THEN YOU SHOULD JUST SHUT UP. THE MAN HAS NEVER TESTED POSITIVE, AND AS FOR HANK AARON NOT SHOWING UP FOR HR 755 & 756 IS A LACK OF CLASS ON HIS PART! ALSO, BUD IS BUD, STUPID USED CAR SALEMAN.

Quite a few people mentioned the fact that the used wasn't banned at the time Bonds used it. To piggy back on that, do you think Selig cared about the roids when the homerun chases were bringing baseball back to prominence? Of course not. Once America was back on board with baseball, and the media started in on reports of performance enhancing drugs, Selig then became concerned. These guys served a purpose for baseball and were then torn apart by it.

You know what I am really tired of the sore sports like Aaron and Selig. Barry Bonds will pass you up, learn to live with it.

Over 70% of the baseball players testing positive for steroids are pitchers. Pitchers in Aaron's and Ruth's days didn't throw in the upper 90s, heck there were probably only a handful that could even throw into 90. Now every team has a guy throwing almost 100. Bonds hit many home runs almost his entire career, save for 3 seasons he was always in the 30s to 40s, right so he was using roids 20 years ago when he was small stealing 60 bases and STILL hitting home runs.

In fact I will argue that Bonds was justified to using roids to play fairly with the pitchers who were all abusing.

Aaron would be half the home run hitter today and same with Ruth if they had to swing against the much faster arms of today's pitchers.

Also how many opportunities was Bonds robbed of by IBB?

Today fresh arms are put in almost immediately, back in the Aaron and Ruth days tired arm pitchers threw more innings.

So to all of you, stop your whining because Bonds has ALWAYS been a great player.

Big Mack is not getting in The HoF and neither will BB. What a shame that he wasted all that talent just to be exposed as a cheater. Ther is enough guilt to go around, MLB, Player's Union, but he still did what he did.
Yes the juice does not help hand eye co-ordination, but it does help the ball go farther when you hit it...HRs...ball goes farther, it taints his career.
No Big Mac, NoBB. He may hold the record temporarily but I will be glad if he never gets in, and let him keep his memorabilia, he can sell it or whatever, after all he is all about himself, in his own words.

It's like swimming at Coney Island. People don't show up any more because they're afriad of sitting on dirty needles!

Cards Win, you are a RACIST PIG. Bond's kids are bi-racial (ex-wife is WHITE). You most likely have little or NO interaction with blacks folks. You need to take your white hood off and shut the $%@ up.

Ed,
NYC