Steroid Use and The Dreaded Asterisk

[AUesquire 1]

There's a "Tainted Record" thread in the Baseball Forum but I wanted to put this here to give it some more play. The hot topic over the last few weeks (Besides fall practice) has obviously been Bonds and the HR record chase. I think I could sum up the feelings of the general public outside of San Francisco by saying, I think most folks would rather Bonds have suffered some career-ending injury at the start of the season and just faded into oblivion. Extreme example, I know. But, you get the idea.

You can count me in those that would feel that way. Not because of steroids, but because Bonds has proven himself time and time again to be a pompous, arrogant, self-serving jerk. I had no desire to see an ass-clown like that break the record. But, he did and he's going in the record books. Nothing we can do about it. However, as much as I've disliked his demeanor, I have a problem with the dreaded "asterisk" being put beside his name or his record. And believe it or not, I would still feel that way if he were to come out tomorrow and say, "Yeah, my dome is 3X the size it should be because of steroids."

The problem I have is that we have singled out Barry Bonds and vilified him beyond what has been done to any athlete in memory. As bad a guy as Mike Tyson was/is, as long as he was still a viable threat in the ring, we watched. "That's a mean, awful, disgusting, individual. But, man he will flat knock a mo-fo out" The guy raped someone. But we watched. He bit a man's ear off. But we watched. It wasn't until his skills deteriorated that we began to turn our backs on him. So why all the hatred for Barry Bonds?

Because he's jerk of epic proportions chasing one of the biggest, if not the biggest and most glamorous record in all of sports. I would submit that the steroid issue is the excuse the public has used to hate him that much more. Is his record tainted? No more than the Raiders last Super Bowl Championship. No more than the Carolina Panthers getting to the Super Bowl in 04'. No more than any number of athletes who have admitted to or been busted for the use of performance enhancing drugs. Granted, some sports like track and cycling have actual standards and penalties in place and will strip an athlete of their records and eligibility. But the buzz around baseball has been that Bud Selig and baseball in general knew about, and even encouraged steroid use. So, why single out Bonds and baseball?

Some may recall, it was only a year ago that reports came out that steroids were supplied to quite a few members of the Carolina Panthers during the 2004 season when they went to the Super Bowl. We all went, "Wow, what time's supper, honey?" Lyle Alzado admitted openly to being juiced virtually his whole career and felt his cancer was directly related to steroid abuse. But, I don't see anyone hollering for an asterisk beside the Raiders Super Bowl victory or the Panthers 04' Super Bowl season. You might claim that there's a difference in Bond's individual record and their pursuit of a team goal. Makes no difference to me. Alzado was a huge contributor to their success as were the guys juiced up on the Panthers. And guess what? They keep individual stats in football too and I don't see an asterisk beside any of Alzado's sack totals. So, do we only get pissed if someone's breaking a record?

I believe Jose Canseco when he talks about juice-use being rampant throughout baseball. Looks like he hasn't been wrong yet. Now, he's insinuating that A-Rod was/is a juice monster. What do we do about him if that turns out to be true? My point to all this is that I see it as somewhat hypocritical to single out Bonds and make him the steroid abuse poster boy while roid' use has been prevalent throughout sports for a long, long time. It has contributed to both individual and team successes in ways we will NEVER know about. We have proof of some that have done it. We THINK we're sure about others that have and we're suspicious of many more. Is there a way to decide who's record is stripped or wears the scarlet letter and who's record just isn't worth the bother. I don't think there is.

My take is to clean it up, put hard and fast rules in place. Make sure they're enforced and move on. But, let's don't try and "Decide" what should be done about Barry Bonds or his record.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Thank you thank you thank you. I don't REALLY care about the steriods. I'm pretty sure the record books are lined with stats attained by enhanced people.

I don't like Barry because he's such a freaking whiner a**hole. The guy CONSTANTLY plays the race card. And he acts like he's the only one who's ever had to go through struggling with the media, being misunderstood etc.

The guy is a prick. Players hate him. Fans outside of San Fran hate him. And he's been burned a ton of bridges in the media.

Bottom line, the guy hasn't had it too tough. His father was a major leaguer...so it's not like he can even relate with the average black man. Or the average ANY MAN. Yet he plays the race card at every turn. And he constantly acts like this martyr. Blah.

[CCTAU 3,825]

He broke the record. Kudos to him. If baseball really cared, they would have cracked down years ago. He did it under the rules and resources available to every player at the time. Doesn't make him my hero, though. My beef is not with him, but with the pitiful excuse of a commissioner that baseball has.

[AUesquire 1]

He broke the record. Kudos to him. If baseball really cared, they would have cracked down years ago. He did it under the rules and resources available to every player at the time. Doesn't make him my hero, though. My beef is not with him, but with the pitiful excuse of a commissioner that baseball has.

You won't get any argument here. I thought his reaction to 755 was a disgrace. He just stands up and puts his hands in his pockets. Man up and either say or do what you really feel. If you're protesting Bonds, then say so and stay away. If you show up, at least clap for the accomplishment, even if you don't mean it.

[tiger88 934]

Oh there's an asterisk in enough peoples minds anyways. A very valid one if he's indicted.

He is from all accounts, the biggest a-hole to ever play the game. That is fueling this whole deal as much as anything.

[Tigermike 4,084]

I haven't been hyped about him chasing, tying and then breaking the record. Not because of the steroids scandal, but because Bonds is a jerk and an a**hole. Not that I have ever had any personal contact with him. Just seeing him, hearing some of his comments and reading an article or two.

[BamaGrad03 0]

He is from all accounts, the biggest a-hole to ever play the game.

Jose Canseco gets that award.

[tiger88 934]

Because of his attitude while playing or for writing the book soon to be books.

I've never heard much about canseco being an ass while he played, but wouldn't be surprised, I mean he was loaded on steroids.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Because of his attitude while playing or for writing the book soon to be books.

I've never heard much about canseco being an ass while he played, but wouldn't be surprised, I mean he was loaded on steroids.

Biggest a**hole I've ever met.

Here's a little story. Back...waaaay back...when Jose was playing baseball, he was doing some rehab assignment in Huntsville. His brother played for Huntsville and they are the feeder team for the A's I think.

Anyway, I went to a game with my dad. And Jose was my HERO at the time. One of my Dad's friends was being honored that night and threw out the opening pitch. He got to keep the ball and hangout in the dugout. He went up to Jose and went "How about an autograph?". Jose looked at him and said "not without $50 bucks". The guy thought Jose was kidding. He wasn't. Jose was like "dude either show me the cash or get the XXXX out of the dugout".

[bojack34 2]

Back in the 90's I was one of the biggest Pittsburgh Pirates fans you had ever seen but I hated Bonds then and I hate him now. Noboby on the pirates liked him that much either. Andy Van Slyke was one of the most liked players in baseball and he could'nt even get along with him.

[kickerman97 3]

He is from all accounts, the biggest a-hole to ever play the game.

Jose Canseco gets that award.

Yes. Yes he does.

I agree with the idea that if there is an asterisk besides Bonds records, then there should be one next to other records as well. I have actually liked him since he played for Pittsburg and My Dad and I went to see them play the braves way back. He was my favorite player back in the day when I followed baseball. When I was growing up and collecting cards, I collected his exclusively and have close to 300 somewhere in a box . I don't get caught up in all the crap surrounding baseball nowadays. As long as there are sports, there will be people cheating in some form or fashion IMO. The points in the original post by is exactly the way I feel about the way he has been singled out because of his arrogance. I for one have found it so amazing that he continued to be the a**hole that he did knowing the grief it would bring him. Any other player dealing with what he dealt with, would not have been so successful.

[tiger88 934]

Because of his attitude while playing or for writing the book soon to be books.

I've never heard much about canseco being an ass while he played, but wouldn't be surprised, I mean he was loaded on steroids.

Biggest a**hole I've ever met.

Here's a little story. Back...waaaay back...when Jose was playing baseball, he was doing some rehab assignment in Huntsville. His brother played for Huntsville and they are the feeder team for the A's I think.

Anyway, I went to a game with my dad. And Jose was my HERO at the time. One of my Dad's friends was being honored that night and threw out the opening pitch. He got to keep the ball and hangout in the dugout. He went up to Jose and went "How about an autograph?". Jose looked at him and said "not without $50 bucks". The guy thought Jose was kidding. He wasn't. Jose was like "dude either show me the cash or get the XXXX out of the dugout".

Still not sure if that tops bonds although it seems equal from things I've heard.

When he hit #500 not a single teammate came out of the dugout to congratulate him and to say they weren't overexcited when he hit #756 is an accurate statement to me. Most players would have been mobbed.