The Official Barry Bonds Thread

[ParkTrips]

Um, perhaps it's because the distribution and possession of human growth hormone for any use other than the treatment of a disease or other recognized medical condition, and pursuant to the order of a physician is illegal.

 

Congress usually has a certain interest in hot button illegal activities concerning the well being of the nation's citizens. Strange, but true.

 

Ask the parents of thousands of teenage athletes who have been affected by steroid use from emulating these ignorant juice boxes. The issue, I'm afraid, is even larger than Barry's 'roid-inflated head.

but it shouldn't be something I personally think they should be concentrating on. Not with a war, border crisis, and huge deficit going on... among other far more important issues at a national level. I think this should probably be on the minds of those in the Justice Department and HHS but not worthy of a freaking Congressional hearing!

 

Besides, I think the "balls" commercial has probably done more to sway young athletes than anything done on Capitol hill. That really is an awesome commercial.

[ginzo]

but it shouldn't be something I personally think they should be concentrating on. Not with a war, border crisis, and huge deficit going on... among other far more important issues at a national level. I think this should probably be on the minds of those in the Justice Department and HHS but not worthy of a freaking Congressional hearing!

 

But this is politics. Much of what they do in congress is for show. Picking on a bunch of drug-addled, overpaid, spoiled brat athletes is a pretty safe populist bet for congress.

[lapseofreason]

I only need one symbol to voice my opinion on this.

 

 

*

 

 

 

...Enough said.

[CoastersNSich]

Just after 11:50 pm eastern (or 8:50 Pacific), Barry Bonds broke the record, as shown live on ESPN2.

[chmilo24]

756 BABY!!!

[Jew]

The steriods would affect your brain and muscles. The muscles would get stronger but your brain cells will die, and your contact will get worse. The more you do it, the more you coulden't hit the ball. Also, he never failed a drug test, these no proof of him doing it.

 

But that doesn't apply Human Growth Hormones. The main side-effect of HGH is acromegaly (which happens to be the disease characterized by excessive growth of the head, feet, and hands), not that Barry Bonds has somehow managed to quadruple in size or anything...

 

Oh, and the reason he never failed a drug test is because it was called "The Clear" for a reason. It's inventor even said as much. It was called "The Clear" specifically because it could not be detected by any test.

 

And then there is the Curt Schilling (who himself is somewhat hypocritical for being so outspoken against Bonds, yet didn't tell Congress anything...but that's another story) argument: If Bonds didn't cheat, why not sue the sh*t out of anyone who says otherwise?

 

Or better yet, what is his trainer hiding by continuing to refuse to talk to the grand jury? And the book "Game of Shadows."

 

So just because there is no positive test certainly doesn't mean there isn't a compelling argument that he cheated.

 

I'm not disputing the fact he was a great player (30/30/.300 BEFORE steroids is pretty impressive)...

 

 

And so what if hes an A**hole, that has been stated from about every single person whose posted in this topic. Okay we get it, Barry Bonds is the biggest A**hole alive. So what.

 

So what? Did you read my other posts? "What" is the fact Bonds gets gets more scrutiny because he is such an asshole. Fans and sportswriters hate him.

 

A-rod was basically caught cheating on his wife (pretty much the ultimate form of douchebaggery). People sure didn't boo him when he hit #500. Nor will they boo when he breaks the record if he keeps hitting at this pace. Everyone and their mother knew Gaylord Perry doctored his pitches. He's not labeled as a cheater. Everyone overlooked the odd dramatic increase in power from McGwire and Sosa because they were friendly to fans and sportswriters.

 

Despite his great numbers, Bonds may not even be a first ballot hall of famer if McGwire was the litmus test. And it's because he pissed off all the people responsible for voting him in. That would be awesome.

[ParkTrips]

not that Barry Bonds has somehow managed to quadruple in size or anything...

I just looked it up because I was curious. In 86 he was listed at 185, and this year he is listed at 228. That's approximately what my weight changed in about 2 years after leaving high school, before I lost some of it. I guess what I'm getting at is that an approximate 20% weight gain isn't that bad considering what most other Americans

 

So my question is where does performance enhancing become cheating?

 

I think the best thought I ever heard was regarding Tommy John surgery. How is taking ligaments from one's leg and slapping it on the elbow any better than taking steroids? I mean think about it, those dudes with reconstructed arms wouldn't have been able to throw a ball - much less for strikes - had they not done the procedure. Steroids or not Bonds would still probably be playing, and I'm sure his stats would still be making him a HOF candidate. Yet no one accused Eric Gagne of cheating when he broke the consecutive saves record, did they? Again is just boils down to people not liking Barry Bonds and that's ok because he deserves some of it, but that doesn't mean that he's more of a cheater than, well, anyone else.

 

 

(This all assuming he did take steroids, which I admit is likely)

Despite his great numbers, Bonds may not even be a first ballot hall of famer if McGwire was the litmus test.

But McGwire only had his home runs to speak for him... Bonds is a career ~.300 hitter (McGwire: .263), near 3000 hits, the most-walked player in history, in the top 5 for RBIs and Runs all time (with both in reach), and the only member of the 500-500 club (McGwire: haha, 12 SBs)

[BeemerBoy]

So my question is where does performance enhancing become cheating?

I would say when it's illegal, as in punishable by law, not just MLB.

 

I think the best thought I ever heard was regarding Tommy John surgery. How is taking ligaments from one's leg and slapping it on the elbow any better than taking steroids? I mean think about it, those dudes with reconstructed arms wouldn't have been able to throw a ball - much less for strikes - had they not done the procedure.

Yeah, it is an interesting angle to consider, yet I'd still go back to the legality issue. It's not illegal to go under the knife to repair one's body. And that's really the key word too. Repair, not enhance.

 

Despite his great numbers, Bonds may not even be a first ballot hall of famer if McGwire was the litmus test.

But McGwire only had his home runs to speak for him... Bonds is a career ~.300 hitter (McGwire: .263), near 3000 hits, the most-walked player in history, in the top 5 for RBIs and Runs all time (with both in reach), and the only member of the 500-500 club (McGwire: haha, 12 SBs)

Not to mention the gold gloves.

 

I agree, Joe. Bonds was a first ballot HOFer before he started juicing. That continues to be the part that I judge him on.

[Jew]

There's no doubt that his numbers before juicing were HoF worthy...but so were McGwire's before his Congressional hearing. Granted they weren't as impressive as Bonds, but I don't believe there was a 500hr club member who wasn't a first ballot inductee prior to this...

 

So it will definitely be interesting.

[ParkTrips]

But what else did McGwire do other than hit home runs?

 

 

Repair, not enhance.

I would consider taking a "dead arm" and transforming it into one that can throw 90 again quite an enhancement... maybe even moreso than taking Bonds from the level he was at in, say, 1997, to the level he is in 2007.

 

 

Why are we debating this, the record has been broken, and I think its time to start making fun of Notre Dame

[chmilo24]

Why are we debating this, the record has been broken, and I think its time to start making fun of Notre Dame

 

That or Michael Vick.

[CoastersNSich]

Why are we debating this, the record has been broken, and I think its time to start making fun of Notre Dame

 

That or Michael Vick.

 

Or the Bengals. Hopefully they behave ON the field.

[307]

He'll break it tomorrow night.

Can I call it, or what?!

 

Figures, though - I've been watching every boring, awful Giants game for the past couple of weeks, and I finally turn my TV to another channel to pay more attention to a movie I'm watching instead, and I miss the homer by about 20 seconds.

[1ofthebluesbros]

I just hate barry bonds...he is such a jerk and yes I think he's juicing.

[Freefallbestrideever]

^ Being a jerk has nothing to do with baseball. This is coming from a Dodger fan too.

but it shouldn't be something I personally think they should be concentrating on. Not with a war, border crisis, and huge deficit going on... among other far more important issues at a national level. I think this should probably be on the minds of those in the Justice Department and HHS but not worthy of a freaking Congressional hearing!

 

But this is politics. Much of what they do in congress is for show. Picking on a bunch of drug-addled, overpaid, spoiled brat athletes is a pretty safe populist bet for congress.

He speaketh teh truthzz!!! Also to me it's a non-issue since i believe drugs should be legal. Then the government comes in again trying to parent everyones kids.

[GeorgiaDawg278]

I renamed the topic since it's no longer a tie.

 

I'm glad he broke it, so now Sports Center can move on to something that interests me!

[bigjohnson51]

^ Ha ya like Vick's case!!!