January 11, 2007

being suspected of using steroids and definitely using amphetamines puts you in a fairly sizeable group of major league players. "throwing your teammate under the bus" while trying to explain a positive drug test puts you on the list of all-time worst teammates.

posted by erkno11 at 07:47 AM on January 11, 2007

And all this time I thought Barry was an honest stand up guy..NOT

posted by Debo270 at 08:04 AM on January 11, 2007

I think you summed it up pretty well erkno. The media will probably hype this for all it's worth, and maybe deservingly so. However, it was just an amphetimine test and not a steriod test. I bet we would be amazed at the number of players that fail these kinds of tests ever year if we had names. What I can't understand is why the hell he would chance ANYTHING knowing he's being investigated 24/7. I tried for a long time to stay a fan of his, but every story that comes out seems to prove to me just how big of a dickhead he really is. To hell with him, I'm done.

posted by louisville_slugger at 08:17 AM on January 11, 2007

"throwing your teammate under the bus" while trying to explain a positive drug test puts you on the all-time list of worst teammates. I thought Barry made that list long ago. An indictment for perjury in the Balco case would make me oh-so-happy, since Sweeny won't make him answer for this shit, I bet. Bonds has been enabled, coddled, and spoon-fed his whole life, accountability is long overdue.

posted by mjkredliner at 09:15 AM on January 11, 2007

Did any of Rafael Palmeiro's teammates pop his Viagra before a game? I did hear that Sosa liked to cork his bat.

posted by tselson at 10:01 AM on January 11, 2007

His excuse is ridiculous -- who would take some drug from a teammate's locker and use it? Especially, Barry "I have a personal trainer, health manager, and masseuse follow me around 24 hours a day" Bonds. Ridiculous. This guy has seemingly no bottom to his integrity. However - Still best hitter I ever saw. And it is a mere amphetamine test.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:05 AM on January 11, 2007

A minute in the life of Barry: "Well i was just walking around the locker room and saw a bottle of pills. I figured why not. It worked out well for T.O so i just grabbed the bottle and took a few. What could it hurt" If this is true, Barry is the fuckin dumbest man on earth. The roids have made his head grow so much it is crushing his brain. .

posted by Debo270 at 10:08 AM on January 11, 2007

I can't help but think about people like Bill Romanowski and Floyd Landis when I hear this latest development. I mean, speed is a fine drug, especially if you need serious energy and focus for two hours out of the day. It makes a world of sense for that to be his drug of choice. But Bonds is walking a tightrope here. If it was just amphetamines he was taking, then I would think he could just cop to it and accept his punishment, and people would shrug and move on. The fact that he's making such lame excuses tells me there's more iceberg under the water here than maybe we've even guessed. If he admits to taking even one off-market substance, his whole stance falls around him, and the only people going to Giants games next year will be bringing eggs, tomatoes, torches and pitchforks. Major League Baseball, as a sport, as a business, is a total fucking mess. Soon, the all-time hits leader, the all-time home run leader, and the top two single-season home run hitters of all time, all will not be in the Hall of Fame. What's the point of having a Baseball Hall of Fame in the first place, then?

posted by chicobangs at 10:09 AM on January 11, 2007

band name or sports bar name, I can't decide which. Perhaps a tasty omelet? Barbaro yesterday, Barry today. What's on tap for tomorrow?

posted by SummersEve at 10:34 AM on January 11, 2007

I'm a Bonds fan but this is ridiculous. He took pills from a teammate's locker without knowing what they were? Come on, that's what toddlers do, not long time pro ball players. Blaming a teammate for your own stupidity is about the lamest and most pathetic thing ever.

posted by fenriq at 11:15 AM on January 11, 2007

Blaming a teammate for your own stupidity is about the lamest and most pathetic thing ever. See: Palmiero, Rafael Comparing Rafeael to Bonds, relatively easy. Seeing Bond's innocence compared to Michael Jackson's, priceless. Surely MLB and it's conspirators will get Bonds one of these days, Bishop.

posted by mjkredliner at 11:46 AM on January 11, 2007

I stopped believing anything Barry Bonds said a long time ago! First a cheater and now a SNITCH who is lying again! His story sounds like the old "But Mom I am holding these cigarettes for a friend!" He must think that the fans are really stupid! Be a man Barry, retire and go away!

posted by steelerchooks at 11:59 AM on January 11, 2007

Barry Bonds makes it difficult to defend Barry Bonds. Mac never tested positive for anything that was banned. He just didn't see any benefit in talking about the "past". posted by imanage Or he didn't want to incriminate himself. Could be either. Stop acting like you know.

posted by justgary at 12:11 PM on January 11, 2007

He's also the reason that McGwire didn't get in the HOF on the first ballot. Awesomely Unknown Things Barry Bonds is Also Responsible For Barry's bloated sense of self caused atmospheric disruption that lead to Hurricane Katrina Norwalk Virus Scientology Rapid expansion of Barry's cranium caused seismic activity creating Thailand tsunami The return of leggings to fashion O RLY owls all YouTube videos of cats doing something silly KFed

posted by jerseygirl at 12:36 PM on January 11, 2007

Is anything Barry's fault? Has he ever done anything wrong? He is such an (_o_).

posted by dbt302 at 12:56 PM on January 11, 2007

My thoughts 1) What if you had a headache and your coworker had a bottle of pills labeled "aspirin" on his desk? Not saying I believe his story, but this is going to be his argument...not the "I saw a bottle of unlabeld pills and decided, what the heck?" 2) How is it (again) that we have information that is ILLEGAL to be released, somehow released about Barry Bonds? Anyone notice a trend? 3) MLB (like the Grand Jury participants) are quoted as saying "I can neither confirm nor deny". Seems awful unfair to the man when a rumor is leaked that even if it WASN'T true, nobody can come out and say that it is NOT true. It also makes for easy journalism...I can make any claims I want to and nobody can confirm or deny it.

posted by bdaddy at 01:15 PM on January 11, 2007

I am sick to death of the media, and the self-righteous finger waggers who promulgate their agenda with mindless nodding, making me feel that if I'm a bad person if I don't demonstrate absolute contempt and moral outrage at Barry Bonds, like he's sporting some kind of nuclear device and is hellbent on ruining America, starting with baseball. Aren't you? No, because "the media, and the self-righteous finger waggers" aren't making me feel like anything. I think you gotta work that one out on your own, BPP.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 01:29 PM on January 11, 2007

MLB and it's conspirators will get Bonds one of these days, Bishop I think you may have misunderstood my statement. Chris Rock said a 3rd kid at Michael Jackson's house would be like finding another dead white woman with OJ. So the comparison was to their obvious guilt, not innocence. Get it now?

posted by Bishop at 01:38 PM on January 11, 2007

Best hitter ever*. Done. Next. Why hell yes, anyone can enjoy watching Barry make a pass at the ball, but his denial of knowing what "the cream and the clear" were, his own self absorbed image, and his astonishing HR totals late in his career, at time when most athletes skills are diminishing (even Hank and Willie's, for crying out loud) are to much for this fan to take. This incident only serves to prove that there is much more to representing the game than just being a hell of a ballplayer.

posted by mjkredliner at 01:39 PM on January 11, 2007

If you really believe that Bobby Bonds never used greenies then you are in denial. These have been a big part of the game since the sixties. Willie Mays was named in the cocaine investigations of the mid 80's as giving amphetamines to one of the accused to help him play. Willie Mays and Bobby were teammates and good friends, so I find it likely that Bobby took these things as well (according to some players only one or two players on each team got by without any greenies before the ban). They even had "leaded" coffee in each clubhouse, which was speed laced coffee. When TJ Quinn was asked how many players failed the amphetamines test last year, his response was that he never got a quantitative answer, just that there were a lot. It seems this is a lot bigger problem than just Bonds.

posted by yehyeh at 01:54 PM on January 11, 2007

Guess now would be a bad time to sell my Bonds rookie cards?

posted by Ratbast at 02:10 PM on January 11, 2007

Why is the media doing this to poor Barry?? Indeed. Why did the media make him get mixed up with BALCO?? They didn't. But they've done a pretty good job of convincing you that this the equivalent to a human rights violation. Why did the media force that other woman on him when he was married?? They didn't. But they apparently convinced you that consensual extra-marital affairs among professional athletes is contained to the handful that get slammed in the press. If you're going to condemn Bonds on this, fine, but you'd better be prepared to do it across the board. Why did the media force Barry to steal pills?? No evidence necessary. You're just sure. Hook, line and sinker. Why did the media make him lie to congress?? What's your source for this knowledge. You read it somewhere. Ah. Poor Barry what has he done to deserve this?? Indeed. ANYONE who feels sorry for him is an idiot. This conclusion not from something you read or saw on TV, in which the source stood to gain by making you feel attached to the story in this way. Probably from your intimate knowledge of the man from back when you had high tea together during his Pirates days. I'm playing devil's advocate here, but if we don't realize that we don't have a closer association to this story than what the media chooses to leak to us, and in the tone the media suggests it is to be taken, then as LBB suggested we may have some work to do on ourselves.

posted by BullpenPro at 02:25 PM on January 11, 2007

I'd wager that most of us had a few childhood friends who, while standing next to a broken window with a baseball glove or bat in hand, would say he/she didn't do it. Of those same friends, there was always one or two that always got away with it. Bonds is that same kid. And even now as an adult, he still gets away with it. Whatever world he lives in, it's not ours. It's probably similar to the ones celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Prince and Michael Jackson lives in (look at all the things Jackson has been accused of, and homeboy still gets away with it.) But, from an ethical and journalistic viewpoint, I'm curious how a story in which no one is talking but unnamed sources gets published (yeah, I've heard of Watergate and read "All the President's Men" but Bonds on stimulants is not on the same scale.) I don't think my doubts make me a Bonds apologist, but if they do, so be it. These days I can't tell if it's Bonds who does sensationalistic things or the media that makes him sensationalistic. Until he gets caught and punished, tie still goes to the runner.

posted by forrestv at 02:37 PM on January 11, 2007

Mac never tested positive for anything that was banned. He just didn't see any benefit in talking about the "past". McGwire told reporters for years he was innocent, but he refused to make the same claim of innocence when called before Congress, where he'd be subjected to perjury laws if he lied. I don't see any reason to believe the guy today, especially given his quick return to normal human dimensions after his playing career ended.

posted by rcade at 03:01 PM on January 11, 2007

When TJ Quinn was asked how many players failed the amphetamines test last year, his response was that he never got a quantitative answer, just that there were a lot. It seems this is a lot bigger problem than just Bonds. But only Bonds' name was brought up in the story. I may be a pessimist by nature, but I find it truly hard to believe that Barry Bonds was the only high-profile baseball player to fail a test last year. But whoever "leaked" this info chose not to tell us that Derek Jeter or Ryan Howard or Albert Pujols or Roger Clemens or Alex Rodriguez or Manny Ramirez also MIGHT have been on that list. Only Barry. The reason for this is simple. If any of these other athletes were named in the same leak, it would be a LOT harder to crucify Barry Bonds as the devil. That is the ONLY purpose of this latest story. It gives the mindless masses a reason to claim that Barry has failed a drug test. So later today, tomorrow, next week and into the season when we hear about his failed amphetamines test, and holier-than-thou @ssholes like Mike Lupica and Rick Reilly are piling on about this guy, the masses won't have to worry about lumping poor Albert Poo-holes or good guy David Ortiz or (god forbid) wide-eyed golden boy Joe Mauer with Satan himself. Oh, and just to add fuel to the fire, I heard a rumor that Barry Bonds traveled to Africa last year, bought an entire village of orphan children, and ripped out their intestines with his hands so he could feed himself. He then lit the survivors on fire and ordered a military strike on the entire village to cover the evidence. Barry IS the devil. Man, I hate sports writers. * * I have a degree in communications and spent the first five years of my post-college life as a professional sports writer. So I can say that with conviction.

posted by Cameron Frye at 03:24 PM on January 11, 2007

BPP: But if they don't make us feel anything, then they are nothing more than a conveyance for news. Well, okay, let me qualify that some. A good storyteller, in whatever medium, can indeed "make" the audience feel things, but it's coaxing and persuasion rather than coercion or nagging. The media can "make" us believe things only if the things they're telling us mesh with our worldview, or if their logic is compelling enough to override what we may have previously believed. In the case of the reaction of moral outrage that we're "supposed" to feel towards Barry Bonds, I think that only works on people who are somewhat predisposed to moral outrage in the first place, perhaps those who find ready villains in the rich and talented, maybe those who are not too inclined to closely examine the nuances of accusations and evidence of guilt, and definitely those whose worldview sees MLB steroid cheating as a serious problem in the world today. Personally, I'm something of a cynic: yeah, I think he did it; yeah, I think he knew what he was doing; no, I don't think he gives a tinker's dam for the integrity of the game; but he's got a long line ahead of him. Honestly, Dick Pound is higher on my outrage list than Barry Bonds.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 03:32 PM on January 11, 2007

The media can "make" us believe things only if the things they're telling us mesh with our worldview, or if their logic is compelling enough to override what we may have previously believed I don't necessarily agree with that. On 9-11 CNN reported that someone on the 31st floor surivived a fall. My "worldview" tells me that isn't possible. My "Logic" tells me that isn't possible. But damned if I didn't believe it because CNN reported it. I was telling my wife "do you believe that? Someone actually survived a fall from the 31st floor?" Of course I found out later that CNN was un-moralistically reporting something they didn't confirm in order to be the first one reporting it, which seems to be very related to our topic somehow.

posted by bdaddy at 03:53 PM on January 11, 2007

I heard Paris Hilton's new album totally sucks...

posted by JohnSFO at 04:03 PM on January 11, 2007

Maybe we can hook Barry up with J-Kidds soon be to X wife, that would be an awsome power couple.

posted by warstda at 05:25 PM on January 11, 2007

but every story that comes out seems to prove to me just how big of a dickhead he really is. Let's not forget the first one that showed what a "dickhead" he is. Back in '94 when they went on strike, he went to court to have his child support reduced. He was making 9 million at the time. And those great California courts allowed it, with a wink and a few autographed items in the judges chambers after the hearing.

posted by Tokens0605 at 06:02 PM on January 11, 2007

In the case of the reaction of moral outrage that we're "supposed" to feel towards Barry Bonds, I think that only works on people who are somewhat predisposed to moral outrage in the first place puts you on the list of all-time worst teammates. posted by erkno11 at 7:47 AM CST on January 11 prove to me just how big of a dickhead he really is. To hell with him, I'm done. posted by louisville_slugger at 8:17 AM CST on January 11 Bonds has been enabled, coddled, and spoon-fed his whole life, accountability is long overdue. posted by mjkredliner at 9:15 AM CST on January 11 This guy has seemingly no bottom to his integrity. posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:05 AM CST on January 11 Major League Baseball, as a sport, as a business, is a total fucking mess. posted by chicobangs at 10:09 AM CST on January 11 Blaming a teammate for your own stupidity is about the lamest and most pathetic thing ever. posted by fenriq at 11:15 AM CST on January 11 What a sad, sorry and perfectly appropriate image for this sad, sorry human being. posted by diastematic at 11:45 AM CST on January 11 Bonds epitimizes whats wrong with baseball. posted by imanage at 11:46 AM CST on January 11 First a cheater and now a SNITCH who is lying again! posted by steelerchooks at 11:59 AM CST on January 11 These are all comments inspired by, as forestv pointed out, an article that doesn't name it's sources and received "No comment" from every single person that was asked about it, except of course for Bonds himself who doesn't appear to have been approached directly about it. Many of these comments are from highly respected members from this community, and I post them respectfully just to show that the Bonds train has come way off its tracks even for the most level headed of us. And you can't write this off simply to the protection of the integrity of the game. Nobody wants that integrity protected more than yours truly. But consider this: What Pete Rose did to baseball was 25 times worse than what Barry Bonds has done to baseball. That's not an opinion, that is a flat out fact. Bonds' actions effected the performance of one individual out of 750. Rose's actions effected the performance of an entire ballclub. Yet, when I posted a thread about Rose a few weeks ago, it didn't jump to 60 comments in 12 hours, and not one person exclaimed, "I hate Pete Rose with the seething, white-hot passion of a thousand imploding suns." I think what Bonds did was bad and is well deserving of a negative reaction. All I'm saying is that maybe a full-scale riot on this issue wouldn't have broken out if the media weren't handing out those eggs, tomatoes, torches and pitchforks. Think about it, folks. How much do you object to steroid use, and how much do you hate Bonds. Is it the same?

posted by BullpenPro at 06:29 PM on January 11, 2007

I have often thought of the towering moral indignation surrounding steroids and wondered why all these people weren't outraged about the greenies taken by many (if not most) of the legends enshrined in Cooperstown. I saw one person in this thread say they had been a problem since the 60's. Please. Ty Cobb's anti-social behavior is a textbook example of long-term amphetamine induced paranoia. Truck and bus drivers have been doing bennies since there were trucks and buses. Of course baseball players caught on and wanted some. "You look like Hell, kid. Here, try one of these." Drug use in sports is probably a century old. That being said, I don't hate Barry Bonds because he used drugs. I hate him because he is one of the truly majestic assholes in the history of sports. Self-absorbed, rude, detested by opponents and teammates alike, Maria Callas thinks this guy is a diva. I remember the kid who played the game with such joy in Pittsburgh and wonder if this can be the same guy.

posted by gradioc at 07:03 PM on January 11, 2007

I notice McGwire's name always coming up, here and there, whenever a Bonds story is posted. For the record, performance-enhancing drugs or not, Mark McGwire was never, ever, even one-quarter the baseball player Barry Bonds is/was. Bonds should be judged on his own merit, without any comparisons to McGwire, Palmiero, etc. If people want to banish all thoughts of him due to the player he morphed into over the past several years, that's fine. But even prior to that, Mark McGwire couldn't compare to Barry in any aspect of the game at all. Poor teammate? Probably. But how he acts in the clubhouse, or how he treats Jeff Kent (for example) couldn't matter less to me. As for the "Who is your kid going to look up to" question, there are plenty of guys they can enjoy following, just based on how they play the game. Derek Jeter's comes to mind. As for how they live their lives? You dig hard enough into anyones closet, you're going to find something. But raise a kid with some guidance and common sense and I doubt many will feel they need to emulate players' drug-enhanced examples. If they grow up with a good concept of "Right" and "Wrong," they'll be fine. If they fuck up, I seriously doubt it's due to Barry Bonds.

posted by dyams at 07:05 PM on January 11, 2007

You dig hard enough into anyones closet, you're going to find something. dyams Barry bonds problems aren't in a closet they're in a hanger. No digging required.

posted by Tokens0605 at 07:11 PM on January 11, 2007

stop and think how many professional athletes made the HoF being complete a**holes. hawkguy So, now it is a requirement?

posted by Tokens0605 at 07:16 PM on January 11, 2007

"Yet, when I posted a thread about Rose a few weeks ago, it didn't jump to 60 comments in 12 hours, and not one person exclaimed, 'I hate Pete Rose with the seething, white-hot passion of a thousand imploding suns.'" I was out sick that day. I'll try to work it into the next Pete Rose thread. Or maybe Mark Cuban. Kobe, possibly. Depends on what else is going on.

posted by mr_crash_davis at 07:39 PM on January 11, 2007

It's a shame those pills were'nt suppositories...An asshole and the shit he puts out should NEVER be that far apart!

posted by wolfdad at 07:50 PM on January 11, 2007

Just when we had him tried, convicted and sentenced, Barry(?) changed his story.

posted by danjel at 08:12 PM on January 11, 2007

"This year we had the best chemistry on the team..." Now that line from Vizquel made me laugh.

posted by chris2sy at 09:09 PM on January 11, 2007

Just when we had him tried, convicted and sentenced, Barry(?) changed his story. Of course, since the "story" wasn't his in the first place (remember, unnamed sources!), I guess everyone who called him an "all-time worst teammate" or "snitch" might admit they were wrong. But, I seriously doubt it will happen...

posted by grum@work at 09:18 PM on January 11, 2007

A player is not identified until after failing two amphetamines tests and yet this story from unnamed sources leaks out. If I was a sports union (baseball, football, whatever) where management insisted on drug tests with the promise of confidentiality, I would put in the contract that they have to pay $1 million every time one of the names and test results "leaks" out. Either that or I would tell them where they could shove their test.

posted by graymatters at 10:03 PM on January 11, 2007

The snitch comment is really ridiculous. BB is a lowdown scum sucking cheat maggot for taking "greenies", but the other guy who did the same thing is just "told on"? What the hell kind of logic is that? If you call the guy a snitch, that would indicate he told on someone for doing something. Why isn't the person who wrote this article a snitch?

posted by Bishop at 10:14 PM on January 11, 2007

I think what is lost here once again, is who our kids are looking up to these days. No, what's lost here once again is that too many parents whine about "role models" for their children instead of passing on common sense and good judgement to said children.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 04:54 AM on January 12, 2007

I have never been a Giants or Bonds fan, but even I can admit (secretly) that I did get excited (not like that....!) when he would come to the plate. The anticipation was pretty much palpable...you knew it was going to be good. Now all of that is tainted. How very sad for MLB fans in general. All our favourites, whether to hate or love, are coming under shadows and their abilities and stats questioned. MLB needs to stop the bleeding and fast. A definitive list of banned substances should be drawn up and it be made clear that from now on any player caught with a banned substance in his system faces an automatic life time ban. Period. Fresh season, fresh start and let the rest go. Bonds will have to deal with his teammates and his fans when the season starts again..........I hope they are suitable hard on him, not only for the speed but more for the lack of team spirit and the ratting out of a teammate.

posted by jadzia1970 at 06:15 AM on January 12, 2007

Wouldn't that make them harder to pick out as trannies? Or did you mean a different type of comfort?

posted by yerfatma at 06:54 AM on January 12, 2007

The following is a statement made by Barry Bonds over the alleged comments that he made concerning the positive results of having used amphetamines and that he recieved them from teammate Mark Sweeney: "He is both my teammate and my friend," Bonds said in a statement Thursday. "He did not give me anything whatsoever and has nothing to do with this matter, contrary to recent reports. "I want to express my deepest apologies especially to Mark and his family as well as my other teammates, the San Francisco Giants organization and the fans" Barry Bonds did not deny that he used "greenies" but he never said that he did either. Amphetamines have been used by players "for seven or eight decades" said Baseball commissioner Bud Selig so it's not like Barry Bonds was the first person to ever use them. Many players have turned to the stimulants for a way to get pepped up when their bodies can't do so on their own during a long season but because this is Barry Bonds, it's a way bigger issue than if it was someone else.

posted by BornIcon at 07:29 AM on January 12, 2007

Several good points made in this thread, but Bonds is about to break what is probably the most cherished record in sports. There's going to be some added scrutiny. So when you say "if it were any other player..." you're more than like right, but it isn't any other player. Right or wrong, all eyes are on him so he can't do what everyone else is doing anymore.

posted by SummersEve at 08:09 AM on January 12, 2007

"Bonds didn't deny the fact that he used greenies, because he was actually formally caught using them" Even though I agree with everything else you had to say Chico, this one sentence needed to be corrected. Barry Bonds didn't have to say anything concerning the positive result since they (the results) are supposed to remain anonymous and the "first amphetamines offense, however, does require six additional drug tests over the following six months" and also "under Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association, clubs are not notified after a player receives a first positive test for amphetamines." So if Barry Bonds didn't come out and say anything about these leaked reports, he had that right as well. It seems to me as if he just wanted to set the record straight....so like Chico said, "Fair play to Bonds"

posted by BornIcon at 09:01 AM on January 12, 2007

Oh, the role model thing... robi8259: My point was that the kids today don't have many sports figures to look up to. They have become something to look down to. Insofar as that is true, though, it's still worth examining why anyone feels that it's reasonable to expect a sports figure to be a role model for kids. Certainly it's true that some sports figures have been role-model-worthy in the past...as far as we knew. But that's only one possible explanation:

• Sports figures in the past really were more virtuous than they are today.
• People in the past really were more virtuous than they are today.
• Sports figures/people in the past were just as venal as people today, but we didn't know about it, because the media was less invasive/they hid it better/we didn't have all these tests for drugs/people weren't so friggin' uptight about whether a sports figure cursed or went with a hooker or took a drink on their off time.
• Sports figures in the past were just as venal as people today, but we were a lot more realistic in our expectations of whether they're supposed to be role models for kids.
• Sports figures in the past were different because sports were different.

...and of course, the truth is probably a combination of some of the above, plus factors I haven't thought of. But just taking a look at that last one...honestly, I really would not expect any sports figure today to be a role model that I'd want for my kids. Why? Because, to put it bluntly, no matter how polite you are in public, no matter that you may be drug-free and clean as a whistle, to succeed in elite sports nowadays you pretty much have to be a selfish bastard. You have to live a life that's so centered on your pursuit of excellence that you really don't have much time to give to other people. So, given that baseline reality, I really think anyone who expects elite sports figures nowadays to be role models for their kids is in for a disappointment.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 09:31 AM on January 12, 2007

And those great California courts allowed it, with a wink and a few autographed items in the judges chambers after the hearing yes, I'm sure you were there to witness this week and autograph session. Nevermind that the actual court ruling was correct in this case.

posted by bdaddy at 10:08 AM on January 12, 2007

But, lbb, your post is hands-down the best thing I've ever heard/seen from the other side. I concur, in fact, I propose an addition to the wiki. 7. Athletes as role models. With a link to lbb's comment.

posted by MrFrisby at 10:18 AM on January 12, 2007

Barry Bonds hasn't got the balls to admit to anything he has ever done in the past or present.He's nothing but a cheat,steroid user,and from the new accusations of amphetamines,doesn't think that nothing can ever happen to him.Then to top it all off,he throws a teammate under the bus for his failed amphetamine drug test.And to think that after all this,he will soon become the All-Time Home Run King breaking Aarons record.It'll be a sad day in the history of baseball to have a man(supposedly that what he calls himself)to be voted into the Hall of Fame like himself.I'm just hoping that he somehow totally screws up and never gets that opportunity.But him being so close to do what he's going to accomplish,I somehow doubt that he could be so stupid.But then again,Bonds isn't exactly the brightest star in the sky,so I'm still praying for that one major screw-up that will put shame on himself so he never gets that call to the Hall.

posted by Ghastly1 at 12:10 PM on January 12, 2007

Actually, he was making 0 million at the time. When they were on strike, he wasn't making any money. I'd think that was incorrect. I don't have his financials in front of me (and given the allegations of tax evasion, I don't suppose they'd do much good), but I'm guessing Barry Bonds was still earning income from investments, autograph signings and the like. To think the strike cut him off totally and completely unable to meet financial obligations to his children is a bit far-fetched.

posted by wfrazerjr at 12:18 PM on January 12, 2007

Thank you, Ghastly1, for that excellent demonstration of the Rip van Winkle effect. I guess we shouldn't expect you to be a role model here for us. Your comment was a little harsh, don't ya think?

posted by danjel at 02:33 PM on January 12, 2007

I guess we shouldn't expect you to be a role model here for us. You're right, you shouldn't. By the way, just what role was it you were thinking I should model?

posted by lil_brown_bat at 03:10 PM on January 12, 2007

By the way, just what role was it you were thinking I should model? From the new members page: We trust the members of the community to treat others with the respect you would afford yourself. Can't a guy give his opinion without snide comments?

posted by danjel at 03:25 PM on January 12, 2007

I prefer the parmesan oregano rolls myself.

posted by MrFrisby at 03:42 PM on January 12, 2007

I'm Spartacus.

posted by SummersEve at 04:40 PM on January 12, 2007

If some regular joe with a construction worker salary was paying child support and alimony and was suddenly put out of his job, don't you think he might seek legal recourse to make sure he isn't bled dry while receiving no income? First, he IS making an income unless all his money is in a mattress. Second it is called responsibility as a father (I won't say parent) to ensure the well being of the child. Third, he is no "AVERAGE JOE" nor was he earning a construction worker salary prior to the strike, or during the strike with his endorsements and PR engagements. Lastly, barry bonds would have only been "bled dry" if he went to the Mike Tyson school of investment. He is an irresponsible self centered loser.

posted by Tokens0605 at 05:37 PM on January 12, 2007

Nevermind that the actual court ruling was correct in this case. I'm sure it was, OJ.

posted by Tokens0605 at 05:53 PM on January 12, 2007

Bishop, While I understand the point you're trying to make, you can't seriously be comparing Brett Favre to Barry Bonds. Point of fact: Favre acknowledged and got treatment for his alcohol and painkiller addictions and, this was by the way, was early in his career (1996). There has been NO EVIDENCE since that time to suggest that Favre has ever taken any performance enhancing drugs or, reverted back to the use Vicodin or any other prescription type painkillers. Like the rest of us, despite his enormous skills, there has been a drop-off in Brett's performance as he's gotten older. Barry Bonds however, illogically became almost super-human at the tender young age of 39. Brett Favre blamed HIS OWN lifestyle, not his teammates or anyone else. Barry Bonds would have us believe that if he's caught in something, it's somebody else’s (or everybody else’s) fault and not his own. I guess Mr. Bonds would like the fans and public in general to swallow his lame excuses the way he apparently indiscriminately swallows pills!

posted by R_A_Mason at 09:57 AM on January 13, 2007

Well, if you honestly believe that he makes $9,000,000 a year in autograph signings, then maybe he was petitioning to have it cut in half. Otherwise, I'm betting his income shrunk FAR below a level I don't know where the rest of your comment went, Grum., but I think I get the drift. I'm not saying he was earning $9M during the strike season. Let's say he earned 20%, or $1.8M, from endorsements, appearances and investments. I'm betting it's more than that, but it's a fair figure. How much do you think he pays in support a month? Do you think it's so much he couldn't dole out half of his reduced monthly income -- $75K -- and cover it, while still living comfortably. And if he couldn't ... whose fault is that?

posted by wfrazerjr at 02:43 PM on January 13, 2007

How much do you think he pays in support a month? Do you think it's so much he couldn't dole out half of his reduced monthly income -- $75K -- and cover it, while still living comfortably. And if he couldn't ... whose fault is that? This article indicates that the family support payments were $15k/month, and were reduced to $7.5k/month during the strike. Yes, that seems like a small amount to squabble about and he looks like a bit of a dickhead, considering he had received over $3million of his 1994 salary at the time of the strike. However, he should still have the right to seek legal recourse just like any other person. I just took offense to the idea that Bonds was evil because he used the legal system the way other people do.

posted by grum@work at 03:15 PM on January 13, 2007