Barry Bonds....

[conforto45]

what does everyone think about the guy throwing the syringe at him the other nite?

In all reality, we all know that he, and all the others shot up.. but a part of me would like to see him get tested and be clean.. just to laugh in everyones face.. it never turns out that way, but it would be interesting

[FlyerNation]

what does everyone think about the guy throwing the syringe at him the other nite?

In all reality, we all know that he, and all the others shot up.. but a part of me would like to see him get tested and be clean.. just to laugh in everyones face.. it never turns out that way, but it would be interesting

I think it's been beaten to death. I've never had the hatred for Bonds that so many do. I think it's F'ed up Mcguire still gets a free ride. If that syringe incident happened in some cities ( won't mention which one in particular) the media would have ran with it but since it was sunny San Diego they get a free pass. Personally it was unwarrented and classless.

[Stoosh]

I'm so sick of Bonds, I don't care anymore.

Look, I don't think there's any doubt that the guy was juicing. His head could now double as one of Jupiter's moons. You could stuff two "Pirates Barrys" into the body that now makes up "Giants Barry." And I have a hard time believing that he had no idea that the "Cream/Clear" stuff wasn't steroids. This is a guy who is so meticulous about the stuff he puts into body that he outbid another player's (Sheffield's) personal chef to come and cook for him.

It doesn't bother me that the guy's a colossal jerk off the field. There are lots of other public figures that I've admired who are colossal jerks, too. He won't be the first and he won't be the last. He's gotta live with that.

But in the same respect, there are some things that this guy has done on the baseball diamond that steroids cannot help. For that, I respect the fact that I was able to watch one of the most purely-talented ballplayers ever.

On top of that, I'm sick of everyone talking about these records like the world's going to end if Bonds breaks them. I listen to some of these national radio hosts discuss these things and some of these guys get themselves so worked up over it, I'm waiting for someone's head to explode on national TV. Contrary to what some people may believe, the history of civilazation is not done a terrible injustice if Barry Bonds passes Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron as the all-time home run hitter in MLB history.

I'm actually more concerned about the bang-up job those security people did at the ballpark...how in the hell does someone get a syringe into a ballpark?

[freq019]

was there actually a needle on it or was it an irrigation syringe? Seriously you asked how someone could get one of those in? You seen the inspection lines right? Hell he/she probably could have walked in holding it their hand.

[ExPatriatePen]

was there actually a needle on it or was it an irrigation syringe? Seriously you asked how someone could get one of those in? You seen the inspection lines right? Hell he/she probably could have walked in holding it their hand.

one of the national news reports said it could have even been a turkey baster... he way he was handling it, there's no way it had a needle. Not with the threat of AIDS.

[Daniel]

On top of that, I'm sick of everyone talking about these records like the world's going to end if Bonds breaks them. I listen to some of these national radio hosts discuss these things and some of these guys get themselves so worked up over it, I'm waiting for someone's head to explode on national TV. Contrary to what some people may believe, the history of civilazation is not done a terrible injustice if Barry Bonds passes Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron as the all-time home run hitter in MLB history.

I'm actually more concerned about the bang-up job those security people did at the ballpark...how in the hell does someone get a syringe into a ballpark?

I wonder if these radio hosts think that Jimi Hendrix should be taken out of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame? I mean, no way does he play the guitar like that without all the drugs.

[Clks21]

canseco should have shut his mouth and americas pastime would not be tarnished right now, he was no saint and he points the finger....c'mon and bonds i liked him when he was here. since his glory days in SF inflated his head he has not handled any of this well

[MrKnowNothing]

I don't really care about Bonds. This whole situation is one that baseball brought upon itself, and Bonds is the media's favorite whipping boy on the topic. The guy comes off as a jerk, really, but I don't think anybody deserves to have a syringe thrown at them.

As for steroids, whatever happens happens. I'm so sick of hearing about the whole thing, and I don't really care who did what, when, what they did, whether they are doing it now. I'd just like to watch the games and talk about the games.

[JS©]

one of the national news reports said it could have even been a turkey baster... he way he was handling it, there's no way it had a needle. Not with the threat of AIDS.

which is about the normal size of one of his syringes...allegedly.

I thought he handled that thing like a pro.

[PittsburghSportsFan]

PRICELESS

[Draftnik]

I love how everybody sits in judgement of Bonds as if they wouldn't have done the same thing given Bonds' situation. I saw Andy Van White on ESPN the other day and he said the only reason he didn't juice is that he never came across a the right guy to hook him up.

I'm sure there are some MLB guys that are/were clean during the juice era, but Gammons/Olney/Stark, etc all kinds of MLB "experts" claim just as many of not more MLB pitchers were on juice as the hitters to who knows how to objectively quantify how Bonds performance was aided by juice since he was facing juiced pitchers that Aaron and Ruth didn't.

If it weren't for juice monger McGuire and every one of his tainted 600+ MLB homers Bonds probably wouldn't have succumbed to the temptation.

I'll enjoy seeing Bonds pass Ruth and hopefully Aaron because he is the best MLB player I've personally watched and he is the last link to the Bucs mini-renaissance of the early 90s. It isn't a coincidence that the Bucs haven't had a single winning season since he left and didn't have one for a few seasons before his arrival. I'll also enjoy the fact that his HR achievements are upsetting millions of people living in glass houses.

[DelPen]

I love how everybody sits in judgement of Bonds as if they wouldn't have done the same thing given Bonds' situation. I saw Andy Van White on ESPN the other day and he said the only reason he didn't juice is that he never came across a the right guy to hook him up.

I'm sure there are some MLB guys that are/were clean during the juice era, but Gammons/Olney/Stark, etc all kinds of MLB "experts" claim just as many of not more MLB pitchers were on juice as the hitters to who knows how to objectively quantify how Bonds performance was aided by juice since he was facing juiced pitchers that Aaron and Ruth didn't.

If it weren't for juice monger McGuire and every one of his tainted 600+ MLB homers Bonds probably wouldn't have succumbed to the temptation.

I'll enjoy seeing Bonds pass Ruth and hopefully Aaron because he is the best MLB player I've personally watched and he is the last link to the Bucs mini-renaissance of the early 90s. It isn't a coincidence that the Bucs haven't had a single winning season since he left and didn't have one for a few seasons before his arrival. I'll also enjoy the fact that his HR achievements are upsetting millions of people living in glass houses.

Glass houses? So all of us royally pissed at the guy use illegal substances and cheat at our jobs on a daily basis? Funny. I don't seem to recall myself doing that. Ever.

And I guess Bonds is a victim because he's an idiot with no will power, self control or moral backbone to not do what is blatantly wrong, gotcha.

[Hockeynut!]

Draftnik, fans on message boards like these attack athletes with endless vitrol on a daily basis for offenses far less egregious and illegal than using steroids. Why should Bonds be immune to any and all criticism when no other athlete in any sport gets a free pass?

[Draftnik]

Glass houses? So all of us royally pissed at the guy use illegal substances and cheat at our jobs on a daily basis? Funny. I don't seem to recall myself doing that. Ever.

And I guess Bonds is a victim because he's an idiot with no will power, self control or moral backbone to not do what is blatantly wrong, gotcha.

People speed, drive after having too much to drink, and all kinds of things that have dangerous repercussions for other people. Using juice is a victimless crime. It isn't even as bad as using illegal controlled substances since there is no impairment factor when driving a car. If you haven't ever done something that was illegal like speeding, drinking and driving, etc I tip my cap to you and say you are obviously more resolute than me, not that I set the bar very high.

Seriously though. MLB endorsed this activity through their tacit neglect. McGuire and Canseco were dirty in 87 and MLB did nothing. Tom Boswell was writing about it a few years later. The FBI tipped MLB off to McGuire as a user during a steroid distribution investigation in the 90s and MLB turned a blind eye.

If you had a chance to double your pay at work and set record breaking performances by doing something that all your piers were doing and it was an activity that was tacitly endorsed or even encouraged by your employer why wouldn't you do it? My point is I doubt there are many people that can legitimately say they haven't broken the law in some way, shape, or form. Bonds was the best player of his generation before the juice explosion and all his juicing did is keep him atop his perch and not below 100% career frauds like McGuire.

If the quality of your life is diminished by Bonds passing Ruth and maybe Aaron I'll never be able to understand why.

[Draftnik]

Draftnik, fans on message boards like these attack athletes with endless vitrol on a daily basis for offenses far less egregious and illegal than using steroids. Why should Bonds be immune to any and all criticism when no other athlete in any sport gets a free pass?

We'll agree to disagree. I don't think using steroids is a serious offense. Is possession of juice even a felony? I'd guess if a guy weren't distributing the crime is fairly minor.

Why don't you care about the criminal distribution of Grand Jury testimony that started the whole issue? The Grand Jury is making some half hearted attempt to compel the reporters to divulge their sources. I'd guess leaking Grand Jury testimony is a felony since Bonds is legally the only person that can divulge his testimony, but his anonymous criminal divulger will not face any repercussions for their crime.

[Daniel]

We'll agree to disagree. I don't think using steroids is a serious offense. Is possession of juice even a felony? I'd guess if a guy weren't distributing the crime is fairly minor.

I agree and I think steroids are even legal with a prescription. I think that putting an asterick by Bonds name in the record book opens up a whole can of worms for all sports. What Bonds did (if he even did do steroids) was not against MLB rules, so we have to look at the legality of what he did. If you look at the legality of what he did, then we have to include every Hall of Famer and what they did that was illegal. How many drinks did Babe Ruth have during prohibition? How many times did a player take speed before a game in the 50s/60s? Did Hank Aaron ever do anything illegal? I bet the list of illegal things a NFL/NBA/NHL Hall of Fame player did would dwarf MLB.

Why don't you care about the criminal distribution of Grand Jury testimony that started the whole issue? The Grand Jury is making some half hearted attempt to compel the reporters to divulge their sources. I'd guess leaking Grand Jury testimony is a felony since Bonds is legally the only person that can divulge his testimony, but his anonymous criminal divulger will not face any repercussions for their crime.

Because it isn't as glamourous as bashing Bonds. He is already a prick and an easy target.

[Hockeynut!]

We don't need to agree to disagree. I'm not even putting Bonds down (much). I do think he cheated but so did hundreds of other players so it's not a big deal. I think the media backlash this season has been ridiculous and have found myself rooting him on, something I hadn't done since he played for the Bucs.

But I'm genuinely astounded by the way you leap to his defense any time someone dares to say a bad word about Barry and how you go so far as to insult anyone who thinks what he did was wrong. I think that's a little ridiculous because, as I mentioned, no other athlete gets a free pass for any offense. I've seen some pretty darn horrible things said about Penguin players over heinous crimes like taking a bad penalty, or talking back to the ref. Look at the amount of criticism CP got for being "drunk". Even Mario isn't immune from some major insults.

Why is it okay to rip apart those athletes but not Barry? I'm not saying the accusations aren't ridiculous or without merit. But I am saying it's to be expected. Anyone who has watched sports has long as you have has to know that 70% of fans only watch the sport so they can find something or someone to complain about.

[Daniel]

Why is it okay to rip apart those athletes but not Barry? I'm not saying the accusations aren't ridiculous or without merit. But I am saying it's to be expected. Anyone who has watched sports has long as you have has to know that 70% of fans only watch the sport so they can find something or someone to complain about.

I think it is different because of the scale of the bashing. When someone says CP is drunk, it is either so ridiculous or so true that neither warrant a reply. Therefore, it just gets said and dropped. Plus, the media isn't all over it.

With Bonds, it might be true, but the amount of media bashing just doesn't fit the crime. I was reading about the guy in RI who started the nightclub fire and how he is about to be sentenced. This guy kills 100 people and we have heard nothing, or close to it, in 3 years. Bonds hits homeruns and we hear someone bashing him daily. Stuff like this shows how bad our priorities are as a nation.

[PittsburghSportsFan]

In my opinion, Barry Bonds brought this all on himself. Ever since he sported a Pirate jersey he has always been an a-hole. To blame Mark McGuire for Bonds making the decision to shoot steroids is almost comical. Barry is a big boy, he can make his own decisions.

The difference between Bonds, McGuire and Sosa....Bonds is a complete a-hole towards the media, fans, former managers and players. If McGuire and Sosa were chasing the record I would still be sick to my stomach, but with Bonds it's even worse. I'm sorry, I base my opinion on people on not only what they do at their place of work, but who they are outside of work. Bonds happens to be a complete scumbag.

I feel no pitty for Barry Bonds. You reap what you sow.

[HomerPenguin]

Draftnik, fans on message boards like these attack athletes with endless vitrol on a daily basis for offenses far less egregious and illegal than using steroids. Why should Bonds be immune to any and all criticism when no other athlete in any sport gets a free pass?

We'll agree to disagree. I don't think using steroids is a serious offense. Is possession of juice even a felony? I'd guess if a guy weren't distributing the crime is fairly minor.

Why don't you care about the criminal distribution of Grand Jury testimony that started the whole issue? The Grand Jury is making some half hearted attempt to compel the reporters to divulge their sources. I'd guess leaking Grand Jury testimony is a felony since Bonds is legally the only person that can divulge his testimony, but his anonymous criminal divulger will not face any repercussions for their crime.

I don't care about the steroid thing one way or another, but I will say that by refusing to sign the 713 ball he finally pushed me into the camp that thinks he's a scumbag. I won't rip him anymore than this, but I also won't defend the guy anymore, which I used to do.