In 1998, Barry Bonds appeared to be the third best home run hitter in all of baseball behind Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa. He knew that he was the best hitter and that they had an unfair advantage. He stooped to their level and began taking steroids so he could raise his game above their level. Since then, he has hit hundreds of home runs and now holds the record for home runs in a season and in a career. Because of these records, and his strong disconnection from the media, he has become the most scrutinized player in all of professional sports.
Bonds cheated. He deserves to be under fire, but he also needs to be respected as the best baseball player in an era when experts estimate about 50% of the players used some type of steroid.
Bonds cheated. He deserves to be under fire, but he also needs to be respected as the best baseball player in an era when experts estimate about 50% of the players used some type of steroid.
5 comments:
I think what you're saying carries some weight to it. In order to be the best, Bonds needed to, in your words, "stoop to their level" and take drugs.
but at what cost?
Yeah he holds the home run record, and, yes, it is something that will remain in the history books. But what I find astonishing, as with any player in Major League Baseball who decides to cheat, that record and those numbers really don't carry any weight. The paper says he ha the record, but his legacy will be one as a cheater, and a liar. Had he not been number one, had he kept off the steroids, Bonds had the possibility of being lovingly remembered. Now, his name is and will continue to be scoffed at.
Its a choice, and Barry made one, and he chose to be remembered as a cheater with a record.
Its like mom always said (or atleast mine) " If everyone else jumped off a bridge would you do it too?" Just because everyone else is doing it doesnt make it right. If Bonds had worked to achieve his success on his own perhaps others would have followed and stopped the slide to steroids MLB seems to be on.
My mom always said the same thing as Amy's mom. I almost used that line on Ranbir's post.
I disagree that he should be respected because of his play in this era. I think all players that used steroids ought to be called out and thrown out of baseball for what they have done. I realize about 50% of the MLB have reportedly used steroids but that doesn't make it ok. The other 50% should be recognized as the legitimate baseball players rather than the fakes.
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