OPINION —
LET ME GET something out of the way right now, I am NOT a Barry Bonds fan nor am I a Barry Bonds apologist.
I went on record in this space way back in the day by calling him Barry B*nds — that’s no mistake, the asterisk is intentional — because I think his home run record should be accompanied by an asterisk after he allegedly used performance enhancing drugs (although he never tested positive).
But I am going to defend the Major League Baseball home run king.
Bonds sparked a ton of debate at sports desks and water coolers all over the country when he told www.mlb.com that he believed he belongs in the Hall of Fame. For the record, I believe that too.
Despite being a big jerk, Bonds was perhaps the best player of his era and was a sure-fire hall of famer prior to the magical summer of 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa saved baseball from the brink of extinction with their quests to become the single season home run king.
Up to and including ’98, Bonds had already won 3 MVP awards, 8 Gold Gloves, was named to 8 All-Star teams and had a 40-40 season — which has only been done 4 times in history.
For a 7- or 8-year spell beginning in 1990, Bonds was the best player in baseball before all the rumors began.
He was a very good defensive outfielder and had a cannon for an arm. He was among the best hitters in the game — even without help — and was among the best base runners.
To me, that passes the eye test and he should be a hall of famer.
Unfortunately, I just don’t see him getting into the hall on his first try.
Too many of my colleagues are being hard-headed about his candidacy.
They’re refusing to consider him because of his alleged involvement with the steroid scandals that rocked pro baseball back in the 1990s and early 2000s.
But like I said, he was a first ballot Hall of Famer before he ever took a illegal drug — even if he even did (remember he never tested positive) — and that’s what the writers who have a vote need to remember.
My advice to them is only consider his numbers pre-ballooned up body and face and I bet if they do Bonds will be making a trip to Cooperstown sometime real soon.
We also have to remember that just as many pitchers were using as hitters were back then and the numbers definitely back it up. Even though most of the records were broken post-1998, Bonds holds or shares 21 Major League Baseball records for his career.
Once again, we don’t how much of an effect PEDs had on his career numbers and records, but what we do know is there is no way the scrawny guy that played for the Pirates between 1986 and 1992 was juiced up.
Nor do I think he was using over the course of his first 5 years with the Giants.
Those 12 years should be good enough to Bonds into the Hall of Fame. Lord knows, there are men in the hall already with much worse offenses in their personal biographies.
Sadly, those years probably won’t be good enough to overcome the stigma of being a steroid user and his own surly attitude.
Corey J. Corbin is a sports correspondent for Allied News and The Herald. He can be reached at gcsportsguy@yahoo.com.
Sports
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Bonds is a jerk, but belongs in Hall of Fame
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HIGH SCHOOL SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP: County track set today at Hickory
The annual Mercer County Track & Field Invitational will be held at Hickory High’s Hornet Stadium today, beginning at 9 a.m.
Competing are all Mercer County teams, Class AAA and AA, as well as Slippery Rock. The meet serves as a warm-up to the District 10 championships set next week at Harbor Creek High. -
RANDOM THOUGHTS: Competitive cheerleading tough for even manly men
WHEN I THINK OF MYSELF, I think I’m one of the more manly men you’ll find.
I definitely don’t mind eating all kinds of meat and potatoes. I love watching sports — and participating in them when I can.
I do many other things that ‘real’ men do that aren’t fit for print and proper readers.
What I don’t do is wear skinny jeans or other tight-fitting clothes. I don’t wear jewelry nor do I wear colors that lean more to the femine side than the masculine side. -
HIGH SCHOOL SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP: Mercer 9 drops thriller to KC
It was a game both teams were trying to win — it just seemed as though neither wanted to — as Kennedy Catholic High baseball team met Mercer Friday afternoon in an inter-region District 10 affair.
The teams traded late leads before, ultimately, Scott Moore’s fielder’s choice RBI-grounder scored pinch-runner Ethan Feldmiller with the game-winner, as KC captured an 11-10 conquest. -
NCAA Football: Rock 6-1 after 17-3 win over Cal U
Slippery Rock University rode a length-of-the-field scoring drive by its offense and a goal-line stand by its No. 1-ranked defense late in the first half of action Saturday to a 17-3 win over 14th-ranked visiting California (Pa.).
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NFL: Steelers top Jags as Mendenhall makes return
Mike Tomlin isn’t ready to say the Pittsburgh Steelers are back. Not after watching his team sleepwalk through the second half against Jacksonville on Sunday.
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IndyCar Racing: Crash takes Wheldon’s life
Every race car driver heads onto the track understanding this race could be the last and hoping it won’t be. On Sunday, IndyCar drivers got a harsh reminder when the worst happened to one of their own.
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NHL: Sabres beat Penguins 3-2
The Buffalo Sabres have had trouble with the Pittsburgh Penguins whether Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin play or not.
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NHL Quick glance: Montreal at Pittsburgh
A breakdown of the National Hockey League game Thursday night between the Pittsburgh Penguins and visiting Montreal Canadiens.
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High School Highlights: Oct. 19, 2011
A look at the last few days in local high school fall sports action.
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Leading Off: Oct. 19, 2011
News and notes from the local, regional and national sports scene.
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