The Beatles took LSD. Hemingway got hammered before he sat at the typewriter. Kerouac enjoyed greenies. Lance Armstrong ... alright, we'll just leave that one alone. But come on: 756 home runs, obtained through any means, is still a work of art. Regardless of what you think Barry Bonds did on his way to the record -- and he probably did some very unethical, if not illegal, things -- 756 home runs is 756 home runs. That's an incredible number to achieve, for anyone. We, all of us, could take steroids for ten years and we wouldn't hit seven home runs, let alone 756.
This is an accomplishment that, if it is not to be honored, is still at least to be respected. I don't like Barry Bonds, and I think he cheated, and I think that even if the effect on Bonds' numbers is unproven and ultimately minimal, he still makes for a cheater. Even if steroids or HGH or cow hormones or whatever he took in the early aughts had no effect on his performance, he still cheated. If I look at that smart girl's test across the row from me, and I still get an F, and get caught, I still cheated. I am a cheater whether or not cheating helped me. That's life.
But Bonds' accomplishments are nothing to be dismissed. The temptation is pervasive, but fight it off at all costs. Complain if you will about steroids. We'll all -- especially Barry -- always feel that pinch. In the end it doesn't matter: he hit 756 freakin' home runs. That's a lot, by any human standard. It deserves, at the very least, the appreciation we give any great work of art. Anything less is unfair to Barry, and to ourselves.
Previously on the FanHouse:
A King Is Born: 756 for Barry Bonds
Home Run Chase
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
8-08-2007 @ 1:10AM
George B Vieto said...
Barry did it and whether you like it or you don't like it learn to love it. Whooo! About cheaters how about when Roy Jones Jr. was cheated by corrupt boxing judges at the Olympics in Korea in 1988 or the French figure skating judge who screwed the Canadian figure skaters in Salt Lake City. Get over it Barry did it.
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8-08-2007 @ 1:16AM
insomniac said...
So by your analogy, if you cheated off the right person's test and got an "A," then you should still be praised, because hey, getting an A is still an accomplishment.
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8-08-2007 @ 1:18AM
Darth Rend said...
PostmanE, You CAN'T be that much of an idiot?!
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8-08-2007 @ 1:37AM
Barry H said...
Has Barry Bonds every yested postive for anything? If not then let the man shine in the light and if he is every proven guilty of taking anything then we all can point the finger at him and say shame and call him a liar
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8-08-2007 @ 1:37AM
Milkman said...
Clap! Clap! Clap! The only good thing about this is that my old baseball cards are suddenly worth a little more. Go A-Rod!!!
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8-08-2007 @ 1:49AM
Spanner 1 said...
Hey Postman E,
I guess if your wife-girlfriend-or other was out Cheating on you it would be OK if she/he was setting some kind of record. Get real, you must be one of those Cling-ons that no matter what someone has done -- if you can be close to them it makes you look good. How about letting us know how you feel about OJ?
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8-08-2007 @ 1:54AM
jorcna said...
I'm a HUGE baseball fan and have been for many years. Mr. Bonds cheated- period. 756 homers by Hank Aaron was a true accomplishment. He did it by hard work and skill, (and may I add- prejudice)not steroids or any other performance altering substance.
Too bad baseball has fallen into the category of so-called professional wrestling.
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8-08-2007 @ 2:06AM
recashflow said...
Hank only took anphetamines!!!!!!! He just didn't cheat as well! Go Barry!! You are the KING!
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8-08-2007 @ 2:07AM
carl said...
4 the answer is yes he has
I got no problem with Posty saying the ends just the means as long as he walks it likes he talks it..remember it the next time something pops up on some one else..maybe someone he don't like as much..maybe when he gets hurt..don't turn it on and off like a radio..walk it like you talk it
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8-08-2007 @ 2:17AM
Rory LeBlanc said...
Barry Bonds doesn't have the hand eye coordination too hit the ninety plus pitches and great talent of todays less talented pitchers!!!! maybe if he took the right steroid he could see the ball better and get more base hit,s.I think it is really good we hear Babe did it on beer and hotdogs what a great role model. Truly i wish people could be more judgemental. The man never cheated me of exciting baseball and a nasty attitude about his lack of natural ability too hit the sub par pitching we have suffered for so long (Clemons,Johnson,Glavin,Smoltz,Perez,even Ryan)and many more!!!! Ruth a drunk Aron a bigot Bonds a druggy and still three of the greatest hitters ever man it just isnt fair BOO WHOO!!!!!!!!!!
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8-08-2007 @ 2:25AM
LB said...
Great blog people who think he cheated want to act like everything was done by drugs. They have been testing the last 4 years and he is still hitting them out in his forties. So even if you think he cheated you have to acknowledge the talent he has. Aaron had almost 3,000 more at bats. Barry is homerun champ and walk champ what a combo.
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8-08-2007 @ 2:26AM
carl said...
8. Hank only took anphetamines!!!!!!! ..You know this how? Did he test dirty like Barry did?
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8-08-2007 @ 2:29AM
jon said...
Adolf Hitler killed 6 million people..but don't worry bout that the man still came from nothing to rule Germany!! Held a nation of millions in his hand!! People still make excuses and celebrate him..Damn thats like awesome..freaking awesome..Before anybody says I am comparing Barry to Hitler..Nooooo i'm just using Postman Logic
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8-08-2007 @ 2:30AM
Kedz said...
Postman E lets just take a look at his acheivement with the proven results of growth hormones and related steriods he has all but admitted to taking.
These enhanced performance drugs give up to 30% more gas in your tank as a season wears on. So lets just assume for arguements sake we take his stats and reduce them by say 15% over the last 10 years. You do the Math he would have been an incredible hitter but would never come close to 73 HR's in a season or this milestone record. And that is the simple truth and facts. These drugs enabled him to play through injury and also perform late into a season where had he not CHEATED he would never put up these numbers. Yet I will tip my hat to him being quite a hitter but quite frankly when you knock off 15% right now he would be about 80 to 120 home runs shy of Hank aron so tell me what company does that put this cheater.
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8-08-2007 @ 2:50AM
ckipsmith said...
There is only 2 home run champs that is Hank and the Babe. They play the right game fair and square.
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8-08-2007 @ 3:11AM
oink said...
bonds is cool...so are steroids,cheating,and doing whatever it takes to be number one...alright!...let's here it for the team owners,the players association,the commisioner of baseball,and the u.s. congress...yeah!...lets here it for the parents that bring kids to games to watch the piece of s**t bonds and other juiceheads dirty our nation's pastime...yahoo!...let's all sing "take me out from this small game"
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8-08-2007 @ 4:08AM
D. B.A. said...
Barry is the new home run king. Period. Anyone of you who has ever played baseball knows how much skill it takes to hit that ball. A-Rod, probably the greatest hitter in baseball after Bonds, completely respects Bonds's skill and technique. Go and see for yourself on youtube. If steroids is the deciding factor then Bond's record will be gone pretty soon since there are others using the stuff in the major leagues right? Whatever... Stop hating and get used to hearing about your new KING!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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8-08-2007 @ 4:46AM
Russell Carter said...
Get over it and get used to it! Like it or not Barry Bonds is the Home Run king.
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8-08-2007 @ 7:12AM
PhilG said...
Like it or not Barry Bonds is one of the greatest hitters of all time. His batting eye, power,and bat speed have been consistent over his entire career. Add to that seven mvp awards, 600+ stolen bases, all those walks, etc., etc. and you can not deny it. They key is you have to prove he cheated rather than look at the man's training regiment. Weights, flex training, a lot of time in the batting cage.
Like Ted Williams the press and the fans of the teams he visits, Barry is the prototype for I am hear to hit league.
Remember Babe Ruth attained the status of God because "he saved" baseball from the scandal of the 1919 World Series. This despite the fact that he was a womanizer, a drunk, a glutton, and hung out in speakeasy's with gangsters and gamblers.
Like Henry Aaron who still has not been forgiven for knocking Ruth off his top perch, Barry will not be forgiven until A-Rod breaks the mark in about 8-9 years.
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8-08-2007 @ 7:55AM
Mingmei Wu said...
Um, Carl, Bonds has NEVER tested positive. How about splitting the difference everyone. Let's do a full and fair investigation on the charge of perjury. If we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Barry knowingly took steroids (since he testified he did not), then let's add him to the 'black list'. If we cannot prove it stop saying he cheated. If we can't prove it, we can't penalize him. If we can, throw the book at him!
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