I’m sorry; I realized that I am part of this steroid machine. But after seeing Bonds’ press conference last night, I can’t help but write about steroids one last time.
Last night I turned on SportsCenter only to see a gigantic Barry Bonds front and center addressing a very anxious media. Did anyone else notice that Bonds’ head took up the entire television screen — you couldn’t even see the curtain behind him? For a second I thought he was going to bulge through the screen, warping my T.V forever.
You have to give it to Bonds, he really took it to the media. The media was expecting to tee off on him like a crazy old man does in a father-son softball game. You know the game where the fathers are supposed to let the kids win, only there is always that crazy parent who tries to take over the game. Only this didn’t happen — Bonds was not going to be bullied.
At first I was expecting Bonds to either break down and admit he did steroids or go all Ron Artest on the media. Do you think Felipe Alou would have jumped in like Steven Jackson? You bet he would!
Instead of breaking down or going crazy, Bonds made several key points:
-“It’s like I’m watching Sanford and Son, you know…Rerun after rerun after rerun.” It’s true the media has totally played this thing out. It was like the “O.C” building up the whole Marissa-Alex (girl on girl, the ultimate ratings booster) first kiss. By the time the show came around nobody cared it was happening. Nobody wants to hear about steroids any more, people just want to hear about baseball.
-“It takes a hell of an athlete to get 53,000 people to say you suck.” Bonds couldn’t be more right. As a Met fan I hate Derek Jeter, I hate him. Nothing gives me more pleasure in the summers than going to a Yankee game screaming “You suck Jeter.” But he really doesn’t, I just hate that he is that good. He has everything I would want in a life. He plays professional baseball, has dated many of the worlds most beautiful women, and has won not 1, not 2, but 4 World Series. Oh yeah, he really sucks.
-“I don’t believe steroids can help you – eye/hand coordination – technically hit a baseball.” I couldn’t agree with him more. Tell me you haven’t been to a batting cage and seen these massive guys whiffing at every pitch in the 35 mile per hour cage? Muscle has nothing to do with the ability to hit a baseball. However, muscle has everything to do with a line drive turning into a 580 foot home run. I am torn on this one, but it’s a great point.
-“I don’t know Jose. I was better than Jose then and I’ve been better than Jose his whole career.” Amen Barry, Amen. And that was the whole reason behind “It’s the Juice!” Barry Bonds has been an amazing player his whole career, but the media’s biggest concern is what Jose Canseco writes about in a book. He is a has-been and probably the epitome of has-beens.
-“We just need to go out there and do our jobs, just as you professionals do your job. All you guys lied. All of y’all and the story or whatever have lied. Should you have asterisk behind your name?” I agree with him, about how journalists are dirty and that they have lied and don’t have an asterisk next to their name. It’s true, some journalist are the kinds of people who will do anything to get their name out there (wink, wink) and sell their papers. When Bonds breaks Aaron’s record there definitely should not be an asterisk next to his name. Baseball never did anything to stop steroids in baseball, so why should his records be blemished?
I know everything written in “It’s the Juice” and this sequel has been a contradiction of everything I have preached. I have no excuse, except that I went to Arizona State and so did Barry Bonds. You have to stand by your fellow alumni, especially the best player ever to come out of your school. Nothing is better than when I say to someone, “Do you know where Barry Bonds went to school?” When I tell a person that he went to ASU, it’s instant gratification. Steroids, no steroids, he hit 700 plus home runs. Oh yeah, and did I mention he went to Arizona State?
3 replies on “It’s the Juice: Part Deux”
Comments, Questions, Suggestions Thanks to all who voted for this story. I really appreciate all who read the article, even if you didn’t vote on it or for it.
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Great Article — I am so happy someone wrote about the other side of the steroid argument, Barry’s side. If Barry did take steroids, I believe he did, he is still one of the best players to ever step on the baseball field. Misery loves company. And the media will stop at nothing just to tarnish a wonderful record, a record he worked hard for. Steroids cannot help you hit a ball. I have been playing baseball all my life, and all getting bigger will do is increase your bat speed and how fast you get the barrel of the bat through the strike zone. It will not help you to wait on a curveball, hit the other way effectively, or attain a better view of the strike zone. If they want start going asteric crazy, they better start years ago. How about when they lowered the mounds to give pitchers more of an advantage? How about when they tightened the stitches of the ball? How about when they moved the fences in? Babe Ruth never had a 314 ft. right field fence to hit over like they do at Yankee Stadium now.He and many others hit homeruns over 450 ft center field and 400 ft. right field porches consistantly. Their bats were not as good as they are now and the technology sucked compared to what it is now. Athletes have so much more of an advantage now than they ever did, and that is a natural move forward. But if they are going to worry about records and where to put asterics, the baseball record book will have asterics all over it and be completely purposeless.
re: Great Article Thanks for reading the article, and your input.
It’s true the mounds being lowered, fences being moved in, a tighter baseball,and the advancements of technology were all things that differentiate today’s game from the past. Although, I agree with your arguement that is why this controversy is such a big deal to some people. Babe Ruth didn’t need better technology, a shallow porch, or a tighter baseball to hit 700+ home runs, he was that great a hitter.
Bringing in fences, tightening the baseball, mounds being lowered were all done for one reason: TO INCREASE OFFENSE. So the league got what they wanted, they didn’t care players were juicing up, it was just another way to increase offense and get fans in the stands. Barry may be the scapegoat in all this, but you can’t take away something from him because the league and owners wanted to make money at any cost.
Thanks again for reading and your comments.