BARRY BONDS SPEAKS OUT

            

Let me start off by making this statement: I really think that I am one of a very select few people that can separate an athlete on and off the field. I mean, I am a Laker fan....and I love Kobe Bryant on that court. Man, is he awesome. Off the court, I think he’s a jerk. A prima donna jerk.

Same thing with Barry Bonds. The two differences is that, one, Kobe seems like a jerk to me by things that happen around him and stuff people say about him. Barry Bonds does it himself. Listen to him....and you’ll find him to be a jerk. I mean, any one who complains that his job of standing in left field is a hard job has massive stones. The other difference is that Kobe will stand in front of the camera....smile and pal around like he’s a regular Joe. A nice cat if you really know him. Barry Bonds could care less what you or I think of him. I mean, do you really ever see him steppin’ and fetchin’ for the media just so he gets some image points?? Nope. So, he’s a jerk that knows he’s a jerk and could care less he’s a jerk. Sometimes it is him saying things that most people won’t say.....like some of the stuff he says about the untouchable Babe Ruth. Sometimes it is just whining. Sometimes it is just contradicting yourself....which he did a lot of Tuesday.

First off....he held a news conference to tell the media that he hates them getting into his business. A time honored celebrity tradition. You hate the people that helped make you a household name. And before we get into this....remember, I am not part of "the media". I write a blog. Just my takes on things in the world of sports. I have NO journalistic intent. I’m just some guy, with a computer, who loves sports and loves talking about it. I, too, find the media contradictory as well. I mean, they bash Jason Giambi for basically saying nothing.....and now they are bashing Barry Bonds for saying everything. And they are really bashing him for bashing them. Oh, then he says that the media "don’t bother" him.

    

Okay...back to my writing here. So, Barry doesn?t like the media asking questions. Hey, why not go up to Washington....go into the White House...and tell George Bush that you don?t appreciate the US GOVERNMENT going through your business. I mean, after all, wasn?t it grand jury testimony in a federal case against BALCO that made you admit to using steroids?? The media?s job is to report on this stuff.

In all actuality, the media really has laid off the steroid problem in baseball. I mean, Jose Canseco is saying all of this stuff was going on in the last 1980s. So, it has been over 15 years that there has been admitted steroid abuse.....yet it "breaks" now?? Steroids, it seems, is like promiscuity to athletes. Everyone around the game knows about it. The coaches, staff, other players and the media. And just like they don?t report on guys with women on their arms that aren?t their wives....they also aren?t reporting what?s going on with the performance enhancers. They have to now....since there is heat from Senator McCain, an investigation into BALCO which links the sport, and by a book by a former athlete who used steroids and is singing like a bird.

Bonds goes on to smack Canseco about "fictional stuff" that he isn?t sure if it is or isn?t true. I will say this about Canseco. He may be a snitch who needs some money.....but when baseball set up a lax testing system that gave everyone advance notice of the testing...and STILL over 5% of players tested positive for steroids....well, I guess there is fire there. And it is getting out of control. And it is important since it really affects everything that has happened in the last decade or so. The 70 McGwire put up....and the 73 Bonds put up. Those great seasons Sosa had. Everything. Every thing.

Of course, his big defense [other than the legal restrictions around him discussing steroids] is "yeah I have lied.....but you guys have lied too!" Wow. An argument that a 5-year old may make. "Yeah...but you did it too!" That usually is followed by something about your friends and jumping off a bridge. He even pulled the ?alcohol and tobacco is worse? card as well.

He went on to whine "you need to clean out your closets before you start trying to clean mine!"

He also said that he is"not willing to talk about other athletes, because that?s not my style." He then goes on to talk about Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. He says "I don?t have anything to talk about Jose".....then says "You gotta come with a whole lot more. It?s just to make a buck. I was better than him then...and I?ve been better than him his whole career."

So I go back to my original point. I am 29 years old. Barry Bonds is the greatest baseball player in my lifetime. He is one of the greatest baseball players that ever lived. To me, he is worthy of his MVP awards. He is worth of his single season home run record. He is worthy of passing Hank Aaron.

But, he?s still a jerk.

CLICK HERE if you want to read a transcript of Barry Bonds press conference