Stop Hating on Barry Bonds

It never occured to me how I felt about Barry Bonds. Through all the speculation and confusion surrounding steroids and the home run record, I listened intently to what my favorite sports writers and talking heads had to say. There were strong opinions both ways, but most left the decision making up to the individual. I usually prefer to jump on the pile on most issues.

As a former baseball player and enthusiast, I can relate to Barry on more levels than seen at first glance. I truly chased my dream of pro ball to the point of desperation for nearly 5 years. I was the kid in the batting cages at the high school before sun-up and the first bell. The kid (pre-skipping school) that was hitting balls of a tee at lunch and would then sprint to the locker room after last period to get dressed for more BP before practice. Took speed and quickness training that costs serious $$ w a world renowed S&C guy and even worked out with Carl Banks for 2 months straight. I took up squash to improve my quickness and ate supplements like creatine to gain bulk and power. I lifted 2 times a day and drank Ultimate Orange before each work out to "get the most" out of each rep. My freshman and sophomore year I slept with my bat that always had a sock on the barrell when I was not using it. I could be found after practice or a game in my basement with full catchers gear on, throwing tennis balls off the ball and performing blocking drills. I had drills for quickness when throwing out a runner and would often have mom, dad, or sean stand behind me and throw tennis balls off the ball so I could work on my foot speed and agility. I would play long toss to strengthen my arm (which was silly) and could throw a baseball over the left field fence standing on home plate at South Lakes (no crow hop). Started varsity as a freshmen, hit game winner home runs, and had a fair amount of buzz going into my junior year following a national championship and a strong showing at an elite camp. For 6 months of my life, the talk was PROS, not college. Imagine really believing that and chasing it down.

My junior year I was really bulking up (190-195) and was strong as I ever was. Balls were flying out of the ball parks for me and colleges were noticing. I inquired about the juice when I was 17 and getting ready to enter my junior baseball season. No luck. I would have given my left arm for some roids at that point and it may have put me over the edge and made me that 15-30lbs more that I needed to make serious noise. Following a great showing at a national all-star tourney on the hill, the word got aroung quick that I should be a pitcher and that was the end of my desire. I started partying harder and list the drive. If not for that ill-fated drug deal that never happened, I may not be writing this post right now.

Barry Bonds is one of the best players (atleast hitters) to ever play the game. Regardless of what he has or hasn't done, the man is and should always be at the top of baseball. I dont care about the juice...I really dont. Everyone needs to shut up and accept the fact that it was the game's fault and not the players. As a high schooler, it was becoming clear that the way to the top was power and speed (still is BTW). I wanted that edge so that I could get an ALL-MET nod against some donkey from Herndon not a lucrative contract like these guys are getting. No one in my camp was using but I still wanted the edge. Imagine if in college and rookie A ball everyone is pushing off, getting huge, and catching the eye of the big boys. It does not come from a moral place, the decision to "cheat". It comes from the belly of a 15-year old boy who hits 1,000 balls of a tee everyday. I did not want to be good....I wanted to be the best. That is the only way each MLB player has made it. That doesn't change once you arrive. You still drive, grind, and push to be better than the next guy even if it doesn't appear to be the case (Manny Ramirez). Sure, everyone gets sick of their job. But if the sales guy next to me illegally gets a hold of a list of super rich people who need tree work done, I am paying the guy off in the alley. It is what America was built on and it is only appropriate that this is happening to america's game. The same asshole that boos barry bonds is also the one who stepping on his boy's neck in the mailroom to get a cubicle next to sarah the stink-nosed itern. What we may do to accell is often not pretty and many time illegal. Welcome to america m-f-ers!

Give a round of applause to a man who has taken more shit in the past 3 years than every other user in the league has. We have a governor in california that pushed off for 10 years, made his billions, and know we all love him. It just proves my final point that Barry does not have an immorality problem. He is suffering from a jealously and hipocrisy problem that loves to find a home on the heads of our most visible figures. Congratulations to Mr. Bonds on his 755th. You may be a prick, but I will not deny that you are the definition of a HOF baseball player that was trapped in a dark era for the sport.