Giving Bonds some credit

Dr. Giganto

What Bonds is doing this year is amazing. Because he's an incredible ballplayer.

That doesn't take away the fact that there's like a 99% chance he did something he shouldn't have a few years, and his overall numbers (which would have been INCREDIBLE, no matter what) were inflated because of it.

There's nothing that can be done about it though. What's done is done. We cant go back in time and test Bonds' urine or catch him in the act or anything like that. As a result, we can't asterisk it, or whatever. But we do have to consider the circumstances surrounding Bonds' incredible achievement. Which is the fact that his accomplishments were almost definitely aided by chemicals that were not only against the rules of baseball, but against the laws of the United States of America. And can be really harmful to your body (ask Lyle Alzado...) in the long run

Cheating is cheating. We shouldn't just shrug it off and say "eh, everybody does it" The sports world should strive to be as clean and legitimate as possible, and thus we need to remember the individuals who achieved their feats through less-than-honest means, if for no other reason than to help the sports world be proactive when addressing other scandals in the future

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

Honestly, I don't think anyone is safe from this era. The media will dig and dig and dig until they find something they can use to tear these stars down.

There's already been stories published about Pujols and Howard claiming that they've dabbled in performance enhancers (obviously no proof) and now Jose Canseco is claiming to have things on A-Rod.. Whether he does or not, who the hell knows, I can't stand Canseco, but I guess if it wasn't for him Congress wouldn't have gotten involved and baseball still wouldn't have a testing policy.

There's going to be a cloud surrounding any historical achivement in baseball for probably the better part of the next decade.

Lastly, anyone see Kerry Wood lately? Tell me he wasn't on something, dude looks like he lost a person. Fucking skinny.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Kerry Wood is on something, a workout plan

Slimdust

this era in baseball is tainted and it sucks. So just look at it like this..

Babe Ruth is the best hitter in his era...

Aaron is the best in his..

And Bonds is the best in his..

It is just unfortunate that there is only one record book..

Dr. Giganto

Yeah, there will be a cloud of suspicion over this entire era, and it's pretty sad.

As a side note, one of my co-workers has a cousin in the Cardinals minor league system, and he said he knows that Pujols used steroids at some point in his career. He said the only star on that team that he knows for sure is clean is Scott Rolen. I realize this is like third-hand info, so take from that what you will...

Dr. Giganto

you listened to Mike and Mike this morning, didn't you?

Slimdust

lol, yes. Every day on my way to work.

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I disagree. Ruth was the best in his era and Bonds is the best in this era, but Aaron isn't the best in his.. I'd take Willie Mays or Mantle over him.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

What about the Ted Williams era? Come on

Blitzkrieg

Administrator

I'm sorry. Ted and obviously Joe D. rank up there with anyone.. If Williams hadn't lost 5 years to the service who the hell knows what he could have accomplished.