Put Barry In the Hall of Fame

I realize that talking about steroids in Baseball, especially in regards to Barry Bonds, has been done before. But I think this post is necessary because my opinion with regards to Barry Bonds is different from mainstream opinion. We will start out with a brief history:
Until just a few years ago, anybody who knew anything about baseball in America admired Barry Bonds. Ever since entering the big leagues, Barry Bonds’ career has been nothing short of phenomenal. Given all of Bonds’ amazing accomplishments and luminous feats, one would expect Bonds to be enshrined in Baseball lore, up with the greats like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, and Sandy Kaufax. However, so far history has treated Bonds far differently. In 2003, Bonds became entangled in a scandal when Bonds’ trainer since 2002, Greg Anderson of the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative, or BALCO, was indicted by a federal grand jury in the United States District Court For the Northern District of California and charged with supplying anabolic steroids to athletes. This led to speculation that Bonds had used performance-enhancing drugs. Bonds declared his innocence, claiming that his change in physical physique and improved numbers were due to a strict regimen of bodybuilding, dieting, and legal drug supplements and protein.
Bonds’ drug allegations have caused him personal havoc, and have turned the public against him. In 2006, Game of Shadows, a book written by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, two reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle, was published. Fainaru-Wada and Williams, in preparation for the book, performed a two-year investigation on BALCO, its founder Victor Conte, and Bonds’ personal trainer Greg Anderson. The book’s main conclusion provided reasons they believe Bonds and numerous other athletes decided to start taking steroids. Furthermore, Fainaru-Wade and Williams in some cases provided detailed regimens set up by Anderson. Seen as one of the most damaging accounts of reported steroid use by Bonds, the book claims that during the 1999 season, Bonds began using Stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterine. The book also documents Bonds’ increasing steroid use as Bonds conquered the all time home run record. Bonds sued the authors and publishers of Book of Shadows, but dropped the lawsuit because the authors had been subpoenaed as part of an investigation into who leaked the secret grand jury transcripts, which is what Bonds wanted all along.
The American public has seemed to believe everything published about Bonds, and has expressed their anger and resentment towards him, causing Bonds’ life to spin into turmoil. On opening day of the 2005 season in San Diego, a syringe without a needle was thrown onto the baseball field in San Diego. Fans booed Bonds consistently throughout the game, and numerous fans held signs displaying their dismay over Bonds, including signs reading “Baroid,” “Hank Hero, Barry Zero,” referring to Barry Bond’s race to reach Hank Aaron’s record of 755 home runs, and “Cheaters Never Prosper.[1]” This type of behavior was commonplace in stadiums across America, as Bonds was unable to live down the reputation the media had given him.
More discerning than syringes on baseball fields and fans venting their opinions on cardboard posters, anger over Bonds’ cheating allegations took a more extreme measure, when right before September 11, 2001, Bonds received word from the Federal Bureau of Investigation that he had begun to receive death threats. When Giants baseball resumed a week later after the 9/11 attacks, Bonds was shaken by the threats and mindful of the extra security surrounding him.
Bonds suffered further abuse with his record-breaking 756th home-run ball. The historic baseball was bought by clothing designer Marc Echo. Echo, who bought the ball from Matt Murphy, the fan who caught the ball as he was attending the Giants game in San Francisco on September 3, 2007, set up a website, http://www.vote756.com/, and let fans decide the fate of the ball. Voters were allowed to vote for three options for the ball, first, giving the ball to the hall of fame, second, putting an asterisk on the ball with a branding iron and giving it to the Hall of Fame, or putting the ball on a rocket ship and launching it into outer space.When the votes were tallied, fans decided to brand the ball with an asterisk and send it to the hall of fame. Bonds was clearly agitated at the fiasco Echo put Bonds’ record breaking ball through, saying to a reporter that "He's (Echo) stupid. He's an idiot. He spent $750,000 on the ball and that's what he's doing with it? What he's doing is stupid." Usually baseballs part of historic records are enshrined in baseball lore, and many people spend a lot of money to obtain a piece of baseball history. Yet despite Bond’s incredible accomplishment, he was embarrassed and mocked, and knows his historic baseball will forever be marked with an indication of the baseball public’s lack of acceptance towards him.
All of these incidents show that Bonds is taking an incredible amount of heat for the issue of steroids in baseball. Yet this is unjustified, as many others are escaping blame, including those in charge of major league baseball. When the 1994 strike led to the cancellation of the 1994 World Series, baseball officials were worried that the strike would have a lasting impression on the game, and that fans would give up on baseball. But just like Babe Ruth restored baseball as America’s pastime following the Black Sox scandal during the 1919 World Series, it was the home run contest between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa which saved baseball again in 1995. Both McGwire and Sosa broke the single season home run record in 1995, which had been in place since Roger Maris hit 61 home runs in the historic 1961 season. Throughout 1995, rumors of steroid use between McGwire and Sosa were steadily picking up steam. Yet McGwire and Sosa were proclaimed as heroes, returning baseball fans to the ballparks in droves. As revenues increased to unprecedented levels, baseball executives, including Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, as well as the players’ union, did nothing. In fact, they seemed to embrace what looked to be the new era of steroids in baseball, as evident with Major League Baseball’s sexy ad campaign, “The chicks dig the long ball.” As the new home-run friendly ballparks were jammed packed and the sluggers were noticeably larger, ownership was benefiting from the increased publicity and newfound fans. Major League Baseball claimed that they were unaware of everything going on, but given all that has happened, this seems nearly impossible.
Given this environment facilitated by MLB officials, it seems that many athletes turned to steroids. Home-runs were popular, and all types of hitters wanted a piece of the action. Furthermore, given the new breed of sluggers, pitchers sought a way to counteract these trends, and they themselves looked to steroids. It is also important to keep in mind that baseball is a profession. Athletes play baseball, among other things, to make money, usually to feed families and loved ones. With more and more players taking steroids, and in the process receiving more and more money for their increased performances, this meant a financial liability for those players not doing steroids. This no doubt led to players taking steroids who were afraid that they would be unable to compete with the new breed of ballplayers and would as a result be out of a job and unable to support themselves and their families.
At the same time as Major League Baseball needs to be given more blame for the issue of steroids than they have received for the situation, it is important to note that Bonds’ troubles may in part be racially biased. Hank Aaron, as he approached Babe Ruth’s all time home run record, received death threats as well, most racially based, as Hank Aaron was an African-American ballplayer, as opposed to Babe Ruth, who was white a white. Granted, with Bonds breaking Hank Aaron’s record, this is a case of two black men, but Bonds received death threats nonetheless. Furthermore, public opinion polls show that there is a racial divide between blacks and whites in their opinions of Bonds. In a poll by ABC news and ESPN, 28% whites hoped that Bonds would break Hank Aaron’s all time home run mark, while over 75% of blacks felt the same way. This averaged out to about 37% overall. 52% were hoping he would fail, while 11% had no opinion on the matter. On the other hand, the baseball public has been far more willing to forgive baseball’s all-time leader in hits, Pete Rose, a former white third baseman, for his gambling indiscretions, which included gambling on baseball games in which he was both playing and managing. And finally, despite the insistence by many that opposition to Bonds is not due to race, but rather his achieving baseball records through performance-enhancing drugs, drugs have been around in baseball for nearly 50 years. Jim Bouton’s book Ball Four describes amphetamine use in MLB as early as the 1960s. And one of baseball’s all-time greats, Mickey Mantle, suffered from alcoholism throughout his career. Granted, alcoholism does not help you knock out home-runs like steroids may do, but is important to see that drugs have been a around the sport for longer than people think.
While treatment of Bonds may be racially based, it is also important to consider the plethora of other athletes which are under steroid allegation, many of whom, unlike Bonds, have either admitted to doing steroids or have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. In 2003, David Wells, long time pitcher for numerous baseball players, has stated that between 25 and 40% of all major leaguers use performance enhancing drugs. And in 2005, in the television show 60 Minutes, ex-baseball player, author, and admitted steroid user, Jose Canseco stated that as many as 85% of baseball players used steroids during his time. Canseco also credited steroid use for his entire career. In his book, Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big, Canseco claims to have used steroids with many of baseball's top sluggers. Furthermore, Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League’s Most Valuable player, admitted that he was on performance enhancing drugs the year he won the award. And the Mitchell Report, the result of former United States Senator George J. Mitchell’s 20 month investigation on anabolic steroid and human growth hormone use in major league baseball, implicated 89 former and current MLB players are named in the report. Among those implicated were several well-known players such as Roger Clemens and Andy Petitte. As a result of these numerous accusations, books, and reports, and due to the mounting pressures of steroid use in baseball, more and more baseball players have admitted to using performance enhancing drugs, including Jason Giambi, Andy Pettitte, and most recently, Alex Rodriguez.
With all of the accusations and revelations being dug up on steroid use, a large number of baseball players have tested positively for performance-enhancing drugs, and have been suspended by Major League Baseball. Since 2004, when MLB announced a new steroid policy including random testing and suspensions for those who test positive for steroids, twenty-one players have tested positively for steroids, including Rafael Palmeiro, who was also accused by Jose Canseco for using performance enhancing drugs, and who at one point was seen as a shoe-in to make the hall of fame. His fall of fame status is currently in doubt. Furthermore, 19 players with major league experience who were in the minor leagues have tested positive for steroids as well.
Barry Bonds did not create BALCO, nor did he distribute the performance-enhancing drugs that came from BALCO. Yet he is facing a stiffer punishment from the government that Victor Conte, the mastermind of the whole operation. Bonds is facing prison time and will be heralded as the primary culprit of an era he did not create. The government has spent $6 million dollars trying to catch Bonds, who only real crime, if he in fact took steroids, has been destroying his own legacy. Barry Bonds is a great ballplayer, probably one of the greatest in the history of the sport. Whether or not he ever took performance enhancing drugs, from early on in his career it was evident that Barry Bonds was a sure fire hall of famer. Drugs have been part of baseball for a long time, and Bonds is not the only player to have played in Major League Baseball who the public believes has taken steroids. Many players have admitted to steroid use, and many others have tested positive for the drug. And despite a supposed leak in Bonds’ grand jury testimony in which he is said to have admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs, there is not concrete evidence that Bonds has taken steroids. Barry Bonds has suffered greatly due to allegations of his steroid use. He has feared for his life, been booed from nearly every stadium across the country, and has been mocked and insulted by sports commentators, public figures, and the general public. And sometimes criticism has appeared to be racially motivated. Bonds has suffered the most out of any other baseball player due to steroid allegations. Why has this happened to Bonds? One excuse seems to be that Bonds was the best player who may have done steroids, and as a result, has been making his mark in the baseball record books to a greater extent than other suspected and admitted users. Does this merit such unequal treatment? If one is to believe that Bonds does steroids, and wants to chastise him for it, this is not entirely a bad thing. Steroids are illegal in the United States, they have numerous health risks and are associated with violent and abusive behavior, and are seen as an unfair advantage when used with baseball or with athletic performances in general. Yet if one is to chastise Barry Bonds, other players deserve equal criticism as well. Of the players who have admitted to steroid use or have tested positive, though public opinions of him have deteriorated, they have not received death threats, and they have generally been able to continue his career in peace. Bonds is an equal human being to these other ballplayers, and deserves equal treatment. Anything else is simply a travesty.

SOURCES
1. Bonds Testifies that Substances Didn’t Work. (ESPN.com) http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1937594
2. Rovell, Darren Bonds will be individually licensed. (ESPN Internet Ventures) http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1661883
3. Fainaru-Wada, Mark and Williams, Lance. Game of Shadows. Gotham (March 23, 2006).
4. Pearlman, Jeff. Love Me, Hate Me. Harper Collins (May 2, 2006).
5. Olbermann, Keith. Ceremonial Syringe for Barry Bonds. (MSNBC.com) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12172860/
6. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2001/11/15/bonds011115.html
7. Barry Bonds 756 Home Run Ball-You Decide. (Fox Sports). http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/MLBonFOX/2007/09/18/Barry_Bonds_756th_Home_Run_Ball_You_Decide
8. Barry Bonds 756 Home Run Ball-You Decide. (Fox Sports). http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/MLBonFOX/2007/09/18/Barry_Bonds_756th_Home_Run_Ball_You_Decide
9. http://current.com/items/77221592_barry_bonds_ball_vote_now
10. Gassko, David. Do Chicks Dig the Long Ball?(Hardball Times) http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/do-chicks-dig-the-longball/ (January 31, 2008)
11. Poll shows sharp racial divide about Bonds. (The Associated Press) http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/18536856/site/21683474/
12. Briley, Ron. It Ain’t No Social Crisis: Barry Bonds in Historical Perspective. (History News Network) http://hnn.us/articles/41145.html
13. Canseco, Jose. Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant ‘Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big. William Morrow (February 14, 2005)
14. Many High-Profile Names will make Mitchell Report. (Newsday) http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ny-spmitch135499050dec13,0,4031096.story (December 13, 2007)
15. Why Barry Bonds' Home Run Record Chase Isn't the Worst Thing Ever in Baseball
abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=1941376&page=1 (May 9, 2007)

That's Just Like... Your Opinion, Man

So let's shift gears for a second here. I want to move entirely away from baseball for this post to focus on the Michael Phelps thing.

We have a 23 year old kid who just won six gold medals and two bronze at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. There's only one other Olympian who has ever won 8 medals at one Olympics (some Russian gymnast whose name I will not attempt to recreate here). The guy is pretty much a Greek God among men, rivaled only by Usain Bolt, who arguably had the best single Olympics performance of anyone.

But that's fine -- Usain can be the Greek God of the land, Phelps of the water. The point is that our Neptune (or Poseidon, if you'd prefer) has gotten into a little spat with some South Carolina authorities over a recent photograph.

Leon Lott, some podunk South Carolina sheriff (wouldn't it be cooler if it were Leon Lett?) has come out of his shroud of obscurity to claim that Phelps is just like any other criminal, arguing that this case may be even easier for him to make since we have a photograph and a partial admission.

Two other parties, the University of South Carolina (on whose campus the incident took place) and the Columbia police department have already stated that they will not take any punitive action against Phelps. And with good reason -- Phelps has refrained from specifically stating publicly that he smoked marijuana, and all the photo clearly shows is that he is in possession of drug paraphernalia.

Setting the specifics of his case aside, the immediate reaction of most people I've encountered has been "So what, he's a kid, it's just some pot at a party." And this is clearly a very rational response. If he had been smoking cigarettes at a party -- an act unquestionably worse for one's health -- would there be this much media attention? If he were shown chugging a beer? For the latter, I assume there would be a fair amount of media coverage, but not to the extent that we have now.

But the issue or rationale of marijuana legality is not really relevant to this argument. What is relevant is that this is a sports hero, an icon to many youngsters, who actively campaigned for anti-doping throughout the Olympics, and who now is pictured publicly engaging in behavior that brings him back down to reality.

I don't buy the argument that Phelps shouldn't have done this because he is a role model. It's not his duty to live anyone else's ideal life. What he does is certainly his own business, and he shouldn't be criticized for doing what he wants (especially when the alleged "crime" is so minor). What Phelps really should have been considering is what kind of ramifications this act could have on his big name endorsements. We can shout all day that kids will be kids, but for a Nike or a Gatorade, having one of your biggest athletes all over the internet taking a hit from a huge water bong isn't exactly good for business. It would be a completely rational and understandable business decision for them to pull his face off their products and ads.

All that said, what Phelps should have done after he took the pipe away from his face was punch the photographer in the face and smash his camera.

Well... maybe that wouldn't be the best PR move either.