My Take on Bonds' "Records"
I've heard a lot of people say that Barry Bonds' records should stand on the technicality that taking steroids is not officially against baseball rules. I think this is silly. Even if technically he is okay, he was breaking federal law, and that's worth something. It's time to activate the George Brett Honorary "Spirit of the Game" clause and kick all steroid era Bonds stats out. We can start with the day he was first issued an extra large cap.
Let's look at it this way. What if Bonds had somehow switched balls just before he went to bat, leading to more home runs. Is this illegal somewhere in the baseball rule book? I don't think it is (and if it is, another example could be used). But, it's obviously against the spirit of the game, and all stats using the altered baseball should be expunged. This case is similar. Not in the rule book, but obviously against the very basics of good sportsmanship. To view it differently is to take too legal a stand, I feel.
posted by Mike @ 3/23/2006 04:56:00 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I also think that the "wasn't against the rules of baseball" argument is laughable. I wonder what the baseball rule book says about firing a gun at the pitcher. Or setting mines in the outfield.
This reminds me of A Few Good Men when Kevin Bacon goes up to Noah Wyle and asks him to find the section in the army rule book concerning "Code Reds," which of course aren't listed. This is supposed to illustrate that Code Reds don't exist. Tom Cruise then walks by Kevin Bacon, takes the rule book, and asks Wyle, "Could you point out to me where in this book it describes the location of the mess hall?" Wyle says it's not in there. Cruise says, "But you do eat meals, right?"
I agree with you both. There are plenty of players who have raw talent but work really hard to play at the professional level. They may never get the stats that Bonds has but they also did not use a crutch to get there either. Sosa got in trouble for using a lighter bat to enhance his game. I think in today's society it is all about trying to get from point A to point B the easiest way. Which that in and of itself is a sad commentary on our society.
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