The hate for Barry Bonds is ridiculous. It demonstrates the lopsided place sports has risen in America.
The hate for Barry Bonds is justifiable. He is stealing the record from one of the most admirable figures of 20th century sports.
I’m torn, and think both of the above.
In the US we love our sports…no shit Sherlock. But we only revere and therefore get upset about two…baseball and golf.
The reason is simple…the numbers in golf and baseball are burned into the brains of fans…why that is I have no theory…but perhaps it is because they are so supremely difficult to reach.
Match the following numbers with their sport and I think you’ll see my point.
1. 755
2. 11
3. 56
4. 18
5. .406
7. 18,355
I’m positive you know 1-5…they are in order Hank Aaron’s, and as of last night, Barry Bonds home run record, Byron Nelson’s consecutive wins record, DiMaggio’s consecutive game hitting streak, Jack’s majors, and Ted Williams’ single season batting average record…duh.
What’s #7? Here’s a hint…it comes from the most popular sport in America. It happened exactly 5 years ago…so it’s not ancient history. It’s not the number of soccer fans arrested at the last Europe Cup final and it’s not the number of syringes used in this year’s Tour de France.
Give up? It’s Emmit Smith’s amazing career rushing record. I don’t exactly remember it other than it was a headline and a few minutes on SportsCenter…duh duh duh, duh duh duh.
If Tiger broke Jack’s majors record while on steroids or any other enhancer we would be crushed…he would be as hated as Bonds, if not more so. If Dan Marino’s carrer passing yards record (61,361) goes down to Brett Favre this fall, we are going to notice, but just barely…it’s just a fact.
So in the next day or so Barry will hit number 756 and one of the most recognizable and important numbers in sports will change…and no one will clap except his family and a few idiots in San Francisco.
One person who will not clap tells the whole story for the rest of us…Hank Aaron won’t clap…he probably won’t even watch.
Why?
It’s baseball man.
