Saturday, Sep 6, 2008
Barry Bonds blames the media. Yeah, we got him good this time. Plus: Pat Summitt breaks Dean Smith's record. Can we compare them? Of course.
Mar 23, 2005 | Got him. It took years, but we got him. We finally got Barry Bonds, we media types. You should see the parties we're having right now.
"You guys wanted to hurt me bad enough, you finally got me," Bonds told assembled reporters Tuesday while saying that he might miss half the season or more following a recovery setback and his third knee surgery since the end of last season, though the Giants say they don't think he'll be out that long.
"You wanted me to jump off a bridge," he said. "You wanted to bring me down. You finally have brought me and my family down. You've finally done it, everybody, all of you. So now go pick a different person."
At last. So, OK. Let's see.
Who should we get?
I'm sorry, I'm breaking the media omerta by thinking out loud here. You're not supposed to know that there's nothing we like more than having the best player and most amazing hitter of his generation, and maybe any generation, on the sidelines. We'd hate to have someone approaching and passing Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list, then setting his sights on Henry Aaron's all-time record.
No, that wouldn't sell any papers, generate any page views, increase ratings. Especially in light of all the controversy over the legitimacy of Bonds' records that's followed our forcing him to take steroids.
And then there's the matter of our making an ex-girlfriend -- one who has said Bonds told her about his steroid use over their years together -- say that Bonds gave her cash he'd raised by signing baseballs so she could buy a house. That has pricked up the ears of the IRS -- an agency that does the media's bidding, as you know -- which wants to know if Bonds reported that cash income.
Listen: There is nothing easier in this world than for an athlete or entertainer to manipulate his or her public image. When you're watching the rest of the NCAA Tournament over the next two weekends, take note of how many times the TV announcers refer to a player as a delightful guy, a fine young man, a quality human being.
How do the announcers know this about these guys? Because they've heard it from the coach or the sports information director, or because they've talked to the player for a second or two at a practice or after a game, or, in a few cases, because they've sat down for a few minutes for an interview with him.
Are all of these star players great human beings, nice guys, fine young men? Were the star athletes at your high school or college great human beings?
Get Salon in your mailbox!