Bonds Haters: Please post why you hate Bonds

[Bremen]

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What do people here think of Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb?

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If Ty Cobb played today he'd probably wind up in a jail cell before the season was over. IIRC he once charged into the stands at the polo grounds and beat a fan who was heckling him.

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Sorry.

[kyro]

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All the haters, give Bonds some credit. he may be a [censored], but I don't ever remember hearing about him shooting his gun in public or having dog fights in his backyard. BTW, How much do you all love Mike Vick? He is SO charming, isn't he???

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This is actually a very good point... relative to MLB players he might have a prickly personality, but relative to NFL or NBA standards he's almost a saint.

[/ QUOTE ]I mean really, other then his personality, he doesn't act like an idiot. Off the top of my head, I don't believe Bonds has even been fined by the league or the Giants. Amazing.

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Touche.

But I don't like Vick anymore, either.

[VarlosZ]

Everyone keeps saying that he's a giant [censored], but no one is explaining why they believe that to be true. I get that he's a total aloof dick to the media, but so what? I wouldn't want cameras shoved in my face, either. Is he a dick in his personal life?

My gut feeling is that most of the negative feelings towards Bonds stem from his adversarial relationship with the press. He's got a vicious circle thing going with them, so all the negative stuff in his professional life comes out, and a lot of neutral stuff gets spun in an ugly way. If Bonds was the exact same person except that he was very accomodating and flattering to journalists, the public would view him in a much more positive light, on balance.

[Triumph36]

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Everyone keeps saying that he's a giant [censored], but no one is explaining why they believe that to be true. I get that he's a total aloof dick to the media, but so what? I wouldn't want cameras shoved in my face, either. Is he a dick in his personal life?

My gut feeling is that most of the negative feelings towards Bonds stem from his adversarial relationship with the press. He's got a vicious circle thing going with them, so all the negative stuff in his professional life comes out, and a lot of neutral stuff gets spun in an ugly way. If Bonds was the exact same person except that he was very accomodating and flattering to journalists, the public would view him in a much more positive light, on balance.

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i believe he supposedly f'd over his ex-wife in the early 90s on child support - however i'm too lazy to look this up.

i don't hate bonds, but i don't like him either. he doesn't seem like a particularly bad guy, but just more self-obsessed than most athletes, which is difficult.

[Needle77]

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All the haters, give Bonds some credit. he may be a [censored], but I don't ever remember hearing about him shooting his gun in public or having dog fights in his backyard. BTW, How much do you all love Mike Vick? He is SO charming, isn't he???

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This is actually a very good point... relative to MLB players he might have a prickly personality, but relative to NFL or NBA standards he's almost a saint.

[/ QUOTE ]I mean really, other then his personality, he doesn't act like an idiot. Off the top of my head, I don't believe Bonds has even been fined by the league or the Giants. Amazing.

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Good stuff here. No idea why this has never come up.

[slothinator]

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Everyone keeps saying that he's a giant [censored], but no one is explaining why they believe that to be true. I get that he's a total aloof dick to the media, but so what? I wouldn't want cameras shoved in my face, either. Is he a dick in his personal life?

My gut feeling is that most of the negative feelings towards Bonds stem from his adversarial relationship with the press. He's got a vicious circle thing going with them, so all the negative stuff in his professional life comes out, and a lot of neutral stuff gets spun in an ugly way. If Bonds was the exact same person except that he was very accomodating and flattering to journalists, the public would view him in a much more positive light, on balance.

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While the media thing is amusing, he is also well known for being a prick to his teammates. He has cheated on his wife, paraded his kids in front of the media, and lied repeatedly about his involvement and/or knowledge concerning steroids. Plus, his breaking of the HR record is tainted by the fact that he used steroids. It's not an accusation; he admitted it. He just insists that he didn't know they were steroids. That is why I don't want to see him break the all-time HR record. He is without question one of the greatest to ever play the game and sure-fire first ballot HOFer. It just sucks that he is going to pass Henry Aaron because he extended his quality playing years through the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs.

[JMurder3]

Who cares what kinda guy he is? I don't watch him play baseball & say "dayum, I wanna have a personality like that guy." He's just amazing to watch play, and has been for years. Taking steroids doesn't help you see pitches as well as he does. Half the league was taking steroids when Bonds was supposed to have been. Just cuz he excelled in this era more than other cheaters doesn't diminish his accomplishments. Hank Aaron was a great baseball player, and Bonds breaking his record will do nothing to diminish this. I watch baseball to root for the teams I like, and to see impressive things. Bonds is constantly doing impressive things, even at his age (and without steroids).

[RedBean]

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If Bonds was the exact same person except that he was very accomodating and flattering to journalists, the public would view him in a much more positive light, on balance.

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Bingo.

People are judging him through the eyes of sportwriters and sports media, those of which he has shown open disdain, and in return he gets "the treatment", with his animosity for them stemming back to their treatment of his father, and the lessons he learned early about never being able to trust the media.

He has never hidden his distaste for the sports media, nor has he given into the game of scratching their backs so they don't stab him in his. Sure, he's paid the price for it over the years as they subtley, and not so subtley, turn the tide of public opinion about him and his personality against him....but that is what sheeple do, they lap up everything a Rick Reilly or a Jeff Pearlman says and take it as gospel, instead of delving into the broader complexities of the man.

One only need look at how he treats his inner circle to get an idea of just how much of a person he may very well be...he's a classic recluse in this department, he treat's those close to him well, those he cares about, and he could give two shits about the masses who boo him one day and ask for his autograph the next when it serves their own purposes.

Think about it...how many friends do you guys have that would do four federal stints without saying a peep, on the basis of a childhood friendship and loyalty?

Those who know him, love him. Those who hate him, don't know him.

Just about every sportswriter who has a chip on his shoulder regarding Barry can be traced back 10-15-20 years to a time when they first approached him kissing his ass looking for a bit of info, a sound bite, or favorable access for interviews, only to be show indifference or disdain, and have since carried out their personal dislike for the main in trying to shape public opinion.

But that's what is great about Barry...he doesn't care, and he doesn't give in to their "leverage" over him in such a way that just about every other pro athlete has capitulated too in one way or another.

He remembers how the media treated his dad, he remembers the warnings from Willie and his dad about how the writers are out to use you, and will turn at first chance to serve their purpose. He remembers the warnings never to trust them.

But most importantly, he knows he's making 15+ million a year to hit a baseball, while these vitriolic writers are legging out 50k and he refuses to let them get any satisfaction of power or dominance over him.

And that's why he's Barry Bonds, and you're not.

[kidcolin]

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i don't hate bonds, but i don't like him either.

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That sums it up for me. There really aren't any athletes I hate a whole lot.