When I first started this here website my lone goal was to find a way to randomly inject my witty two cents about the ever growing and changing sports scene. My superior (to a fault) knowledge of everything that happens in the sports world coupled with my regular tendencies to relate things, while maintaining a strong sense of sarcasm, has gotten me to the point where somewhere between 4 and 30,000 people read what I have to say.
(If I had to guess, I would say it's fairly close to 7)
However, there comes a time when even the most jovial and comical of writers have to be serious. I have a bone to pick with the media. Actually, it may even be with the entire American society. Some things have gotten way out of hand and they desperately need to be addressed.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I have long been a fan of San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds. Until now, I had never written anything on him; mainly due to the fact that defending Barry Bonds is the writers equivalent of supporting Communism in the 50's. It's ghastly, unheard of and utterly inexcusable...or so we are told.
For those of you that haven’t closed your browser in disgust, please hear me out. This isn't a call for you to change your opinions and suddenly embrace Barry Bonds. Rather, it is a call for you to sit back and ask yourself just why you hate him so much. Where does this built up disgust derive from? Most people will say it's because "he cheated, deceived and lied to us, and tainted a game we all love." Is that really what is at the root of all this? No.
Let's look at an objective example:
- Player X is one of the top players in the league, physically dominating the opposition
- Player Y, like X, is also a top player in the league
- X tests positive for steroids in the preseason
- Y never fails a steroid test
- X plays a quarter of the season, putting up extraordinary stats, while steroids flow through his blood, before a suspension is handed down
- Y is having yet another great statistical year
- X says the failed steroid test is a result of a spiked supplement, despite his own personal website saying he doesn't take any supplements
- When asked by the league to turn over the spiked supplement (so it could be tested and added to the banned list) X claims to have lost the bottle
- When asked the name of the spiked supplement, X claims he has forgotten (to avoid a defamation lawsuit from the manufacturer)
- X returns from his 4 week suspension to continued dominance on the field
- Y has maintained his equally impressive season
- The season ends and because of his great season, X, despite spending half the year either using steroids or under suspension for them, is voted to the All-Star game (by fans) and is in the running for various post-season accolades
- Because of his great season, Y, despite never testing positive for steroids, is publicly accused of cheating, tried in front of the grand jury, threatened to be removed from record books, and all but guaranteed to be blocked from future induction into the Hall of Fame
- Player X is Shawne Merriman - San Diego Changers Linebacker. A candid and outgoing young man who is regarded as one of the best players in the NFL.
- Player Y is Barry Bonds - An aging player approaching baseball's most coveted record. But is more known for being a "cheater, deceiver, lair and tainter of baseball."
How is this possible? How can one man, who can't be proven a cheater or liar, become a castaway and sacrificial lamb, while another proven cheater and liar is being applauded and rewarded for his accomplishments? I ask you again, why do people hate Barry Bonds?
People hate Barry Bonds because they are told to hate him. It's the cool thing to do. It's what the baseball elite do. And, most importantly it's what the media does. Thankfully, I am finally able to prove it.
As this past NFL season came to a close and various media outlets began selecting their award winners I paid special attention to the mention of Shawne Merriman. ESPN, CbsSportsLine and FoXSports all listed Merriman as a member of their Pro Bowl team. They all had Merriman as either winner or runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. All you could hear was praise of Shawne Merriman. The fans listened, as they voted Merriman a member of the AFC Pro-Bowl team. Here is Shawne Merriman, the absolute epitome of everything people claim to hate about Barry Bonds, and he is being publicly voted for awards.
The only contradicting voice came from Miami Dolphins end Jason Taylor, who uncoincidentally, is Merriman's main competition for Defensive Player of the Year. Despite his public opposition, the general consensus is that Merriman had "served his time" by sitting out during his suspension. Served his time??? Was Shawne Merriman in jail for a crime, or did he use steroids? A suspension can't undo all the work that was done by cheating. A suspension doesn't undo the lies about supplements.
Do I hate Shawne Merriman? Absolutely not. Professional athletes are under more pressure than any of us can imagine. Merriman spent several of his years in high school living in a homeless shelter in Washington DC, and routinely ate 2 or 3 meals a week. Now, he finds this pill that he can take and make millions of dollars and turn around life for him and his family; I can't completely fault him for doing it. What I want to know is why the public holds him to different standards?
The Media.
Barry Bonds has long had a reputation of being short and rude with members of the media. He didn't like giving interviews, he would snap back at people that asked questions he didn't like and often came across as downright bitter. So naturally, when speculation arose that he may have used steroids the same members of the media that had grown to dislike Barry Bonds portrayed him as the face of all that was evil and wrong with sports. Never mind the fact he has never tested positive. He was being sold as their villain...and the American public bought it.
This happens much more than most people realize. Consider the following examples:
- This past week Bobby Knight passed Dean Smith's record for men's college basketball victories as a coach. This tremendous feat was overshadowed by headlines that said Knight would be remembered as a "bully" and not a great coach. That Knight would have hundreds more victories if he could have kept his temper at Indiana. Even going as far as saying that his record will be forever tarnished and that it was a shame that his great record was held by such a bad role model.
Bad role model??? Let me tell you something about the programs Coach Bobby Knight has run:
1. His players always graduate college. Always. Over 95% of his players since he began coaching at Army in the 60's have graduated. Contrast that with the University of Cincinnati, which graduated less than 10 total players from 1990-2000.
2. He never has had the NCAA place sanctions on his school for recruiting violations.
3. His players absolutely love him and love playing for him.
4. Oh yea, he has won more games than any other coach. Ever.
But when people see me reading his Autobiography they ask, "Isn't that the guy with the horrible temper that can't stay out of trouble?" No. That's just all you are told.
- Allen Iverson has long had the reputation as a selfish and lazy ballhog that holds his team back from success by monopolizing the ball and hindering the development of younger players. Couldn't be further from the truth. Ever since his infamous press conference about why he had skipped practice his work ethic has been in the public's question. Put your preconceived notions aside and watch him play a game. You can't find anyone in the NBA that cares more and tries harder than Iverson. He is an absolute warrior who throws his 170lb body into people twice his size dozens of times a night. Why you ask? Because it was the only way his team had a chance to win. He put his body on the line every night for the past 10 years for a bad team and it's his work ethic that is in question?
Now that he is traded to a team with a pulse, look for him to defer shots he would have normally taken to teammates that are plain and simply better than his old ones. I have no doubt that he would fit into any team in the league, because he has always done exactly what it took for his team to have the best chance at winning.
- We are told that Pete Rose and Joe Johnson are cheaters that no man with a shred of morality could put in baseball Hall of Fame, but it's ok that:
a) Ty Cobb, known cheater who sharpened his cleats to injure opponents, is in the Hall of Fame
b) Babe Ruth, known alcoholic and womanizer, is the face of baseball's greatness
I have never heard anyone say President Clinton's portrait should be removed from the White House because he cheated on his wife. But having baseball's all-time leading hitter in the Hall of Fame is immoral because he gambled?
What are our standards here America? Is it literally whatever we are told?
I recently saw the movie V for Vendetta and to be quite honest, it thought it was horrifically over-rated. But for those of you that have seen it, I question how close our own media is to that of their corrupt and manipulative one.
I am not asking you to love Barry Bonds. I am not asking you to hate Shawne Merriman. I am asking you to sit back and think why you feel the way you do? Is it really what you think or is it what you are told?
(If I had to guess, I would say it's fairly close to 7)
However, there comes a time when even the most jovial and comical of writers have to be serious. I have a bone to pick with the media. Actually, it may even be with the entire American society. Some things have gotten way out of hand and they desperately need to be addressed.
Anyone who knows me well knows that I have long been a fan of San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds. Until now, I had never written anything on him; mainly due to the fact that defending Barry Bonds is the writers equivalent of supporting Communism in the 50's. It's ghastly, unheard of and utterly inexcusable...or so we are told.
For those of you that haven’t closed your browser in disgust, please hear me out. This isn't a call for you to change your opinions and suddenly embrace Barry Bonds. Rather, it is a call for you to sit back and ask yourself just why you hate him so much. Where does this built up disgust derive from? Most people will say it's because "he cheated, deceived and lied to us, and tainted a game we all love." Is that really what is at the root of all this? No.
Let's look at an objective example:
- Player X is one of the top players in the league, physically dominating the opposition
- Player Y, like X, is also a top player in the league
- X tests positive for steroids in the preseason
- Y never fails a steroid test
- X plays a quarter of the season, putting up extraordinary stats, while steroids flow through his blood, before a suspension is handed down
- Y is having yet another great statistical year
- X says the failed steroid test is a result of a spiked supplement, despite his own personal website saying he doesn't take any supplements
- When asked by the league to turn over the spiked supplement (so it could be tested and added to the banned list) X claims to have lost the bottle
- When asked the name of the spiked supplement, X claims he has forgotten (to avoid a defamation lawsuit from the manufacturer)
- X returns from his 4 week suspension to continued dominance on the field
- Y has maintained his equally impressive season
- The season ends and because of his great season, X, despite spending half the year either using steroids or under suspension for them, is voted to the All-Star game (by fans) and is in the running for various post-season accolades
- Because of his great season, Y, despite never testing positive for steroids, is publicly accused of cheating, tried in front of the grand jury, threatened to be removed from record books, and all but guaranteed to be blocked from future induction into the Hall of Fame
- Player X is Shawne Merriman - San Diego Changers Linebacker. A candid and outgoing young man who is regarded as one of the best players in the NFL.
- Player Y is Barry Bonds - An aging player approaching baseball's most coveted record. But is more known for being a "cheater, deceiver, lair and tainter of baseball."
How is this possible? How can one man, who can't be proven a cheater or liar, become a castaway and sacrificial lamb, while another proven cheater and liar is being applauded and rewarded for his accomplishments? I ask you again, why do people hate Barry Bonds?
People hate Barry Bonds because they are told to hate him. It's the cool thing to do. It's what the baseball elite do. And, most importantly it's what the media does. Thankfully, I am finally able to prove it.
As this past NFL season came to a close and various media outlets began selecting their award winners I paid special attention to the mention of Shawne Merriman. ESPN, CbsSportsLine and FoXSports all listed Merriman as a member of their Pro Bowl team. They all had Merriman as either winner or runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year. All you could hear was praise of Shawne Merriman. The fans listened, as they voted Merriman a member of the AFC Pro-Bowl team. Here is Shawne Merriman, the absolute epitome of everything people claim to hate about Barry Bonds, and he is being publicly voted for awards.
The only contradicting voice came from Miami Dolphins end Jason Taylor, who uncoincidentally, is Merriman's main competition for Defensive Player of the Year. Despite his public opposition, the general consensus is that Merriman had "served his time" by sitting out during his suspension. Served his time??? Was Shawne Merriman in jail for a crime, or did he use steroids? A suspension can't undo all the work that was done by cheating. A suspension doesn't undo the lies about supplements.
Do I hate Shawne Merriman? Absolutely not. Professional athletes are under more pressure than any of us can imagine. Merriman spent several of his years in high school living in a homeless shelter in Washington DC, and routinely ate 2 or 3 meals a week. Now, he finds this pill that he can take and make millions of dollars and turn around life for him and his family; I can't completely fault him for doing it. What I want to know is why the public holds him to different standards?
The Media.
Barry Bonds has long had a reputation of being short and rude with members of the media. He didn't like giving interviews, he would snap back at people that asked questions he didn't like and often came across as downright bitter. So naturally, when speculation arose that he may have used steroids the same members of the media that had grown to dislike Barry Bonds portrayed him as the face of all that was evil and wrong with sports. Never mind the fact he has never tested positive. He was being sold as their villain...and the American public bought it.
This happens much more than most people realize. Consider the following examples:
- This past week Bobby Knight passed Dean Smith's record for men's college basketball victories as a coach. This tremendous feat was overshadowed by headlines that said Knight would be remembered as a "bully" and not a great coach. That Knight would have hundreds more victories if he could have kept his temper at Indiana. Even going as far as saying that his record will be forever tarnished and that it was a shame that his great record was held by such a bad role model.
Bad role model??? Let me tell you something about the programs Coach Bobby Knight has run:
1. His players always graduate college. Always. Over 95% of his players since he began coaching at Army in the 60's have graduated. Contrast that with the University of Cincinnati, which graduated less than 10 total players from 1990-2000.
2. He never has had the NCAA place sanctions on his school for recruiting violations.
3. His players absolutely love him and love playing for him.
4. Oh yea, he has won more games than any other coach. Ever.
But when people see me reading his Autobiography they ask, "Isn't that the guy with the horrible temper that can't stay out of trouble?" No. That's just all you are told.
- Allen Iverson has long had the reputation as a selfish and lazy ballhog that holds his team back from success by monopolizing the ball and hindering the development of younger players. Couldn't be further from the truth. Ever since his infamous press conference about why he had skipped practice his work ethic has been in the public's question. Put your preconceived notions aside and watch him play a game. You can't find anyone in the NBA that cares more and tries harder than Iverson. He is an absolute warrior who throws his 170lb body into people twice his size dozens of times a night. Why you ask? Because it was the only way his team had a chance to win. He put his body on the line every night for the past 10 years for a bad team and it's his work ethic that is in question?
Now that he is traded to a team with a pulse, look for him to defer shots he would have normally taken to teammates that are plain and simply better than his old ones. I have no doubt that he would fit into any team in the league, because he has always done exactly what it took for his team to have the best chance at winning.
- We are told that Pete Rose and Joe Johnson are cheaters that no man with a shred of morality could put in baseball Hall of Fame, but it's ok that:
a) Ty Cobb, known cheater who sharpened his cleats to injure opponents, is in the Hall of Fame
b) Babe Ruth, known alcoholic and womanizer, is the face of baseball's greatness
I have never heard anyone say President Clinton's portrait should be removed from the White House because he cheated on his wife. But having baseball's all-time leading hitter in the Hall of Fame is immoral because he gambled?
What are our standards here America? Is it literally whatever we are told?
I recently saw the movie V for Vendetta and to be quite honest, it thought it was horrifically over-rated. But for those of you that have seen it, I question how close our own media is to that of their corrupt and manipulative one.
I am not asking you to love Barry Bonds. I am not asking you to hate Shawne Merriman. I am asking you to sit back and think why you feel the way you do? Is it really what you think or is it what you are told?
posted by The All-Manac at 1:35 PM
1 comments
