With that in mind, I must continue with my original intended post. After all, if I was to let this affect the way I would have lived my life before it happened, then I've let the terrorists win. You can just call me Jack Bauer.
I agree with most of the things the Jesus had to say in regards to Barry Bonds - he's an asshole, a liar and a cheat with seemingly no conscious who just happens to be one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Sure, his batting statistics are Hall of Fame worthy, but remember, this is a guy that only four years ago became the first and so far only member of the 500 - 500 club when he stole his 500th base. No one else even has 400 HR's and 400 SB's. I don't personally want to see him break the record. If he does, however, I don't want to see the accomplishment cheapened in the media by the steroids allegations. It's not fair to play down his accomplishments based on speculation and because the man isn't well liked. I just want to see him blow out his knee for good so everyone can forget about him.
I bring that up so that I can move onto my next point - why does Roger Clemens get to skate by without anyone in the media so much as batting an eye? Everyone knows he got hit in the Grimsley fallout last year, so the idea was out there. But it was gone in a week. So let's break it all down. He follows the same arc that Bonds did. He was always an amazing player, he put up astonishing statistics, and as far as anyone could tell, he wasn't that great a person. I mean, he stabbed two different AL East teams right in the back. He signed with Toronto (after four mediocre years in Boston lowered his value), as Boston was trying to lock him into a deal to retire as a Red Sock. After being traded to New York and winning a few titles, he decided to retire. Only, instead of retiring, he returned the next year for his hometown Astros because they wouldn't make him travel with the team when he wasn't pitching. He even claimed that during the World Baseball Classic last year all the dry cleaners were closed because the Japanese and Koreans were at the games. That one sure didn't blow up like Don Imus' ho comment did it? What a stand up guy. He just embodies the values of team spirit, loyalty and responsibility doesn't he. Great role model.
Barry Bonds came under the scrutiny of suspicious writers when his numbers (and his head and neck) erupted around the age of 40. He no longer was a speedy guy who could steal bases and still hit for power. He became a ball mashing monster who drew intentional walks in record numbers because it seemed any ball thrown within ten feet of the
plate was going into the Cove. He also drew scrutiny for the fact that he was able to remain fairly healthy even as he grew older. One of the benefits of steroids is that they allow aging athletes to prevent injuries, making them more durable. Remember, you don't hit 73 runs if your missing games with groin pulls or elbow strains.Roger Clemens' last two years in New York featured ERA's of 4.35 and 3.91, respectively. Far from amazing numbers. His next year, the first in Houston, saw Roger improve to a 2.98 ERA. That's an entire run a game improvement. The next year, however, he posted a 1.87 ERA. The only other time he was below the two run a game mark was 1990, when he was 27 and had one of the best seasons of his career. This doesn't correlate at all with Bonds' rise? And speaking of durable, he started 32 games that year. He missed a late September start with a strained hamstring, but it took him three games of pitching through the injury before he finally sat down to take a start off.
I bring all this up because of an article blurb I read this morning at Ben Maller's rumor page. In light of pitching staff injuries to two of the three suitors vying to overpay enough to earn the Rocket's services this season, the issue was raised of whether he would speed up his decision process in order to help whatever team he ends up on stay afloat. His response, via agent Randy Hendricks, was simple: "Nothing is moving up our timetable." Just another classic example of the true asshole that is Roger Clemens. Why should he adjust so that he can help a team reach his ultimate goal of winning another World Series? No, he's just going to hold teams - only three teams, he won't even acknowledge any other ones - over the barrel for as much money as he can possibly squeeze out of one more year. Last year, he signed to the tune of 22 large. That's a
hefty price to pay for a pitcher who won't even start pitching in the bigs until sometime in June. But of course, none of that matters - he has no responsibility to whichever team he ends up on, or to his teammates. The only responsibility is for said team to bring the Rocket his next title.When you break it down, Bonds and Clemens are both bona fide legends whose numbers dipped somewhat as their careers dragged on. They both had a resurgence as they neared their 40th birthdays to put up astonishing stats, as well as surprising durability (save for Bonds' injury lost 2005, from which he seems to have bounced back pretty well from, considering he could hardly walk last year.) Both have been linked to steroids rings. And as everyone knows, both are complete dickheads. So why is all the shit heaped on Bonds while Clemens comes out smelling like roses? It's complete bullshit and I just don't get it. I don't see any more redeeming qualities in Clemens then I do in Bonds. This seems the perfect set up to play the race card, but I refuse to believe in that because the American public is too smart to racially profile against athletes in such an extreme manner. I refuse to accept it when another writer uses it, and I will never argue it myself because it's lazy writing; it's an uncreative tool used to stir up shit by people who can't form a real, solid argument. As for my argument in this matter, I don't have one. I see no excuse for the disparity of shit throwing concerning these two cock suckers. So if anyone has any ideas, please enlighten me. I'll appreciate it.
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