Do you think that breaking the career home run record is destined to always be accompanied by controversy?
Question:People seem to make a big deal out of a poll showing only 40% of people are rooting for Bonds to break Aaron's home run record. I seem to recall that many people weren't exactly crazy about Aaron breaking Ruth's record at the time. The death threats made to Aaron are well known.
Although the hatred is for entirely different reasons isn't it weird that controversy surrounds the surpasing of this record once again!
When someone eventually breaks Bonds' record, what do you imagine the controversy will be about? Maybe if it is AROD, people will think he is undeserving because his ego is too big or he made too much money. Who knows...
Answers:
Will Greg Maddux end up 3rd on the ALL Time win list?
I don't think so. I think that it's just because lots of people, including me, say he takes steroids. If, say, Travis Hafner breaks it and hits 700 HR's this season, there won't be controversey because it's obvious he never took steroids.Has anyone ever watched a baseball and turned down the sound to listen to the radio.?
Well Aaron broke the record at a different time in history and the controversy stemmed from the racial bigotry of the 1960s (carrying over to the 1970s). not really his fault.Bonds hit many of his HRs while taking performance enhancing drugs against the rules. Whether he "knew" or not, he should shoulder the blame.
If ARod (or anyone else) breaks the record, I don't believe we will have any similar controversy. No one will make a big deal because of the size of his ego.
Was there controversy at the time McGwire broke the single season record? No. The controversy there came after the fact (similarly with Bonds breaking the single season record).
I think it wll depend on the person who is about to break the record.
Is it legal to steal first base? (going backwards)?
I agree, I think there will always be some controversy with breaking this record, especially in this "roid" age we are in. I really don't mind if Barry breaks the record, because I know some one will break his record in the next decade or so(ARod) and your right the next person will go through some of the same criticism, but nothing like Barry has gone through. The record books will never tell the whole story, that's why it is important for us to voice our opinions on Barry or who ever, and that's what is really important when it comes down to it. Would you rather be #1 and be under scrutiny and hated or #126 and loves?What was the seating capacity of the old busch stadium in st. louis?
No because A-Rod is going to break the record in a few years and its oging to be a thing of beauty!How much is this Roberto Clemente baseball card worth?
Yes. Thanks to the current drug issues, it will be a long time before fans trust anyone who threatens the all-time HR record again.What should be a joyous occasion has been stained forever by greed and a complete lack of ethics. How sad.
Who is the team to beat in the NL East? The NL overall?
That is an interesting point and question you have. I think of it like this, going for that particular record is kinda like going on a quest for the "holy grail" of baseball. and the player...WHOMEVER it may be that is chasing the record WILL most definately be put under a microscope and examined by the public and media. (and he almost has to be God...or very closely related in order to come out on top).It would take someone special to completely pass and be accepted in the "court of public opinion" and have the record chasing pace be completely controversy free... Those are the kinds of players that will turn it into a feel-good story..
But, I also think that hind-sight being what it is... After the McGwire and Sosa summers (and the Congressional testimonies), we are hard pressed to buy into feel good stories anymore. It's almost as if, back in those seasons of 70 homers and magical season races, we were captivated by the "smoke and mirrors". Now, we have to dissolve the smoke and break all the mirrors to find out what is "really going on" (sometimes it CAN prove to be nothing more than pure magic... But we can't belive that anymore).
Now days, where there is a record, it seems there must be controversy...or we'll find a way to create some...
Look at Biggio over in Houston (going for 3,000)... There are some indiots that will whisper and wonder, "HGH?"
Or A-Rod and his phenomenal start. All of sudden people think, "Steroids?"
Even Schilling's "bloody sock!" -- I mean does it really matter...or do we just need some "bloody" controversy?
So to answer your question... yes, contoversy is the record chaser's destiny. There may have been a time when the home run record could have been pursued without contoversy. But, not anymore. The media has trained us to think controversy first. feel good, later (if at all).
Who thinks freakazaka needs to go back to japan?
No, not if it's fairly earned like Aaron's was. Now Barroids on the other hand...More Questions & Answers...