it makes me sick.

cheater.

It's bad enough that I have to live in the Bay Area and have, for the past month, had to pass newstands trumpeting the march to the record as if it's worthy of adoration.

But to see that celebration? Well count me as another member of sick bay. If this is a tribute to baseball, maybe we can hire some guys to re-enact the 1919 World Series in time for its 100th anniversary.

I can't believe you support this guy. You even let that woman on BCC make it look like you believe he never cheated because he's never failed a drug test. Even for a republican, that is pretty close-minded...

hoooray Baseball. Thanks Bud for turning a blind eye ten years ago, then doing nothing once we all found out. Wouldn't want to risk your job or anything.

Really trying to psych myself into rooting for A-Rod now.

So every home run he hit was off a steroid free pitcher? Lots of players took steroids, but only one player has hit 756 homers. He's an ass, and likely took steroids, but I enjoy seeing history made.

If you are pissed about steroids in baseball, blame the powers that be who ignored the problem. They knew the Dykstra's, Canseco's and Caminetti's were taking, and turned a blind eye.

"It makes me sick." Get over yourself, no it doesn't. And, if it did make you sick, you're a child. Sick?

"Cheater." Cheater? Really, it's that black and white? So, he's a "cheater"? Okay, define that...really, define it.

Matt and Kati: Do you believe that everything written about Bonds (almost ALL negative), is true? Is it possible to you that he really is as good as he is? Here's a hint: He's that good and if he wasn't intentionally walked so much his numbers would be even better. Oh, he "cheated"? He did huh, okay, what did he do?; what were the rules at the time?; and what effect did it have on his numbers?

I'm continually shocked at people's hated of Barry Bonds. Are you all so miserable in your lives that Barry Bonds riles you to such a boiling point? And yeah, I am calling some of you out, you bet I am.

Fact is, Bonds showed a nice side of himself tonight--even bristling at Pedro Gomez--and, for as much as baseball screws so much up, the ceremony was very nice and both Bonds and Baczik (sp?) were very classy.

So, go all sanctimonious on me and tell me how Bonds is evil and a cheater and that he sucks and that he's responsible for killing babies and he ruined baseball and he lies and he cheats some more and on and on and on. 'Cause your (and yes, I mean YOUR) disdain for this person that you don't know is hindering you from watching one of the greatest players of all time.

I have seen only one major league game live in my life, and that was a game between Colorado and San Francisco in which Barry Bonds, naturally, hit a home run. That was the day he tied Mark McGwire or was it Frank Robinson?

In any case, congratulations to one of the greatest players in baseball history, a man who has found his way to aachievements never dreamt of, and who had already clinched his way to the Hall of Fame before his four consecutive MVP awards.

This record will stand for all time or at least until Alex Rodriguez breaks it in 2013.

So, go all sanctimonious on me

It's truly amazing how fond all the Bond sycophants are of that word, as though they lack any sanctimony themselves.

Whatever. A-Rod is going to break the record in 6-8 years anyway.

Paul: I don't think you know what "sycophant" means because I'm not one for anyone and that includes Bonds. A-Rod may very well break this record, but I wouldn't consider it a done deal just yet.

If I'm so wrong, then why don't you answer the questions that I noted above? No, don't want to do that, it's much easier to dismiss everyone who sees "steroids" and "cheating" in a much different and much more complicated light. Fact is, I AM becoming more of a Bonds fan with each passing day. And the reason for this is that I fundamentally don't trust any debate or issue (and especially those that are driving it) that has been portrayed to me as so totally one-sided.

I'd encourage you and others to consider such things as rules, gray areas, heads-in-sand, "journalism," blind eyes, legitimate training and nutrition methods, illegitimate training and nutrition methods, "cheating" and its definitions, "steroids" and their definitions and effects, evidence, contrary evidence, games played, smaller parts, tighter balls, chance, God-given ability, history, newly created history (i.e. something new isn't somehow impossible), greenies, your own bias(es), others' bias(es), and on and on.

"I'd encourage you and others to consider such things as..."

blah blah blah. Consider your own biases, Kent. And switch to decaf while your at it.

Any reasonable definition of cheating includes breaking the rules of the game you're playing. Even when the game wasn't testing for substances it banned--it had still banned them! Using those substances at that time--before testing--was cheating, pure and simple.

Does anyone know for sure whether Bonds did that? Yes, at the least a few people do know the truth. Whether that truth is that Bonds did or did not cheat, only those few people know and the rest of us don't. So we can only draw our own conclusions from what we see, read, hear and know of the world in our own experience.

Is Bonds "guilty" of cheating, in the legal sense? No, not yet at least. Maybe someday, maybe never.

Is there sufficient evidence to support an allegation of cheating for the court of public opinion to consider? Absolutely.

I do consider my own biases and I question myself all the time and move my opinions to and fro. I don't know what drug policy you're referring to in MLB before the most recent one, which, to date, Bonds has not failed. I'm well aware that many in the court of public opinion consider him a "cheater." That's part of my problem. What are "those substances" and, since when is a CYA memo from anyone a rule of anything?

Please, I don't doubt that Bonds and most professional athletes, from the glorious Lance Armstrong to pick-your-NFL player pushes limits and introduces substances into his/her body to stay fit, improve performance, believe that he/she is improving performance, etc. Is it "cheating"? That's a big gray area (barring rules to the contrary) and I feel that many of us are placing unfair moral judgements on players that many of us could never adhere to? Is that my own bias? Maybe, I guess, but I'm not afraid to question why Bonds is the glutton for punishment for the "steroids era" in baseball.

The 'decaf' comment sure is a good one. Yeah, I'll have to consider that one. Oh wait, was that an insult? Whew, good insult.

BONDS IS THE HR KING.

I guess all those in the media who reported that they "knew" what Hank Aaron was saying when he tried to svoid saying anything about being at the game, choked on their morning coffee when they heard Aaron's tribute to Bonds and secondarily Selig's kind words.

Face it haters, you have almost nothing left.
Using Aaron as your last tool to bash Barry and Seligs non-committment as "evidence" that he must "know" something is coming down. RIDICULOUS.

I wish people would start using their heads for more than a hat-rack when they try to think these things through.

Do you honestly believe if Selig "knew" or was privy to evidence uncovered by the Feds or Mitchell, that he would allow Bonds to approach and overtake Aaron.

Can MLB in good conscience (and I use the term loosely here for them) charge people the money they are charging for this Home Run Tour and then have it blow up in their faces weeks or months later.

Do you not think that what they "know" is that whatever "case" their was is melting away so fast, they don't know how to backpedal fast enough.

The purists and those who are mourning the loss of the meaning of "numbers like 714 and 756" can go cry in their pillow like they did when their mommie thre away their baseball card collection and grow the F-up.

Or not, I don't care. In fact, I hope they live a miserable, painful existence waiting for their new knight in shining armor, the fair A-Rod for the Bronx to gallantly rescue them from the great scourge of Barry Lamar Bonds.

DROP DEAD HATERS.

"BONDS IS THE HR KING"

Is this true? For now, yes.

What does it mean, and how does that meaning compare across the past and future of baseball? Only time will tell.

"DROP DEAD HATERS"

Sure, some hate Bonds, but don't presume to tar the majority. Most simply have very legitimate questions and concerns, something those who are blind fans of Bonds--looks like you might be one of those--choose to ignore, even denigrate.

But your blind eye is not the only eye upon this subject.

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Bonds got the record. In your face you ignorant fucks.

By the way, I don't agree with the Charles and Greg either. I don't find this whole "mess" funny nor something to gloat about.

Man, I am so happy the circus has left town and the baseball season is finally underway.

Mark,
With all due respect:

"DROP DEAD HATERS"
"Sure, some hate Bonds, but don't presume to tar the majority. Most simply have very legitimate questions and concerns, something those who are blind fans of Bonds--looks like you might be one of those--choose to ignore, even denigrate"

If you're not the crowd of "HATERS" you shouldn't take offense to my use of the term directed at those who are.

Also, do you not denigrate when you refer to Bonds fans as "Blind" or when you imply that we "ignore" things that only people with superior intellects like yourself and maybe Bob Costas can understand?

Is that not condescending?

"BONDS IS THE HR KING"
Is this true? For now, yes.
What does it mean, and how does that meaning compare across the past and future of baseball? Only time will tell.

I didn't say he would be the HR king forever, the for now in implied.

What does it mean? What did it mean when Ruth passed Connor. If I recall, fans though Ruth and the HR was a bastardization of "real" baseball. Or am I wrong here.

Aaron is only now getting the credit he probably deserved back then and didn't get. And in part, only because he is being used as a tool to bash Barry.

It is long past time for those that would like to bash Barry to put up or shut up. Not this continuous water drip of innuendo, supposition, half-truths and outright lies and misinformation.

If it's America's past time we should be applying good old American social values to it, not KGB style BS.

My eyes are wide open my friend, time to show me something. You perhaps mistake a closed or blind eye for a critical eye.

Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't make them blind or ignorant (derivative of your word ignore).

That was Costa's trick on Mike and Mike this morning. Golic's replacement had the temerity to not agree with his pearls of wisdom, so he threw the ignorant, lack of common sense route. He sounded real intelligent. I though the was going to start crying.

And don't give me the Game of Shadows line, I'm one of the few people, it seems, who have actually read the book in it's entirety, not just the excerpts.

The book is based on the Feds evidence that has produced zip, zero, nada. What say you to that?