What "message" is USA BASEBALL sending?

quote:

Originally posted by Ramrod:
Why is this difference in treatment so evident, because the condemnation that Mark McGuire received is no where near the vitriolic level and vehemence that ones sees when the discussion goes to that of Barry Bonds. In fact, Mark Mc Guire has essentailly gotten a pass...he admitted to using and still has his records.

RR a couple of differences betweem McGuire and Bonds.
FIRST however as others have posted McGuire has gotten killed by the press about his testimony in front of congress.

To me the biggest difference is that Bonds is still actively playing and chasing AARONS record. This is a man who put his life on the line to pass Babe Ruth, and had to subject himself to true racism, not what you conjure up on a meaningless post (no offense to this site, but it has no true impact beyond us).

One fact you forget is the race game plays both ways. Don't exploit it.

Ramrod,

All of the twisted logic, over-the-top verbiage and rambling paranoid paragraphs only serve to indicate that you have been left behind.
Far far behind - and I truly feel bad for you.

I sincerely hope you find peace this Christmas season.

RR,

All are entitled to opinions, yours of course included. But there are times when listening to another opinion can drive one up a wall, where it seems to have no logical or factual basis, or where for some reason it seems that emotions have cut off the blood flow to the facts.

Whether he is white, black, or hispanic, Bonds has acted for most of his career like a jerk. If he has a charitable foundation, that is commendable, but it doesn't change what appears to be his very unpersonable personality. Yes, some sports writers get way too carried away with their own self-perceived importance, sometimes creating news by stirring the pot, and sometimes by unfortunately injecting themselves into the story. It is deplorable when the media doesn't report the news, but makes it. Bonds has cetainly aggravated his share of the press, so undoubtedly he won't get many benefits of the doubt, like more personable star athletes might get. I don't see his color as a factor, but his personality, you betcha. Fact: He has admitted using steroids. He says he didn't know what the stuff was so it was innocent. Maybe true, but given his strict physical and dietary regimen, it would seem unlikely, and to most, extremely doubtful.

Would he be a great player without the "stuff"? Sure, he was tremendous before he started looking like marshmellow man. Would he be as great for as long? Most think not, but we'll never know for sure.

Surely you'd have to agree he hasn't helped himself even a little bit with his abrasive personality. But I can't see the race card being appropriate or right. A whole lot of black athletes can sadly but rightly claim they were treated badly because of their race, but I just don't believe Bonds is one of them.

Ramrod uses two avenues.

That is all he has ever used on this site. Whether it was as PIC or EYE or Ramrod.

It remains the same.

One - is an embarassingly sophmoric use of the English language. It is - truly - an embarassment. IMO.

Two - is the race card. No need to comment on that any further.

IMO - As I have said before when he posted under other aliases - he should be removed from the site. There is no room on this site - or in our own communities for that matter - for his disgusting accusations and commentary.

He is a dinosaur. IMO.

Geez, TPM....Didn't mention the on and off the field contributions of guys like Aaron, Mays, Banks, Robinson, Winfield, Paige, Campanella, etc. to your kids? Those black dudes that SIGNIFICANTLY contributed to baseball and society? Just the white guys like Ripkin, Clemons, Maddux (and two minorities, Koufax and Alou)?

My point, TPM, is this: One can easily see how guys like RamRod / PIC / EYE / Whomever develope the attitudes they do.

No doubt, TPM, you are not a racist who only exposed your sons to the WASP heros/role models/examples. But these guys have to ask, What about the Robinsons, who probably contributed more to baseball and society through his efforts to desegregate this country? Where do guys like him stand in white America's eyes? Here is a man who changed the face of American baseball and society forever, and he is not mentioned as a role model?

I think you get my point, and I am NOT commenting on your attitudes towards minorities. Sadly, white America does indeed tend to focus on other white Americans when we speak of such things as role models and heros. Black Americans do likewise - focus on black leaders, etc. It is an unfortunate example of the human condition. MOST OF THE TIME this is done purely by accident with no mal intent and not as a slight to any one race. It's just what our unconcious mind has us do.

TPM, I'd bet if you bothered to respond to this you would say that you inadvertantly left out the mention of Robinson, Aaron, Mays, Campy et al. It's normal and it's what we do.

Sorry to use your post as an example. My attempt is to give my opinion as to the insight many black Americans have - sometimes very distorted insight - of how white America thinks.