Bonds is an enigma. I like to believe that, as a person, on an individual basis, he is okay. But he does give arrogance, and he cries foul a lot. Not just to the media, but to the fans--to anybody. He acts like the loneliest man on the face of the world, and a victim, and a lot of it is his own doing. There are people like this in every sport.
Owens, who was with the 49ers. Also Randy Moss and Keyshawn Johnson. When you place your own ego and abilities above that of the team, then you alienate yourself. Supposed to use those talents to inspire and motivate other players to work harder. Guys don't do that much anymore. Instead of showing by example, it is demeaning teammates and getting in fights. This is not entirely new, but with more teams in each sport, (30 as compared to 16 or 20-something), then you are going to see more frustration as all the guys try to go for those coveted wins and rare championship rings.
And Bonds? He talks about being a Nigger in a world of Jews where the man won't pay him his due. Using words like that is liable to set off tension. Rocker didn't do too well, and Bonds gets by, because he comes up with great accomplishments and other controversy.
He will tell players from other teams to leave town "Rolen and Lieberthal are stars, they shouldn't be playing in Philly" said something about Schilling too. He opens his mouth to the media to give his feelings on something, and when someone else does the same?
"Man, you don't need to do that. You got something to say, you can say it to me. Don't use the media. Just come to me." Now that is a fucking hypocrite. I heard him say that sooo many times. Most recently comes when Turk Wendell and others were making suggestions that maybe his homers were not all due to his "natural" strength.
Thing that bothered me the most was what he said last year. Brought up his accomplishments, and how once he hit 714 he didn't want to hear anyone mentioning Babe Ruth. He was like "Forget Ruth, man."
Now that is fucking disrespect. I wrote a letter to the SF Giants and also Bonds overpaid agent, letting them know that the talented prima donna had no respect for the sport or its history. It would help if he read books.
In this world, there are 3 sports superstars.
The biggest, and most recent, is Michael Jordan. Nike and the Olympics helped him. I am sure he had deals with foreign companies as well, but I know Nike.
Decades before, there was Cassius Clay/Mohammad Ali, great fighter, activist. Oustpoken, and people knew him in both hemispheres, regardless of race and religion.
But the first, the first sports superstar was Ruth. American celebrity. You know all the stories. Got people to attend games just to see some guy hit the ball out of the park. Big fellow. Chunky. Good pitcher too. .341 lifetime average. Respect what made the game popular.
