No Matter What, Barry Won’t Go Away
Like him or not, Barry Bonds is not about to go away anytime soon and that is fine with him. As Bonds finds himself in the company of Babe Ruth in home run numbers, the story does not appear to be the numbers but the man.
If you have not heard by now, Barry has some issues. The growth hormone – steroid issue will not go away no matter how many books can be written about his alleged indiscretions, the possible perjury charges and the three most feared letters to a guy with a cash business—IRS. This has not seemed to dampen his quest for the home run record that currently has Henry Aaron’s name on it.
Bonds has not endeared himself with most of America. He has been caustic, rude, abrasive and just plain lousy in many cases. That by the way is on a good day. He has tried to be a nice guy at the advice of his handlers only to hit the wall and go back to being perhaps one of the most disliked athletes in sports. You don’t have to look far for some of his detractors. Many have a good reason to gripe as Barry Bonds has not been a good person to many people during most days of his baseball life.
The sad thing here is that Barry Bonds was once a tremendous baseball player.
Age and a body that is starting to show that the end is near but before the steroid allegations along with the reconfigured physique from head to toe started to take place, there was nothing Barry Bonds could not do on the field. He was so good that the four MVP awards he had already received would have certainly given him the inside track on the Hall of Fame. Why things changed, only Barry knows and he does not talk about that although there are plenty of people who do it for him.
A Cory Sighting?
Don’t look now but there was a Cory Spinks sighting in Las Vegas recently. It could be the first sign that he may get back in the ring soon. After all he had been missing so long there was a rumor that there were no more milk cartons to put his face on. Word is that he will fight in St. Louis at the Savvis Center on July 8th. Stand by for more information soon on this one. Hopefully his opponent will be somewhere between a tomato can and Zab Judah. Closer to the can if you don’t mind although Judah may be in need of a payday now considering the Nevada Boxing Commission recently revoked his license for a year and fined him his cut of his last fight where shenanigans broke out between his corner and Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Spinks has perhaps two more shots at big paydays. He has to be ready to go when the bell rings and hopefully find someone that is of the knockout caliber. A guy with punching power sells tickets. Unfortunately it has been so long since one can remember whether Cory has scoring power or knockout power. Hurry back Cory.
Kobe, Kobe, Kobe!
Last week I told you why Kobe would not be MVP. I also told you I thought he may be on his way to winning it next year. I was wrong. Not about him not winning but why I thought he would win next year. If you saw the third quarter of the final game against the Phoenix Suns last Saturday night, it said all you need to know about how he still does not get it. Perhaps he never will… especially after being part of three championship teams. Phil Jackson may become more gray with this guy.
Calling A Shaqs
Is it my imagination or is the big fella slowing down more than we think? Between foul trouble, fatigue and poor free throw shooting, Shaquille O’ Neal is no longer the man. Oh sure, he still gets the power dunk and he will block a misguided shot from time to time, but where is the fire? Where is the jump and the enthusiasm that made the big guy a favorite by everyone except the guy who had to guard him? The Miami Heat are not the team we thought they may be and O’ Neal is leading the way on expectations. I am not sure if he and the Heat have enough, but how can you root against him. The example he sets on and off the court when it comes to respect for all the things that are good in life is something you have to appreciate. Hang in there Shaq.
