The Elephant In The Room

My last post about Barry Bonds and Babe Ruth and the elusive (sike) 714 home runs got a response from my good friend Mitch. I have known and been friends with Mitch for the last twenty years (yeah pally, can you believe it?).

While Mitch's points were fine, and probably dead on accurate, the one thing that he missed was the fact that RACISM fuels all of this. It's absolutely convenient that all of the stuff about Bonds and steroids comes out in FULL STRENGTH when he's near the record. If it wasn't steroids then he would be seen as a jerk or labeled something else. Who cares if he's a jerk? Is being a nice guy a pre-req for having the HR record?

You can't understand racism and all of its tools of the trade unless you deal with it in your daily life on a daily basis. I don't care what liblabs with not a racist bone in their body tell me, but you simply can't understand it. And it is racism that fuels this debate over Bonds being worthy, nothing else. Were it Wade Boggs, George Brett, Dale Murphy, or oh my gosh even the great Mark McGwire who neared the record, believe me, his steroid past would not be nearly a big deal. But no, Barry is Black, Brash, Bald, Bountifully Gifted and wealthy. Oh that angers people, deep down, deep, deep down.

Racism in sports is so interwoven and never discussed that it mystifies me when people are shocked when it is brought up.

Iverson is looked down upon because he has tatoos, he has a bad attitude and he wears baggy shorts. Hell, Stern changed the dress code primarily because of him. But, what does that have to do with playing basketball? Nothing.

Terrell Owens is looked down upon because he is disruptive. He's loud and abrasive. But he works hard, makes catches, and conditions himself into magnificent shape. So, is he on-field performance altered by the way he acts? No. The only time it is is when he's suspended for essentially embarassing the organization that his exploits on the field during the 2004-05 season yielded major cash dividends and the team's second ever Super Bowl birth. Hmmmmmm.

Oh, and I forgot. That 714 that Babe hit...what about Josh Gibson, who eclipsed that 714 shortly thereafter...DURING SEGREGATION (read pre-Jackie)? Never, is he ever given the just praise that he deserves. Why is that? Do his homeruns not count? Of course not...he played in the Negro leagues. Well as we say many times amongst the Brothers, Negro please.

I'm Joe and that's how I see it.

For more light shed on race and sports, check out this article that JC sent me...