Performance enhancing drug use (Page 3 of 4)

I got a quick story for yall. I went to spring training in Arizona last year, spent a week there, I did not want to leave, like a kid in a candy store. Anyways I'd get there before the Giants would open the gates at Scottsdale. I got a ton of autographs, got to talk to some of the players. Steve Kline was a great dude, funny as hell, and pretty honest when I asked him a question. No roids was not brought up, but I'll bet if I could have talked to him privately, he would have been sincere. Rob Schneider was there, he got to play in a inter squad game, even fouled off the ball on one AB, they did'nt cut him no slack.

I talked to people from all over the country, very very cool, traded all kinds of stories from our days of watching the game. Got to see the "world team" play against the Giants. The only one who signed my jersey was Johnny Damon, the players were told to stay away from the fans, you know we were pissed about that. I stood directly over Clemens in the bullpen when he was warming up, I'll bet he didnt throw one fastball over 85 mph, but unreal movement on his pitches.

After the first day I hung out for a coulpe of hours talking to people and waiting for more players to come out and sign. I struck up a conversation with a man with a Yankee hat, and his 7 year old son. He said he was waiting around for Schneiders publicist, she comes over when I'm talking to them. Real nice lady, she tells the man she just got done talking to Barry, he'll be right out. She ask the kid what do you want signed, she'll ask Barry when he comes out. This little kid is going nuts, he's going to get Barry Bondas auto. The kid gives her a baseball, she walks to the door as Barry is walking out. Me and dad are patting him on the back, he is so excited. Barry opens the door turns immediately away from the roped off crowd. The lady catches up with him, Barry puts his arm around her as if there best friends, she has the ball in her hand with a pen, he wouldnt sign it. I could see her begging him to do it for this kid, she even points in our direction, still a no go! She comes back and says not today, maybe tommorrow, the kid was crushed, dad had is arm around the kid to console him. That's a lasting impression I'll never forget, Bonds could have made some kids day, just with a stroke of a pen. I love the player, cant stand the man!

Shred

Roy, the fight for the ball was almost as exciting as the hit itself. The guy that ended up with the money ball flew in from NYC that morning bought a scalped ticket and wound up with the ball. He made a call to his brother who is a lawyer and he told him to get outta town asap. He followed that advice as he was on his way to Australia this morning anyhow. The radio report is he is already as they say, OUTTA HERE!!!! The guys a Mets fan, or should I say a very bruised Mets fan. His name is Matt Murphy 22 yrs. old, that's the luck of the Irish.

                                                                                         Are You Ready For Some Football???

                                                                                         J Dawg

Well, I am a long-standing and will be forever Mark McGwire fan.  I know you guys don't like him, but my allegiance to Mac is like my allegiance to Joe.  I got the great opportunity right after 9/11 to see him in one of his final games.....my Mom, son, and I got to Busch Stadium way early in the morning...I knew what kind of car Mac drove (my mailman was a big Cards fan and had been down to previous game and saw Mac pull in)....we had birthday banner made up for Mac......he turns into stadium driveway to park underneath.....stops car right by us and is grinning at us.....we are FROZEN like deer in headlights......he starts to roll window down and then a whole pack of people come running at us, interrupting our moment in time and he shrugs with look of apology and continues to go down into stadium.  Me, being the devoted fan I am, thinks if that's the closet I ever get, it was a grand,glorius moment just having him grinning at us.....we go on into batting practice...my son goes down by the dug-out with the other kids, me & Mom stay down by the wall (about 4 rows back, wouldn't let us get closer) and I see Mac at batting practice, still have the birthday banner up and yes, I yelled a few "terms of endearment" at him.  Well, batting practice is over he takes his gloves off, has a ball in his hand, and starts walking directly over to where my Mom and I are at......PANIC sets in for me...he comes to the wall and is grinning at me and everyone around us is now yelling at him....he waits for me to get ready for the catch and tosses the ball to me.....I swear it was in slow motion and I heard music playing.....he waits till I catch the ball, grins again and then heads into the dugout.  Now I don't need to tell you how excited I was about that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was riding high on Cloud Nine!!!!!  Everybody is saying sure would have been nice if you had gotten his autograph.  I truly didn't care as it was the time, the place, the moment forever etched in my memory.  So,  the bank I worked for at the time here in Indianola had offices in St. Louis.  I went down for an awards banquet and was approached by a huge figure of a man named Mike Ross.  Turns out he is a former Dallas Cowboy.  He wants to know about this Mark McGwire "obsession" I have and when I get to the part about the ball, he says, "You know, I know Mark."  And to make a longer story short, when we went to St. Louis for Tribute Day to Big Mac a couple of years later.....guess who autographed my ball....yes, Mark McGwire himself.  Now I don't expect anyone else to like him based on me, but I just wanted to let you know what he did for a fan and I am still his #1 Iowa fan.  And I know in my heart of hearts I will never forget the moment between fan and player.   So, Barry Bonds breaking this record does not send any thrill of any kind thru me,  if you can't still relate to your fans ( a child no less) then what and who is it all for?      Patty

"I'm not nice to any guitar!"     
                 Joe Bonamassa 05-03-12

JBLP CHILD #184

First of all in regards to Barry: He creamed the ball and it cleared the wall right into the BALCOny.

The record is a steroid record, you can accept it or not.  If you want to accept his "I didn't know what it was" then go on and accept the liar. You better know darn well he's very particular into what goes into his body.  He has blown up statitistics and a blown up body.  At least Giambi came clean and isn't still lying to the public and baseball. Nobody put Barry in this position but himself. He made his choice and now he can live with the accusations.  He's got the record but it has no respect.  He got what he wanted.
 

Also the other things you brought up do get talked about in varying degrees.  Performance Enhancing Drugs is a main topic in Bike Racing and the Olympics.  Sammy Sosa with his corked bat pretty much sealed his deal.  Ken Caminiti and  Jose Canseco won MVPs based on steroids. In the NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell is proving to be a real leader and taking charge of improprieties in the sport. 

The criminal things that certain athletes are doing off the field are being talked about and ridiculed.  And you may see some of them in their new orange uniforms.   The criminal actions are worse than taking steroids.   They will be dealt with in a court of law.

Just to let you know,  I keep things in perspective. 

The War is the most important thing and alot of my spare time is doing political things. 

We should keep sports in the right perspective as you said.  Sports is entertainment and a big business.
But sports at its most basic level is fun.  There is so much enjoyment to be had.

I supported the A's when they had less than 10,000 fans at the game and those were some of the funnest games I went to.

I didn't see the replay of the Bonds homerun but I'm wondering what the reaction of his
teammates was - was there a big celebration or was it reserved?
Just curious.
Jaci

The team mates stayed clear so his son Nicolai could greet him at the plate where they hugged after Barry looked skyward in acknowledgement of his father. The game was stopped for about 10 min. as Willie Mays brought out a microphone for Barry to address the crowd and he also thanked the Nationals for putting up with the delay. He last looked up again to thank his father and that's where his voice cracked and the tears flowed. I was watching the local broadcast on Fox Sports as opposed to ESPN which the rest of the country saw. The Fox broadcast followed Barry into the dugout where each and every one of his team mates hugged and shook hands with him. When the Giants took the field at the top of the next inning they directed everyones attention to the big screen to watch a taped video from Hank Aaron acknowledging Barry's acheivement as they did when he tied the record to hear from Muhammad Ali through one of his sons in another video. Then later the bullpen was called on to choke and lose another game.

                                                                                             Thank God I'm an Indians Fan First,

                                                                                             J Dawg

PS I guess big ego's run in Barry's family as he is a cousin to Reggie Jackson. The straw that stirs the drink!!

PSS Another sidebar to this fiasco, a friend of mine couldn't find any copies of the SF Chronicle by yesterday afternoon so he stopped by the paper today and the receptionist told him they've had thousands of requests from all over the country for a copy of yesterdays edition. A copy of the paper + shipping is $6.00!!!!

A tribute night for Dusty Baker??? I don't think they'll be holding any of those in Chicago anytime soon.