Why is it that the hatred towards Barry Bonds is so much greater than for the other guys suspected of doing...

Question

steroids? I mean not even McGwire, Sammy, Palmeiro and even Giambi are hated so much. So why is all the hate so heavily concentrated on Barry Bonds? I don't understand. Please explain this to me. Thanks

Answer 1

Becasue the majority of sports fans are jealous of him!

Answer 2

It's primarily because Barry Bonds is and has been a jerk, particularly to the media.

When McGwire and Sosa both broke Maris' record in the same season, the way they handled the media attention and the spotlight was very classy. Remember, it was right after the World Series had to be canceled because of a job action (strike or lockout, depends which side you believe). They turned baseball back into America's pastime and even though we have found out later that they were probably on the juice, they were SO gracious to the fans and to the press that it's hard for some people to feel any resentment toward them (though the writers voted McGwire out of Cooperstown by a landslide). Palmeiro was always a popular guy and relatively cooperative with the press before he got caught lying to Congress. Giambi does receive a little resentment, though not nearly as much as Bonds. Bonds is just a first-class jerk who also probably used and uses steroids, so he gives everybody a reason to hate him.

Answer 3

Two primary reasons, I think.

One, he has been singularly successful. Consider, two people in your science class similarly cheat on an exam; you're not pals with either of them. One gets an A on the test, the other a D. Which one's result more pisses you off? Thus Bonds; no matter how good he's established himself as being -- and he really, really IS THAT GOOD -- that doesn't matter to some people. Whereas another player, let's call him Ken Doofus Jr., might have taken just as many Chemicals X, but did a poor job of it, wrecked his hammies, went on the DL at least twice a season, never set any single-season records, and no one gives him a second thought.

Two, Bonds carries the reputation of being an abrasive individual. Certainly he has a frosty relationship with the media, which does the bulk of his image-making. Fans rarely form a warm affinity for perceived jerks, whether or not they are such types.

Three, and I really don't want to get into this one, he's black. Even in CE 2007, that bothers some people.

Answer 4

I think Bonds probably did juice at some point but I also agree that he gets an extremely disproportionate amount of bad publicity. Here's a few reasons why:

1) he's Black; 2) he comes across as arrogant to alot of people; 3) he avoids the subject of steroids which makes him look suspect (but besides Giambi, who hasn't denied it publicly?); 4) he gets pissed sometimes because he's asked more about BALCO than baseball; 5 (and most importantly) it takes the heat off of who was ultimately responsible for letting the "steroid era" get way out of hand so that baseball could regain its popularity- Major League Baseball itself. You can't tell me they were oblivious bystanders in all of that.

Answer 5

My hatred of Bonds runs deaper than just the whole steroid use issue. Mine comes from I think it was the 92 NLCS against Atlanta. In the ninth inning, Bonds threw the ball to home plate, but was way wide it went closer to first than anything. With that, Sid Bream, a very slow runner, was able to tag up and score the winning run for the game and the series.

I remember watching the game at home, sitting there with World Series tickets in my hand. How often do you get to go to a world series game, let alone your team's game, unless you are the Yanks? I am a Pirate's fan, and it has just gone downhill from there. Not that I blame Bonds for the Pirates losing 14 seasons in a row after that, but it was my last chance to see them play in a world series, at least until current ownership gets their heads out of where the sun dont shine and spend some money.

That is where my hatred started of him. The steriod issue just added fuel to the fire, with his lack of accepting what he did. He just put the blame on everyone else. How do you not know what your trainer is giving you? Who goes to the doctor and not ask what drug they are giving them to help with a problem?

Answer 6

For one thing he won't admit he is taking steroids. And passing Hank Aaron in all time home runs is supposed to be a memorable day as baseball fans and players look up to the knew "Home Run" man, but instead, all of the recognition is now going to a man who took the easy way out and decided to add a couple hundred extra home runs by taking some juice, where as Hank Aaron used his own power and worked hard to make it to the top.

I'm happy that Hank Aaron won't be there to congratulate BB when he hits the HR to pass Hank Aaron.

Answer 7

Because Bonds is getting recognized for doing steroids by about to beat the home run record which he probably couldn't have done with out the steroids

Answer 8

I think people are so annoyed by the fact that Barry took steroids because he cheated to beat hank arrons home run record.He does not deserve to be the home run king if he used steroids to hit all the home runs for him.

Answer 9

Because he is chasing the homerun record and has a lot of visibility and coverage for that. He is the best player of all of those in question, and his personality leaves a lot to be desired. He is rude and does not get along with the press. Put all these things together and your question is answered.

Answer 10

None of those other guys are about to break an all-time record. It seems unfair to hand him the #1 title if he did it while on steroids. If Sosa was about to break the record and they found him on it, they'd have the same feelings.

Answer 11

Its because he is about to break one of the greatest records in baseball, and the others aren't. Knowing that steroids helped him break the record is what really makes people mad. A man is judged by his character and intergrity, not by the color of his skin. and without a doubt, his integrity and character leave a lot to be desired.