Respect for Barry Bonds

Is anyone else tired of people complaining about Barry Bonds?  How can anyone question this guy's greatness?  I don't think another batter in baseball history has been treated with so much respect on the field (witness the record number of intentional walks) and so little respect off it.

He may have taken steroids in an era when large numbers of baseball players did so...but you know what?  It wasn't against the rules at the time.  Baseball knew it was going on, but did nothing to stop it.  Why?  Because Americans loved the show of big brawny men crushing homer after homer into the stands.

Now Baseball and most sportswriters and commentators are hypocritically changing their tune...with a holier than thou attitude making a scapegoat of Bonds for their own past indiscretions. 

Bottom line:  Bonds deserves to break the record.  His swing is a thing of beauty.  In this new era of steroid testing, he is clean, and still swatting homers...still drawing walks, without missing a beat.  Give the man his due, he is the greatest slugger of all time. 

A recent ESPN poll shows that Bonds support is lower among whites than blacks.  Yet another travesty.  Racism is alive and well in America.  And for the record, I'm a pasty faced white guy.

His record may be broken in the future by A-Rod or Pujols, but for now, pay your respects to Mr. Bonds.  With out a doubt he deserves it.  Go Barry!