Number 756
Listed in:For all of you who thought it was SO clever to send me an email consisting entirely of:
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I refer you to this and this. If those confuse you for some reason, this might provide clarity.
I am a Giants fan, but Barry Bonds's conduct and abilities have nothing to do with my moral fiber, so please stop trying to bait me into some kind of crazed reaction. I'm not from Philadelphia. I'm not from New York. I'm not from Boston. I don't feel compelled to prove to you that I care about sports by making an ass of myself.
I'm looking forward to life moving on. I'm looking forward to witnessing the continued blossoming of Tim Lincecum. And I'm looking forward to a world in which Clay Hensley and Derrick Turnbow are acknowledged for their transgressions against the game as much as anyone else who commits such a sin.
Comments
Look, I am trying to come up with an analogy that is fitting this morning. I was in a Bible study last night when one of the wives texted a guy in the group to tell them that Barry hit 756. That, in and of itself, is kind of weird on a lot of levels. But I do feel weird today.
I guess my first question is: why do I care so much? I mean, I am the guy who grew up loving Doc Gooden (crack), Darryl Strawberry (crack), and Lawrence Taylor (lots of crack). I guess the thing was that, while I was watching those games with my grandpa, he always pointed out the guys who quietly did their jobs and did them with respect. He never allowed me to deify the "premier" guys.
So...Barry fits that description, but I'm just not in awe. I saw him hit a homer off of Glavine in early May. And, yeah, it was kind of thrilling; but so was the no-name catcher's homeruns the previous night. And they meant more because the Giants won.
You grow up seeing that highlight with that hippie dude rounding third with Hank Aaron. First, you think, "how did that guy get on the field?" Second you think, "Wow, 755!"
Have you ever been to the house that you grew up in years after seeing it for the last time? The room seems small. The back yard isn't the awesome jungle you remembered it as. Nothing is as magic or huge or scary as it once was.
That's how I feel about 756. It's just not that big anymore. Just not as impressive. Is it because I'm older? Is it because I'm jaded by Bonds' behavior? Is it because I know A-Rod will probably break it sometime soon. I don't know.
I guess, growing up, though, I thought that this was going to be a little more than it was. That's no knock on Bonds, I promise. It just seems a little empty.
Posted by: Paul Mannino | August 8, 2007 2:24 PM