ESBN?!!?

When did ESPN become the all-Bonds-all-the-time network? They are supposed to be an unbiased sports network. Not since Fox News became the "conservatives are us" network have I seen such shameful self serving promotion passed of as news. ESPN now see fit to cut into it's programming to show every Bonds at bat. I'm not sure if they've noticed but the majority of the country isn't particularly enamored of Bonds at the moment. It's as if they blinders on to what everyone in the country is thinking.

Before the steroid allegations there were sponsors lined up to be a part of the home run chase. MasterCard had an advertising campaign that was going to build around Bonds, but that all went away once the allegations in "Game of Shadows" came to light. Interrupting their own programming to show Bonds' at bats is not their worst offense. They also have a show under their entertainment branch entitled "Bonds on Bonds". The show consists of ESPN cameras following Bonds around as he goes about the business of baseball and also shows him with his family. This was an attempt by Bonds to try and change his image. He even went so far as to dress up as Paula Abdul in spring training to show just how much fun he has with his teammates.

He cries in front of the camera, he hugs his kids, he talks about how misunderstood he is and that the people just don't know the real him. There are a lot of athletes whose public persona is different from the actual person, but Bonds is not one of those people. What you see is what you get. He's arrogant, boorish, and unapologetically. I wonder what his family thinks about the allegations made by his ex-mistress? I'm not sure what his excuse was for that, but knowing him he probably decided that he didn't need to give his family one. He's Barry Bonds after all.

I don't know why ESPN decided to play along with this charade, but it makes them look terrible. I'm sure that the announcers who are forced to play along cannot be very happy about this. ESPN does have some Bonds apologists, Joe Morgan being primary among those, but I'm sure the majority of them feel the way the rest of America feels. Bonds is a slimy character who really should be left to his own devices. The best that we could do to Bonds is to ignore him. As much as he claims he hates the spotlight, I know that if reporters stopped asking questions and the fans stopped reacting to him, it would drive him insane. Perhaps his unnaturally large head would just explode.

Why is ESPN paying this much attention to someone that we know cheated. He wouldn't be there without the steroids. I don't want to hear arguments about the fact that he was the best hitter in baseball before the steroids. He was, but he would not have been able to maintain that through his late thirties and early forties. Pujols should sue because he finished second in the MVP race twice to Bonds. He should by all rights be a three time MVP by this point.

I wonder what ESPN will do next year when Bonds is chasing Aaron? Perhaps they will just officially turn the network over to him.