Barry Bonds Is No Hero

Bob Schieffer Says The Soon-To-Be Home Run King Would Need To Do A Lot More To Be A Hero

(CBS)  Weekly commentary by CBS Evening News chief Washington correspondent and Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer.

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Americans love our sports, and we love our sports stars. And we love to keep score: who got the most hits; who ran the fastest mile; who ate the most hot dogs, for that matter.

Yet, when Barry Bonds breaks the most famous record of all in the next week or so – Hank Aaron's home run record that has stood for more than three decades – many Americans won't cheer at all. They'll wish he hadn't been the one who did it.

Bonds is booed every place he plays except his home park in San Francisco. First because he is widely believed to be a cheat who used illegal drugs to increase his strength. Second because he is a self-centered, all-around jerk who sees no responsibility to the fans who pay his enormous salary.

It's too bad, really. We want our heroes to be good guys, but maybe we need jerks like Bonds from time to time to remind us what real heroes are – and they are not just people who have mastered a difficult physical feat.

For sure, hitting home runs is hard to do. But, so is standing on your thumb which hardly qualifies thumb standers to be heroes.

We admired Hank Aaron for hitting the home runs, but what made him an inspiration to others was the way he overcame adversity in order to set that record. The homers were just part of his greatness.

Real heroes are not just athletes. In fact, most of them are not: the firemen who gave their lives to save the innocent on 9/11; the soldiers who go into the streets of Baghdad day after day; parents who adopt handicapped children.

Heroes are those who set the examples we teach our kids to follow.

Barry Bonds is no hero. He is just a guy who hits home runs. Who would want a kid to be like him?

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E-mail Face the Nation.

[jimmyc1955]

jcsmooth44 - you are kidding - right? I live in Pittsburgh and there is no more revered name in baseball than Roberto Clemente - a black man. Willie Stargell was like everybody's dad - the city loved him - unconditionally.

The city didn't like Dave Parker or Barry Bonds. Parker earlier as a loud mouth braggert that had a habit of talking about nothing but himself - and how he deserved this and deserved that. Barry was even worse and bad mouthed everybody - ignored fans, kids, and treated others like ***.

You will see race because your predisposed to answer racism is the cause of any black persons problems. Its just a convenient excuse that allows you to ignore failures like Bonds. He is a waste of god given talent and opportunity.

[cdegolier]

At least the world knows that neither bonds or mcguire could have made it in the old days. Bonds is not hated because he is black it is because he could have never done what he has done with performance enhancing drugs and the fact that he is an ***. Hank and Ruth are still a hundred times better than these overpaid arrogant drug users.

[sesmith12320]

I look at all of the comments listed and am very troubled. I think that if anyone had any evidence on Barry Bonds he would already be under indictment, or like Jason Giambi pending court actions. I don't care if people don't like Barry Bonds attitude - if you see some of the questions he's asked or the way he's treated; I think you would not be a nice person either. Mark McGuire refused to say anything to congress about his alleged steriod use and no one to this day says his single season home record should be thrown out. I think the biggest problem with people shutting out Barry Bonds is because of his skin color. He's not what the Media wants to project as the number one home run hitter in a sport that didn't want him. Is anybody old enough to remember that Henry Hank Aaron received death threats if he broke Babe Ruth's record. The media didn't want that either.Instead of trying to kill Barry Bond's physically - it's easier to kill his image. This is the same cold shoulder treatment Hank Aaron received - just a different decade. Greatness is greatness and you can't colorize it. Bob Schieffer is an old dog looking for new life at the demise of someone else. What a shame Bob - I always admired you. Thank You

[sesmith12320]

I look at all of the comments listed and am very troubled. I think that if anyone had any evidence on Barry Bonds he would already be under indictment, or like Jason Giambi pending court actions. I don't care if people don't like Barry Bonds attitude - if you see some of the questions he's asked or the way he's treated; I think you would not be a nice person either. Mark McGuire refused to say anything to congress about his alleged steriod use and no one to this day says his single season home record should be thrown out. I think the biggest problem with people shutting out Barry Bonds is because of his skin color. He's not what the Media wants to project as the number one home run hitter in a sport that didn't want him. Is anybody old enough to remember that Henry Hank Aaron received death threats if he broke Babe Ruth's record. The media didn't want that either.Instead of trying to kill Barry Bond's physically - it's easier to kill his image. This is the same cold shoulder treatment Hank Aaron received - just a different decade. Greatness is greatness and you can't colorize it. Bob Schieffer is an old dog looking for new life at the demise of someone else. What a shame Bob - I alway's admired you. Thank You

[shanev137]

blah blah blah.

the guy hits a ball with stick.

who f'in cares.

[lawandorder7]

BONDS is a cheater, and Mr. Scheiffer should writen this. It is what most think. Schieffer is NOT out of bounds with his opinion. What he says is true. BONDS should be ran out of the USA. He is no good, never will be any good, and would not make most teams of the 50, 60, unless he did the wash.

[tejasdemo]

I agree 100%. He cheated. Period.

[hypnotoad72]

Anyone who uses drugs is a cheater. This isn't limited to Bonds, but understandable he's getting flak because he had to do what others never needed to.

;-)

[harp1963]

If anyone that has ever spent a lot of time lifting weights in a gym can honestly dispute the before and after pictures during the initial season Bonds was suspected of using steroids, then they are lying. The guy used steroids period. Just like McGwire and Sosa, Bonds is a cheater. Saying that has absolutely nothing to do with his race, creed, color, or religion, period. The guy juiced. Normal hard working guys who lift weights in their 30's don't put on 30 pounds of muscle in one summer unless they are taking steroids. I don't care if Arnold Schwarzenegger is their trainer.

Babe Ruth ate hotdogs, drank beer, and hit a whole bunch of homers. If this guy would have juiced he probably would have hit way more. Hank was just a nice guy, who had never heard of steroids. Niether one of them gained 30 pounds of muscle weight in their 30's. Ruth may have gained 30 pounds, but it was in his belly from beer and hotdogs.

[jcsmooth44]

Schieffer is out of bounds with his opinion. I used to think of him as an honorable journalist, but now I see him as just another bigot. Aaron was hated when he broke Ruth's record, because he was black. Bonds is also hated because he is black. I am tired of white people saying this has nothing to do with race, that is a lie. Why are all of the most hated athletes in this country black men? The media has used ALLEGATIONS of use of performance enhancing drugs, when there is absolutely no proof to destroy Bond's reputation. The same racist that sent death threats to Aaron are now trying to intimidate Bonds by claiming that he is a cheater. Barry Bonds is a hero to millions of blacks throughout America no matter what Schieffer thinks. White people can't relate to racial profiling or discrimination because it never happens to them. By being able to perform at such a high level, and continue to pursue the home run record even with so much unfair negative publicity is a tribute to the inner strength of Barry Bonds. To face adversity each day and continue to achieve are the true characters of a hero. Schieffer has never been the best in the world at what he does like Barry Bonds is. I'm sure that the seven time MVP is a hero to allot of baseball players also.

[soundsofzahi]

Usually, I don't get hung up on opinions of people, especially one that involves pitting my race against another, but Schieffer is right on time about Barry Bonds. I love a hero, but I feel no heroism in this. I watched Hank Aaron's "Chasing the Dream" and feel so inspired. Barry......"just a guy who hits homeruns". Sorry, I can't feel for him and his achievement. It just doesn't feel good.

[j_flood]

No problem here - well said Mr. Schieffer!

And by the way, Barry was a jerk long before this home run derby limelight. He's never been one to sign autographs, or be a 'team' player. His team player status has converted in recent years and that's a good thing.

Did he use steroids? Don't care now myself, we're dealing with a fella that took on a persona long before we talked about steroids.

He'll be in the record book, but many of us will always say, "ya but..."

We don't say that with Robinson, Dimaggio, Aaron, or Ripkin do we?

[adian1-2009]

The guy is a cheater. But that's not all. He couldn't care less. Aaron was a human achievement. Bonds is an achievement of chemistry. That's a hell of a difference. Problem: all of these diminish the sport and the way we look a it. After having been a base-ball fan for many, many years, I find myself not paying attention to games or standings quite too frequently. I have been asking myself why. Probably Bonds and Sosa and McGuire and Giambi and the likes have something to do with my disaffection.

[bobgee_1999]

Couldn't we just solve this by having a new sports league, called The Doped and Genetically Altered League or something? You could have the normal leagues for people who actually want to accomplish something athletically, but in the D&GA League there would be no-holds barred, any substance you want, muscle grafts, bionic parts, etc. That'd be interesting, wouldn't it?

[AgentGGG]

Mr. Scheiffer should have respectfully refrained from writing this column. It is hateful and serves no purpose, other that to reflect poorly on Mr. Scheiffer. Barry Bonds has to live with his own deeds, we should just leave him in peace, at a minimum, because he has done no real harm to anyone.

[ubrew12]

Aaron was hated by those who followed him at the time, and so is Bonds today.

Nothing changes.

Though, Scheiffer is right in one respect: Bonds will forever be tarnished with his inability to 'come clean' about his performance-drug use.

Too bad for Bonds. In all likelihood: Aaron is the 'real deal', while Bonds 'could-a-been', but didn't come clean and so is under suspicion.

Still, in a wierd way, we should celebrate Bonds nevertheless. In an atmosphere where 'everyone' is using these drugs, he still became the 'king'.

Society needs to level the playing field through gov't oversight, and not just in baseball. But, try telling that to the 'free-marketeers' who run our country....

Until the country realizes what's going on, we'll continue to buy the 'Bonds' of this society, in commerce, investment, government, sports, entertainment, etc...

[brianbwb-2009]

norcalguy101,

Look at Mr. Schieffer, looks like he predates Abner Doubleday, so it is questionable that there even was little league when he was a child...

[brianbwb-2009]

We admired Hank Aaron for hitting the home runs, but what made him an inspiration to others was the way he overcame adversity in order to set that record. The homers were just part of his greatness.

And Bonds is seeing no race based adversity? Many of the same people booing bonds now also booed Aaron, but now they hide their racism behind the "steroid excuse".

Did their parents also boo an alcoholic named Ruth when he set the record?

[bigdadpatrio]

You race-baiters are all alike. This has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with the FACT that Bonds is an a**hole and is no role model for anyone to look up to. It's irrelavent whether or not he used steroids to enhance his strength. All he's ever given a *** about was himself, and has had no regard to the fans who have helped pay his enormous salaries. He has no respect for them and he is owed none in return.

[norcalguy101]

As Senator Jack Danforth stated in defense of Clarence Thomas, Barry Bonds is facing a first class lynching by a white, upper-socioeconomically placed political news commentator. And Mr. Schieffer's basis? "First BECAUSE HE IS WIDELY BELIEVED to be a cheat who used illegal drugs..." CBS should be ashamed at sticking your finger into the wind. Barry Bonds is a jerk? The godson of Willie Mays raised by a father who taught him to respect the game? The problem is we need more political commentators who at least made it to AA ball. Mr. Schieffer I suspect got cut in Little League. The facts of the matter are that Barry Bonds has never tested positive for steriods, and at the time he was suspected of using steroids they were neither illegal nor banned from baseball. Perhaps Mr. Schieffer needs to be reminded the Constitution protects each and everyone of us from post de facto laws. Enough said.