Americans conflicted about Bonds' home run chase ESPN.com news services More than half of baseball fans are rooting against Barry Bonds as he tries to break Hank Aaron's major league home run record of 755, according to an ESPN/ABC News poll. Jayson Stark's take Jayson Stark ESPN.com's Jayson Stark writes that racial issues are front and center for many Americans as Barry Bonds chases the all-time home run record. Column The survey found that 52 percent of fans hope Bonds doesn't break the record, while 37 percent of fans want him to surpass Aaron's mark, set in 1974. In addition, 73 percent of fans think Bonds used steroids, despite Bonds' repeated denials. Bonds has never tested positive for steroids. However, race plays a unique role. Black fans in the survey are more than twice as likely to want Bonds to break Aaron's record (74 percent to 28 percent), and 37 percent of black fans think Bonds used steroids, compared to 76 percent of white fans. Blacks are nearly twice as likely to think Bonds has been treated unfairly (46 percent to 25 percent). Why? The survey found that 41 percent of black fans think this is due to the steroids issue, 25 percent think it's because of his race, and 21 percent blame Bonds' personality. For whites who think Bonds has been treated unfairly, 66 percent blame steroids. Virtually none blame race. Older blacks (50 and over) are less likely to think Bonds took steroids (29 percent) than younger blacks (44 percent). There is no age difference among whites. A majority of fans -- 58 percent -- think Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame. That's 10 points higher than a similar poll conducted last summer. Among blacks, 85 percent think Bonds belongs in Cooperstown, compared to 53 percent of whites. Also, 78 percent of blacks think Bonds should be recognized as the home run leader, compared to 53 percent of whites. Younger white fans are 15 points more likely than older white fans to recognize Bonds as the home run leader as well as putting him in the Hall of Fame. The ESPN/ABC News poll was conducted by telephone March 29-April 22, 2007, among a random national sample of 799 adult baseball fans, including an oversample of 203 African-Americans. The results have a 3.5-point error margin among all respondents, seven points among blacks. Polling data found here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2861930
Most people don't think their own farts stink as bad as other people's...so the question becomes whether or not polling data reflects the reality of a person's true opinion. My experience in knowing white people, is that many don't like to appear or like to polled as if they are racist in any way, while in fact they are much more racist than they will admit publicly...as it is politically incorrect to be a racist in America. There is a collectively induced shame in being racist in this country (as well their should be, but the shame should be internally generated, not externally generated) so people put on an act to avoid the public shaming process... Get many of the outwardly non racist whites privately, and get them speaking freely, and you get an entirely different picture. A bit like watching people's inhibitions come out when they get drunk (Insert the Mel Gibson style liquidity driven reactionary anti Semitic thinking).
It is very phoney. Archie Bunker had many very bigoted beliefs, but he also had a charming side. You knew where he stood, you could trust him. If someone doesn't like me because of my race I want to know about it.
Hank Aaron, the man whose record Bonds is about to eclipse....is black. DOH! Bonds is reviled by many, and IMO not for the color of his skin but instead because of the content of his character. Bonds, apparently, is an asshole. Assholes, especially asshole athletes, are not widely loved and cheered.
if bonds was white, i have no doubt that he wouldnt be hated as much. look at mark mcgwire. the guy was juiced and refused to testify in the steroid scandal yet he got off the hook much easier than bonds. heck, ppl still think he deserves to be in the hall of fame even though he cheated.
Well, I don't know if I'd call Mcgwire 'juiced'. He was taking Andro, which at the time was a nonregulated substance that definitely - from personal experience - has muscle building/recovery benefits. But he was definitely cutting corners during his record season..
Look, Canseco said McGwire took roids, and I believe Canseco. Not a single player tried to sue Canseco for libel and defamation of character. I know people attack Canseco as they would a piece of shit messenger, but what he said was true...or they would sure him for defamation of character. As soon as Mac stopped juicing, his body began to break down as it had before (he was perpetually on DL for some injury before juicing) and he retired because he knew without the juice he was done. Bonds is juiced, he just doesn't use what they test for...
Are you aware that not snitching is a current test of ones blackness? "Don't Snitch!" Some rap-artist admitted on 60 Minutes a couple weeks ago, he would not inform the cops if he knew a serial-killer lived next door! Do you think the same people responding to this Bond's poll also answered 'not guilty' when asked about OJ's innocence? Ask blacks what they think about whites privately .... race-baiting rubbish. McGuire slunk in away in absolute shame and humiliation. There are serious doubts if he'll be voted into the HOF. The media detests Bond because he is a prick, and this has slanted virtually all opinoins and analysis about him in the media.
Mcgwire admitted to Andro - and I KNOW it works, from personal experience. I also know that traditional steroids work - again from personal experience during my college football days. Canseco MIGHT be telling the truth, who knows. Only Mac and Jose know for sure. But that DOES NOT mean that Mac would sue Jose for outing him. Mac would have to prove damages in that case to win, I believe. And so the question - how was he damaged? You're also forgetting that Andro was regulated after Mac's admission. That Mac decided to retire after his 'little helpers' were regulated is something we agree on...