I've pondered this moment for a long time now: the thoughts and feelings I would have when Barry Bonds inevitably broke Henry Aaron's record for most career home runs. Many consider this record to be the preeminent record in all of sports. 756 has happened. Barry Bonds is in the cross hairs of a media storm relative to steroids and performance enhancing drugs. Everyone (myself included) has speculated as to what Bonds has done to enhance his performance in such an unusual way beyond the age of 40. Bonds himself has given us a "dog ate my homework" excuse that he may have unknowingly taken something illegal, but under the auspices that it was merely flaxseed oil to repair everyday wear and tear. No one can be certain what Bonds (or any other player we may speculate about) has done in terms of performance enhancers. Certainly anyone (except Giant fans) would have a hard time swallowing the numbers Bonds has put up at an age when most players are feeble shells of themselves. Bonds has never made any friends in the media or the MLB fan base at large, which to me is the biggest reason he hasn't been embraced by the public for his chase the way Aaron was. Moreover, the lionization that occurred following Hank Aaron's retirement into private life, especially in the conflicted South, is certainly something we will never see afforded to Bonds; deservedly so. Hank Aaron played at a time and place geographically, socially, and otherwise that makes his accomplishments all the more impressive. He chased a great white record in Dixie Land itself. Set aside the fact that Aaron had almost 3,800 hits and a .305 lifetime average (neither of which Bonds can match). Barry Bonds cannot hold Hank Aaron's athletic supporter in terms of what it means to be a hero. I remember an infamous Sports Illustrated cover from my teenage years that bore the tag line, "I'm Barry Bonds and You're Not." This sentiment is quite literally the thesis statement that Bonds has portrayed his entire career. A smug, divisive person in and out of the clubhouse, Bonds surely has a very limited number of close colleagues in baseball. The irony is that for all his blustering about having no peer on the diamond, he truly does not have a peer on the diamond. Bonds was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career before jealousy overtook him in the offseason following the historic chase of Roger Maris by Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in 1998 (allegedly). Bonds couldn't bear the thought that the spotlight was shining bright upon anyone other than himself. So he made a deal with the devil to take both the single season home run record (in 2001) and the career home run record, now 756 and counting. I have made it no secret that I despise Barry Bonds for a number of reasons including, but not limited to, those mentioned previously. The guy makes it impossible to like him (again, unless you're a Giants fan or your driver's license says "Tim Kurkjian".) But an interesting thing has happened to me as Bonds has approached this hallowed record: a feeling of resignation. You know what, Barry Bonds is the home run king now, whether we like it or not. We cannot say, "Yeah, but Hammerin' Hank is still the king!" He is not. Bonds is. 756 says he is. And we can all hope and pray and cheer for Alex Rodriguez to one day take down whatever mythical number Bonds leaves on the ledger, but until he does we must, gulp!, embrace Barry Bonds as the champ. He has been convicted of nothing; he has never failed a drug test. And in spite of his ridiculous performance and physical growth in the twilight of his career, we can only speculate and postulate as to how he's gotten where he has. I hate to say it, but quite simply, to do so is unfair. Do I think Bonds is dirty? Of course. There is way too much smoke to not conclude that there is a fire somewhere. But outside of speculation, leaked testimonies, and hearsay, Barry Bonds is spotless. Barry Bonds is the All-Time Home Run King. But we can all take solace in this: he will never, ever come close to Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron as a player, or to the latter as a person. The funny thing is, I bet Bonds is just fine with that. And that tells us all we need to know about the new "King".
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