Memo to ESPN: We Don't Care About Bonds

After yesterday's Red Sox win, I returned to New York and caught the end of the Giants-Phillies game on ESPN. Turns out Barry Bonds hit his 713th home run in the game. And ESPN made sure you knew it! I saw the last two innings, and the home run was replayed at least 20 different times from every angle imaginable, and then once SportsCenter began, they continued to fall all over Bonds and replay the homer at least another 20 times. I also noticed that every time Bonds comes up, they take the score graphic off the screen and they put up their "ESPN" logo, just to remind the world that "you saw it here first on ESPN." Ugh.

ESPN badly compromised their credibility by signing Bonds for that infomercial he does every week, "Bonds On Bonds." It seems all the SportsCenter and Baseball Tonight anchors have taken a dive for him. It's gotten to the point I just don't watch Baseball Tonight anymore, as all the slobbering over Bonds is just too much for me.

The baseball public is tired of Bonds, and just doesn't care about his pursuit of the home run record. I remember as a kid Hank Aaron's chase of Babe Ruth's record was exciting, as you knew baseball history was being made. But American baseball fans have come to the conclusion that Bonds' records are a fraud, and that he's a product of what will forever be known as "The Steroid Era." ESPN keeps trying to shove him down our throats, but baseball fans are reacting to it with a collective yawn.

If that's not bad enough, now it turns out that Bonds' creepy persona has struck again. The guy in Philadelphia who caught his home run ball last night asked Bonds to autograph the ball for him, as he's actually a Bonds fan. The man is actually an Air Force serviceman, based in New Jersey. Bonds refused his request with a smirk, but later broke down and took a picture with the fan. And in another act of total nonclass, they forced the serviceman to sign a waiver so he could appear on Bonds' inane reality show. For more on the story: http://http://articles.news.aol.com/sports/article.adp?id=20060508004209990005&ncid=NWS00010000000001

Just another reason to despise Barry Bonds.

I was watching Bob Costas' interview with Willie Mays this past weekend, and he asked Mays about Bonds. He had told Bonds a number of times that he should enjoy the game more, and be more open with the fans. Coming from Willie, who was a beloved figure with all baseball fans in his day, you'd think it would sink in with Bonds.

If Willie Mays can't reach an arrogant jerk like Bonds, I guess there's no hope for him. Willie had more class and style in his little finger than Bonds has in his whole steroid-ridden body.

We don't care, Barry.
We don't care, ESPN.
And we never will.