As I type, I am watching an otherwise forgettable game in the dog days of August between two last place teams: the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants. Like the rest of America, I want to see history made, but I also want to see this charade end. I'm talking about Barry Bonds and his chase for the all-time home run record.
I'll never forget where I was when Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run to break Babe Ruth's record. I was 7 years old, watching on my parents' TV. I already loved baseball. I already had hundreds of baseball cards, and knew who every player was. I already knew statistics such as batting average and earned run average. Hank Aaron was a hero of mine. I had no idea of the social implications of the moment. I just knew I was watching a great player set an important record.
My oldest son is 7 years old. He likes to go to baseball games, but I wouldn't consider him a baseball fan. He doesn't know who any of the players are. He'll probably never appreciate the Great Game as his father does. More importantly, I'm not going to get him out of bed to see Barry Bonds break the all-time home run record. Bonds is neither a hero nor a role model. He is not someone that I would want my son to idolize.
It's inevitable that Bonds will break the record. It will probably happen during this series with the Nationals. I'm ready for him to go ahead and break it.
I'll comment more on Bonds after he hits #756.
It will be a big deal after Bonds breaks the record. However, the records and statistics of baseball have become so warped that most achievements are now cheapened. In 1974, it was a HUGE deal for the all-time home run record to be broken. Baseball was the hottest thing going. In 2007, baseball is still a big deal (in spite of itself), but pales in comparison to the NFL.
It's 10:30 CDT, Monday, August 6, and Hank Aaron is still tied as the all-time home run king. We'll see how long this lasts.
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The Ticket is a buzz today because tonight Bonds and his sad sack Giants are going up against the Ticket's own Bacsik.
Bacsik used to date a TicketChick and was a burrito fetching intern for BaD Radio. He's such a P1 that he text messages Dan after games. Now that he's up against Bonds tonight everyone on the Ticket is sure that the BaD Radio curse will hold true and Bonds will hit a HR off of Bacsik. (Click here to view info on Wiki about the BaD Radio Curse).
I think that the fact that this dude wanted to be a BaD Radio intern proves that he is destined to give up the record breaking HR to Bonds. I'm watching tonight even though I need to get an big project done for school. I figure I can do both. ;)
I didn't realize Mike Bacsik II was such a Ticket junkie. I remember when his dad, also named Mike Bacsik, pitched for the Rangers in the 70's, and I remember when he pitched for Duncanville High School.
It would stink to be stuck with the Washington Nationals (though it's a lot better than being in the minor leagues). It would be even worse to give up #756.
The curse continues ... but before the game starts. As much as BaD Radio hates WNBA I love that the WNBA is what is delaying the telecast of the game that the entire Ticket is dying to watch ... especially Bob and Dan.
Last week in SA, Dan lost a punt catching competition with Danny Do and Bob and his punishment was that he had to cover the WNBA game that night (by himself) and call in updates and, I think, do Ticket Tickers. Classic.
Double over time now for CHI v. DET.
Zee
p.s. girls basketball is pretty lame ... especially on TV
The Hardline wants him to be 756. They think that it's not embarrassing, but nice to be the footnote to the record. Too funny. Snake opposed them on this (shocking!).
That is a hoot. I didn't expect for the game to start until 9:30 anyway, so I'll move into the bedroom then.
Joshua was on a Star Wars website today, and it had a picture of Darth Vader and Barry Bonds side by side. I think they may have been opposing each other. I asked Joshua who he liked better, and he said Darth Vader. Of course, he knows a lot more about Darth Vader. Unfortunately, he's right. Bonds is more evil.
At dinner tonight, my mom was saying she heard someone on TV talk about Bonds and how they said not to worry about the record being broken because that A-Rod kid will break the record anyway. I was like, "Are you serious? They are both A's!" (and I don't mean they're playing for Oak).
I think what bothers me more than anything are the idiot fans just cheering like nothing.
Go Bascik!
At least A-Rod hasn't been juiced up, to our knowledge. He has jerk tendencies, but he is not in the Bonds league of jerkness.
It seems like yesterday that A-Rod was a kid. He's 32 now. Time flies!
I shouldn't have bagged on Mike Bacsik playing for the Nationals like I did. He's been in and out of the minor leagues for 11 years. He's tickled to death to be with the sad-sack Nationals. That's better than playing for the Columbus Clippers, where he began the season.
I thought he had been in the bigs longer than this, but he's only been in 36 big league games with five different teams. That's compared with 294 minor league appearances. He's played for 6 different AAA teams since 2001. After toiling in the minors for so long, he deserves some success in the major leagues.
Hopefully, Bonds will hit #756 off of someone else.
This all makes me want to name my team BasciksBaDBurritos. :)
He really is thankful to be playing with anyone. He's done well enough that I think he'll be feeling pretty secure come next spring ... if he keeps it up, which I have no doubt he will.
DANG IT BACSIK!!! :( :( :(
Poor guy.
Hank Aaron is the classiest baseball player since Lou Gehrig.
Hank Aaron is and has always been greatness.
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