6 comments

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  Dame

  2 years ago

  It's great to see that baseball is honoring this great man in such a why. On a side note, I still don't get why so many people are upset that Barry Bonds is choosing to honor Jackie Robinson?
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  Fredric

  2 years ago

  well, it's not so much that people are upset because he chose to honor him. it is because barry bonds is a selfish individual (always has been) and is hypocritical in his tribute.
  
  while many of the great players will wear it in tribute, bonds' actions in the past are not representative of what jackie stands for.
  
  he has been unashamedly selfish in his glory of his accomplishments, cold to fans, and empty in supporting organizations geared towards youth.
  
  if you read the link on the post, it'll take you to an espn article synonymously pitting barry to george w.
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  Dame

  2 years ago

  I read that article earlier this week. While I agree with some of it, like that bonds is selfish. But while we hope, it's impossible for every single person to be just like Hank Aaron or Jackie Robinson. That author is going out of way to show how Bonds basically isn't a black athlete and should not represent another great black athlete.
  
  Sure Bonds isn't the nice cuddly person we would like him to be. But you can't take away is impact on the game. You can't take way the fact that when baseball was at it's lowest point after the strike, that he was one of the major players that help it get back to where it is right now. I'm sure hockey would love to have a Barry Bonds right now so they could become reverlent again.
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  OHSucker

  2 years ago

  Dame...can't believe I actually agree with you on something. LOL (Inside Joke). Seriously though I think we put too much emphasis on the "Role of the Black Athlete". That's a huge weight to carry on your shoulders. It's like if someone in your family comes into a large sum of money, many now have their hands out and expect you to do this, do that just because you have money. That's not right. We have to realize that not every Black Pro Athlete is going to be about helping inner city youth or other underprivileged programs. The simple fact of the matter is they just may not be "connected to it" because not all professional Black athletes grew up underprivileged. It's a known fact that most people do not support certain programs, not because they don't agree with the program, but because they're not connected or don't feel a connection to said program. Also PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong but what "Community Driven" programs (besides the one mentioned) does MLB have? The NBA has NBA Cares. The NFL has their partnership with United Way. So that could possibly be part of the problem as well. MLB doesn't seem to have a foothold in the overall community atmosphere.
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  Fredric

  2 years ago

  i disagree.
  
  i've always been an advocate of 'to much privilege comes much responsibility'.
  
  what if our ancestors said 'not my problem'. what if those who were thrust in the spotlight because of God-given talent had thrown up their arms and said 'yeah, thats nice and all...but i dont care'.
  
  maybe it is a personal conviction i have, but my morals, upbringing, and values do not tell me that this world becomes a better place by us all looking out for ourselves.
  
  why would i write in a blog? why should anyone care? why do i, a blessed, educated, young black man care about my brothers and sisters? better question...why should i?
  
  the reason is simple.
  
  someone cared about me to allow me to have the opportunities i have. this is what jackie did.
  
  bonds does not represent this. he should not wear the number.
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  OHSucker

  2 years ago

  No it's not about believing that "it's not my problem" (personally, I don't happen to believe this. I just like to play Devil's Advocate). It's that we expect EVERYONE to be about the same things that we're about just because they are in a certain role. There's always going to be "one bad apple in the bunch" does that mean we hold the apple tree responsible? No it doesn't.
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