How FANtastic was the World Series Champions Giants Victory Parade yesterday in downtown San Francisco? I could feel the excitement, the energy, the affection—and imagined I heard the crowd—all the way down Highway 101 to my office—seventy miles away. Pure euphoria enveloped the Bay Area!
San Jose Mercury News story of the SF Giants World Series Champions Parade. The MercNews did an outstanding job covering Giants baseball.
I watched the celebration on my computer—a Comcast broadcast on mlb.com. Boo on the televised coverage that cut to commercials during important times (like Huff with the rally thong on his head!). Sheesh—the camera guy must be a Phillies fan.
Not to worry. I listened to KNBR Radio and heard the proper adulation that was due this historic event.
Watching the parade I thought to myself, Gotta love SF. Gotta love baseball. Gotta love humanity at its best. (That last part I don’t say very often.)
The main reason the SF Giants baseball season was so incredible this year was that the team wasn’t that good at the beginning. Who thought they had a chance to win the division against San Diego or the Rockies? (Not me, a skeptical fan.)
Cartoon by Tom Meyer about this year's Giants team. The caption reads: Player of the left--"Say Hey" Kid. Players on the right--"Say Who?" Kids. So true!
But they never gave up.
With key player additions during the season, in all their freaky glory, the underdogs WON THE WORLD SERIES. Don’t you love it when that happens?
No stinkin’ Yankees and their bloated payroll.
No bully Phillies and their obnoxious sign-waving fans.
No superstars with private trainers (on the payroll), a private barcalounger in the locker room, and private PEDs in your body lotion.
Just a bunch of Average Joes who believed in themselves.
To me the Giants are a lesson in optimism. A testimony to hardwork. An example of successful teamwork. A metaphor for a brighter future for all of America if we work together—for the overall good of everyone—not for the special interest of a few.
My favorite part of the parade was the presentation of the players at the Civic Center. Jon Miller, the master of ceremonies, said something terrific about each one as they walked out of a building one at a time and took a seat on stage.
ALL the players contributed to the Giants Championship Year. (Even Barry Zito, although he sooo did not earn his salary. But at least his ego is peanut- sized compared to BLB—the Big Lying Butthole.)
So let’s discuss BLB—Barry Lamar Bonds: SF Giants leftfielder for fifteen years (1993-2007) AND owner of the most prestigious record in baseball’s exalted history: Homerun King. He broke Hank Aaron’s record of 755 homers as a Giant. In addition to many extraordinary stats, he holds the record for most home runs in a season and was the league MVP a record seven times. His father, Bobby, also played for the Giants as did his godfather, Willie Mays, the best baseball player ever.
Willie Mays was on the stage at the Civic Center. So was Willie McCovey (another incredible Giants player). But why wasn’t Barry Bonds there?
Because we the fans don’t want him there. He has spoiled baseball statistics with his cheating and lying. I’m not going to detail the whole sordid mess of the allegations of steroid use, the denials, the indictments, etc. I’ll just sum up the situation: no rational person in the USA thinks Barry Bonds DIDN’T use PEDs during his heyday.
This week Barry was quoted as saying that he wants to come back to the SF Giants as a hitting coach.
“I have a gift and sooner or later I have to give it away. I have to share it.”
Are you kidding me? BLBs hitting was juiced? Does he hand out samples of stanozolol at batting practice?
We the fans don’t want a cheater—someone who has shamed the hallowed game of baseball—to be employed by it ever again.
So as I watched the parade festivities, I wondered what Barry thought. He obviously wasn’t invited to sit on the stage along with the other players and dignitaries. He is treated as a stain on the Giants organization—as well he should be.
Was breaking the record worth it?
Was it worth being shunned by the team you played fifteen years for?
Was it worth the disgust that former fans now feel about him?
Was putting himself first above the team AND the sport worth now having no part in that sport?
Yesterday was a magnanimous day for the City of San Francisco (Land of Diversity, Home for Misfits!)—for the whole Bay Area and SF Giants fans everywhere. Baseball provides a bond that ties generations of people together; that ties them to their community; and ties them to something good and positive in their lives.
Too bad Barry Bonds severed those bonds.
Hey, I’ve got an idea for BLB. He can coach Prison League Baseball at Pelican Bay State Penitentiary.
