Excellent comment, Booga. I agree on the reasons that Bonds is hated... I don't agree with the public perception.It bothers me enormously, but I know it isn't because he is black. That is downright ridiculous. Critics are wanting to put an asterisk on Bonds' potential record that would beat ANOTHER black man. This isn't Babe Ruth we are trying to protect.
Schilling's comments were way out of line... I agree with Kruk (isn't he the best thing to happen to Baseball Tonight in ages?). You don't go out publically and bash another guy for his personal life (Schilling attacked Bonds for cheating on his wife and cheating on his taxes).
It is said that Bonds testified to a Grand Jury that he unknowingly took steroids (I believe with the cream, as you mentioned). I'll continue to reiterate things like this. Jeremy Giambi actually pumped steroids directly and knowingly into his body.
He hit 20 HRs in 2002 in 313 ABs.
I would suggest that ALL of the guys in the record books likely used whatever was available at the time to better themselves chemically. Whether it was some kind of cow or horse enhancer or amphetamine.
Someone can correct me here, but this is probably the most important issue (if I am correct). Steroids was not formerly illegal in baseball at the time that Bonds hit 73. How is this cheating?
Then another issue: where is the talk of putting an asterisk next to Clemens' name if it comes out that there are witnesses saying he was a steroid user?
We can't crucify Bonds and take away from what he has brought to the game just because he is an asshole. The game of baseball has a ton of great players who were assholes... but, if they were great, we should ignore that fact when making any decisions about altering the game's history.