Two Sports Notes

#1: A prediction W/R/T Barry Bonds chasing the Babe:

Having admitted that he is probably not in the physical shape to catch Hank Aaron, we think the likelihood is high that Mr. B. will hit #715 at some point in the near future, walk off the field, into the clubhouse, and disappear forever a la Tom Seaver, never to be heard from again. We are admittedly romantics, and so this prediction comes from what we'd like to see as much as what we think might happen. It would be in keeping with Bonds' contention that the media has ruined his life and that all he wants is to be let alone.

(Sub note: Hank Aaron had to deal with a lot of overt racism as he was chasing Ruth 30 years ago, which should shame all baseball fans, but we at The Eight are even more ashamed of the covert racism Bonds is facing. Many of the fans are using the steroid scandal as an excuse to "root" for Babe Ruth, but we think that in reality, many of these fans are just fat white guys who like the idea that the babe was a fat white guy like them. There, we said it.)

(Sub Sub note: Baseball legend and John Goodman movies remind us that as Ruth was in the 701-714 range, he was falling apart as a body, and famously did not even round the bases for his last few dingers, letting a pinch runner tag all four for him. This is eerily analogous to the grimace we see as Barry rounds the bases now, and we think both of them deserve our thanks for leaving so much of themselves out there on the field for our enjoyment.)

#2: Regarding Keith Hernandez:

It pains us to say this about one of our all-time favorite first basemen, but Keith Hernandez needs to be fired from his Mets broadcasting job in light of his recent comments: See It Now. Why? Because firing Rush Limbaugh from MNF was the right decision and Keith's untoward comment is the same exact thing. Free speech, which Standing Eight are absolute defenders of, does not enter into the picture for sports broadcasters on the job. He's allowed to be biased toward the Mets, but not against anyone, especially any class of people.