Tonight, I am thinking about a certain someone who left me at what feels like a long time ago, now. Tomorrow is her birthday.
A very special woman turns 44 tomorrow in Biloxi, Mississippi. She is a lovely, sexy, smart, sweet, nutty, and very special human being.
***
Yesterday, speeding north along I-5, I played a number of CDs that usually do not get much airtime in my car. One was a Mamas & Papas album. The best singer by far in that group was, of course, Mama Cass, who was also the first one to die, way too young. As I listened to her songs I realized that who she really was was Wayne Newton with balls.
***
In case you have not been following the news, it is time to say "shame on you" to the San Francisco Chronicle, for their aggressive though ultimately unsuccessful series of articles on BALCO, i.e., the steroids scandal that has as its core the objective to discredit the accomplishments of Barry Bonds.
Look, I too have been an investigative reporter, and I too have been given access to secret grand jury testimony, and I also made the choice to take it all public. So, I know why they did it. But, the revelation that their source was a lawyer with a direct interest in distracting coverage from his client by deflecting bad publicity onto the athletes casts a deeep shadow over the veracity of the excerpted leaks. After all, we don't know enough about the context.
Meanwhile, the newspaper played a major role in wrecking the reputation of one of the greatest hitters of all time. Not that he makes himself warm and fuzzy by his own actions, mind you, it's just that I think this thing has been blown way out of proportion.
Baseball season is upon us. A pretty old player by the name of Barry Bonds is once again going to wear number 25 and play left field for the San Francisco Giants. He's going to bat cleanup.
And, I am going to here make a prediction. Bonds will not only equal Henry Aarons all-time HR record, but he'll do so by mid-season. Then he'll go on to hit 35 or 40 for the year.
Hey, I am not one to make excuses for cheaters, but when it comes to the steroids scandal, we'd all best step back a step and consider the long, sordid history of America's national pastime. Like everything else about this culture, the true history is ugly, exploitive, and filled with examples of "cheating," or attempts to gain an unfair advantage.
I do not have a vote, but if I did, when Barry Bonds comes up for the Hall of Fame vote, I would give him a thumbs up. If you live in the Bay Area or visit this year, please try to make it out to the baseball park on the Bay. We might as well witness and celebrate what this guy does, because history will (trust me.) After all, many athletes in this era was on steroids, but in baseball, one player soared above all the rest.
However, unless this year's edition of the Giants can make it to the World Series and win it, nothing Bonds or anyone else can do individually will actually matter to those of us who are the real baseball fans in this town.
We are tired of excuses. We want a trophy. It's not only how you play the game when it is your profession that matters. You gotta win...
-30-
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