Bonds: Hall a no go if ball has asterisk

[Neon_Chaos]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071102/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_bonds_hall_of_fame

[rkmsuf]

Perfect. Put a couple on there then.

[Blade6119]

Seriously, this is a dream come true for me

[Travis]

Even better having played a (very small) role in helping that ball get branded.

Sure it's petty, but this brought a smile to my face today.

[Lathum]

The whole thing is so stupid IMO.

Arod will probably break the record before Bonds is even elidgeable for the HOF

[Crapshoot]

I agree with him.

[Swaggs]

I agree with him, too.

I don't think the HOF will display it, anyway.

Good marketing stunt, but kind of a shame that part of history had to be damaged to do it. Kind of like carving a McDonald's sign on Mt. Rushmore...

[ISiddiqui]

I agree with him.

+3

[Crapshoot]

I agree with him, too.

I don't think the HOF will display it, anyway.

Good marketing stunt, but kind of a shame that part of history had to be damaged to do it. Kind of like carving a McDonald's sign on Mt. Rushmore...

Yeah, can we brand Ty Cobb a racist on his ball? Can we brand Babe Ruth a drunkard (during prohibition)? Should Hack Wilson have a tag for his use of greenies?

[rkmsuf]

I'd love to draw a giant penis on Joe Morgan's plaque.

[Young Drachma]

I agree with him.

+4

[lordscarlet]

I think the guy marking the ball is an asshole.

[TroyF]

The Hall wouldn't be paying for the ball. They are getting it from someone else. Their decision simply comes down to either showcasing the ball or not showcasing it.

If I'm them, I showcase it. One player is not bigger than this game. Let Bonds boycott the hall. They can have someone speak in his place, they still have a ton of his artifacts. Let him sit at home when he's inducted.

As for Bonds and his continued whining about anything, he could have prevented this. The ball went up for auction. Ecko won the bidding at 750k. Bonds could have paid 800k for the ball and then did whatever the hell he wanted with it. He chose not to.

I don't necessarily think the ball should be branded. But I didn't pay 750k for it either, so it's not my decision. Ecko can do what he wants with it. The fact Barry is crying about this makes me think Ecko did the right thing.

[Neuqua]

I'm with Troy.

My opinion really does not matter because I am not the one who forked over the cash to purchase the rights to the ball. Marc Ecko did and decided to brand it. He bought that right.

[Kodos]

I applaud the asterisk.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm with Troy.

My opinion really does not matter because I am not the one who forked over the cash to purchase the rights to the ball. Marc Ecko did and decided to brand it. He bought that right.

I applaud the asterisk.

I'm with Troy as well. He bought the ball and can do whatever he wants with it. If Barry cared about the ball so much, he should have coughed up the money. The Hall is much bigger than Barry and his grandstanding should not be rewarded.

[molson]

Yeah, can we brand Ty Cobb a racist on his ball? Can we brand Babe Ruth a drunkard (during prohibition)? Should Hack Wilson have a tag for his use of greenies?

The asterisk doesn't refer to Bonds' morality.

I don't get as worked up about the steroids stuff as other people - I just think Bonds is a dolt.

[Swaggs]

See, I think it is a shame that he is ruining memorabilia, but I don't have a real problem with him buying it and doing what he wants with it. What I disagree with is the Hall of Fame displaying it, because it is a marketing stunt. Do we really need someone like Echo to showcase himself and his wealth to be an advocate for something like this? If you want to blow $750K, put it into cancer research or helping Katrina victims or something useful.

I think giving Echo a forum for what he did sets a bad precedent. What is to prevent Pepsi from buying up all the Honus Wagner cards and superimposing a Pepsi icon onto them or Microsoft from buying World Series trophies and branding them with their logo? Should the Hall of Fame display those if they are offered to them?

[rkmsuf]

Guy probably switched the balls anyway and has the real one in his basement.

[Swaggs]

I also have to think that if Bonds had spent $800K-$1M on his own ball, people would be jumping on him for being full of himself and spending so much money on something commemorating himself. He cannot win in the court of public opinion.

[Warhammer]

Put Bonds in the HoF. Then, show the ball right next to his big ass head.

[Logan]

This is almost as if 5 years before Lincoln abolished slavery, every slave owner said "Fuck it, what we're doing is wrong...you can go lead your own life."

Thousands of people will save themselves a lot of aggravation if he carries through on this threat.

[Crapshoot]

See, I think it is a shame that he is ruining memorabilia, but I don't have a real problem with him buying it and doing what he wants with it. What I disagree with is the Hall of Fame displaying it, because it is a marketing stunt. Do we really need someone like Echo to showcase himself and his wealth to be an advocate for something like this? If you want to blow $750K, put it into cancer research or helping Katrina victims or something useful.

I think giving Ecko a forum for what he did sets a bad precedent. What is to prevent Pepsi from buying up all the Honus Wagner cards and superimposing a Pepsi icon onto them or Microsoft from buying World Series trophies and branding them with their logo? Should the Hall of Fame display those if they are offered to them?

Yup. I have no problem with Ecko (I think he's an attention seeking blowhard, but of course, that is his right). The HOF, on the other hand, is setting an awfully dangerous precedent here, and one it ought to avoid.

[Crapshoot]

I'm with Troy as well. He bought the ball and can do whatever he wants with it. If Barry cared about the ball so much, he should have coughed up the money. The Hall is much bigger than Barry and his grandstanding should not be rewarded.

Any more cliches to mix in? The HOF is about the players - this is a publicity stunt by Ecko, and the HOF shouldn't be in the business of endorsing it.

[miami_fan]

I agree with him.

+5

[Dr. Sak]

Put the asterisk ball in the HoF. Wait the same amount of time that Maris had to wait to have the asterisk removed from 61*, then white out the asterisk on Bonds' HR Ball. Only fair IMO.

[ISiddiqui]

But there was no asterisk on 61 ;).

[Maple Leafs]

Am I the only one who assumes they'll display the ball, and just turn it so you can't see the asterisk? Wouldn't that be a pretty simple solution?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Please Brer Bonds, PUH-LEEZE don't throw me in the briar patch.

[sabotai]

He cannot win in the court of public opinion.

And he has only himself to blame for being in that position.

[Travis]

Am I the only one who assumes they'll display the ball, and just turn it so you can't see the asterisk? Wouldn't that be a pretty simple solution?

No you're not, and I think that was stated in one of the articles back when the voting was going on. So the odds of the asterisk being visible is pretty much nill which makes it even more fun that Bonds is getting so uptight about it.

But hey, it's the principle of the thing, right Barry?

[TroyF]

LOL. Bonds could easily have "won" if he'd bid for the ball. Of course, it'd have taken some humility and a good PR director, but it could have been done easily. Bonds buys the ball, donates it to the hall and says it's because he wants it kept in his family and that his kids can do what they want with it as they get older? Win.

As for the hall setting a bad example, please. . . The only way it's "good" publicity is because a majority of the people in this country think Bonds is a cheater. Pepsi tries to pull the stunt with a Honus Wagner card, they'd be crucified in the press and by the public.

Here is a news flash people: If a guy with 750k to spend on a baseball wants to make a media statement, he will. If the hall chooses not to put the ball up for display, someone will do it. Either way, Ecko is getting his publicity. Heck, he may get MORE publicity by the hall of fame refusing it and him setting up a nationwide tour of the ball. (an article in every newspaper about the visit, he could stretch that out years)

Bonds created his media image. He has nobody but himself to blame for this. Could anyone imagine the outrage people would have if someone had threatened to do that with Craid Biggio's 3k hit ball?

Besides, the precedance issue goes both ways. Does the hall of fame bow down to every players demands now? What if Clemens says that if they display Piazza's broken bat from the WS game, he isn't going to show up? if George Brett demanded the pine tar bat be removed. If Derek Jeter demanded any and all traces of ARod be removed or he'd walk? They display artifacts.

Just like all throughout Barry's career, he's handling this wrong. The right way would have been to contact the hall of fame and ask them what they were going to do with it. Then to ask them behind the scenes not to display the ball. To offer them anything they wanted from that historic night in exchange for not dsplaying it. All behind the scenes.

Then if he got the impression they were going to do so anyway, come out and release a statement that says he's negotiated with the hall and failed and that he's incredibly dissapointed with their choice. Announce that he'll boycott the hall of fame as they are not in line with his values and thank his fans for their understanding and support.

Would the Barry haters have went away? Of course not. But there are a lot of people who hate Barry who would have respected that move more than him crying a river and acting like a jerk.

[TroyF]

No you're not, and I think that was stated in one of the articles back when the voting was going on. So the odds of the asterisk being visible is pretty much nill which makes it even more fun that Bonds is getting so uptight about it.

But hey, it's the principle of the thing, right Barry?

That all depends on what Ecko decides Travis. He's the owner of the ball, not the hall of fame. If the terms the HOF gets the ball are that the asterik be shown, they'll have no choice. Even without that agreement, if Ecko feels the ball isn't being displayed like he would like it to be, he would ask for it back and the HOF would lose the ability to showcase the ball.

[bulletsponge]

am i the only one who doesnt give a rats ass about this whole thing? who cares about some HoF, its all about patting yourself on the back anyways

[CU Tiger]

#1 I dont like Barry
#2 I dont care if he ate Placentas to hit home runs, he still hit 'em
#3 mark Ecko is just jealous of that Lizard on TV and wants the attention
#4 Barry Bonds is a HOF whether as a size 7 1/4 size hat or a 7 7/8
#5 The HoF should not have accepted the ball, but then it would have garnered more publicity for ecko (see #3)
#6 There is a very large estate sale coming up later this year that will include An original Ruth uniform, and a Paige glove, ball and cleats. It would be a shame of those were publicity whored

[cmp]

I agree with him.
+6

[MalcPow]

Am I the only one who assumes they'll display the ball, and just turn it so you can't see the asterisk? Wouldn't that be a pretty simple solution?

Mark Ecko will capitalize on his graffiti-artist roots and knowledge of skateboard and hip-hop culture to create an asterisk so awesome it will be visible from all angles.

[Maple Leafs]

am i the only one who doesnt give a rats a** about this whole thing?
I will not be participating in this thread unless both asterisks are removed from the word "ass".

[ThunderingHERD]

Only one reason for cheering this whole affair on makes any sense, and that reason is spite. You don't like Barry, you think this will hurt him, and you think that is a good thing. Now, I'm not going to chide anybody for that--approximately 85% of my actions on any given day are at least partially motivated by spite--but, please, don't pretend that you have some kind of moral high ground. It's disgusting.

[ISiddiqui]

approximately 85% of my actions on any given day are at least partially motivated by spite

That low? And I thought I knew you :(.

[bulletsponge]

I will not be participating in this thread unless both asterisks are removed from the word "ass".

ok fixed it for ya :rolleyes:

[Vinatieri for Prez]

While I don't doubt enough jackasses will vote Bonds into the HOF, I like Bond's presumption that he will get enshrined in the first place. Plus, it would be hard to attend your own induction ceremony when you're sitting in a small cell doing time for tax evasion.:)

[Young Drachma]

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[larrymcg421]

I also have to think that if Bonds had spent $800K-$1M on his own ball, people would be jumping on him for being full of himself and spending so much money on something commemorating himself. He cannot win in the court of public opinion.

Maybe because he's been a prick his entire professional career, which started well before anyone gave a shit about steroids?

[14ers]

That all depends on what Ecko decides Travis. He's the owner of the ball, not the hall of fame. If the terms the HOF gets the ball are that the asterik be shown, they'll have no choice. Even without that agreement, if Ecko feels the ball isn't being displayed like he would like it to be, he would ask for it back and the HOF would lose the ability to showcase the ball.
I have always wondered this about Sports Hall of Fames. Does the Hall of Fame own all the items on display? Or, is it more like a Museum where people allow the museum to display items for them, but keep ownership of the item?


I am guessing there is going to be a huge asterisk branded onto the ball, and the Hall of Fame will be under strict orders of how the ball is to be displayed, or they will be required to give it back.


My advise to Bonds..... After the ball enters the Hall of Fame hire OJ Simpson to go steal it.:D