The Evolution of Barry Bonds

[Marcus Garvey]

Great stuff here:

Time: The Evolution of Barry Bonds (http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,1640086,00.html)

A few things I've forgotten about him over the years:
- It took him a few years to really gel in the majors. 1990 was his breakout year. However, he always had an inflated sense of self worth, so you can make the argument that his game finally caught up to his ego.
- It's clear that he began to work wout in the early 90's, as his body appears more toned. But the mysterious gain in "bulk" didn't occur until around 1997, and continued.
- I think the old-school Barry with the cop mustache is much better looking than the current gigantic bald-headed, yet clean shaven, version.

[AZGrizFan]

Looking at the pictures (and granted, it might just be THESE pictures), 2000 is where I REALLY notice the difference.... xeyebrowx

[AggieFinn]

From about 2000 on he looks more like Kevin Mitchell than the rico suave Bonds of the early '90's.

http://www.nerdsonsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/barryvbarry.jpg

[NorCalJack]

Great stuff here:

Time: The Evolution of Barry Bonds (http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/0,28757,1640086,00.html)

A few things I've forgotten about him over the years:
- It took him a few years to really gel in the majors. 1990 was his breakout year. However, he always had an inflated sense of self worth, so you can make the agrument that his game finally caught up to his ego.
- It's clear that he began to work wout in the early 90's, as his body appears more toned. But the mysterious gain in "bulk" didn't occur until around 1997, and continued.
- I think the old-school Barry with the cop mustache is much better looking than the current gigantic bald-headed, yet clean shaven, version.

I never have bought into the fact that looking at pictures of Barry Bonds in 1986 and comparing them to today really proves anything. People change over a 20 year period. You can look at pictures of Michael Jordan in a North Carolina uniform and a Washington Wizard uniform and make the same claim. Look at some Kobe Bryant pictures of when he was a rookie and compare them to today. His body has changed a lot. There are a lot of examples that you could use. Take myself. I have gained probably 75 pounds since my college days and trust me I don't take steroids. My head is also bigger today than when I was in college. (Ok, maybe I'm a bad example, but I think you get my point)

[AggieFinn]

from 99 to 2000, it seems a little freakish...

[Marcus Garvey]

I never have bought into the fact that looking at pictures of Barry Bonds in 1986 and comparing them to today really proves anything. People change over a 20 year period. You can look at pictures of Michael Jordan in a North Carolina uniform and a Washington Wizard uniform and make the same claim. Look at some Kobe Bryant pictures of when he was a rookie and compare them to today. His body has changed a lot. There are a lot of examples that you could use. Take myself. I have gained probably 75 pounds since my college days and trust me I don't take steroids. My head is also bigger today than when I was in college. (Ok, maybe I'm a bad example, but I think you get my point)

Are you ripped, or just fat? The sudden jump around 2000 smells, plain and simple. He gained over 40 lbs from his early days, yet had muscle tone.

If it look like a duck and quacks like a duck....

[grizband]

from 99 to 2000, it seems a little freakish...

http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2007/bonds/1999.jpg

to

http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2007/bonds/2000_2.jpg

xeekx

[danefan]

2000-2001 was his big "listed weight" gain at 18 pounds.

Coincidentally (????) he hit 73 in 2001......................hmmmmm

[appfan2008]

i wrote down all the numbers and what I found was from 1998 through 2001 his hr per ab plummeted...

[TwinTownBisonFan]

He started juicing it would appear, right after Sosa and McGwire got all that attention... what a juvenile thing to do... he was a hall-of-fame caliber player before that... but he is also such a hall-of-fame caliber douchebag... that he just couldn't stand the thought of someone being thought of as a better home run hitter.

None of these pricks that juiced are fit to carry Hank Aaron's jock.

[Marcus Garvey]

i wrote down all the numbers and what I found was from 1998 through 2001 his hr per ab plummeted...

Did you mean At Bats per Home Run?

[aust42]

Baseball players have been using steroids since the 70's. People who think Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa started the "steroid era" in baseball are naive. I could never understand why MLB and the public made this whole issue the fiasco it became. Baseball purists crying the blues. Congress getting involved? Just outrageous and completely ridiculous. The NFL did it right. They acknowledged steroid use in the NFL, made it illegal to use steroids going forward and implemented penalities for non compliance. Done deal, moving on.

[BlueHen86]

Baseball players have been using steroids since the 70's. People who think Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa started the "steroid era" in baseball are naive. I could never understand why MLB and the public made this whole issue the fiasco it became. Baseball purists crying the blues. Congress getting involved? Just outrageous and completely ridiculous. The NFL did it right. They acknowledged steroid use in the NFL, made it illegal to use steroids going forward and implemented penalities for non compliance. Done deal, moving on.

I doubt that the NFL is serious about catching steroid users.

[Peems]

Baseball players have been using steroids since the 70's. People who think Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa started the "steroid era" in baseball are naive. I could never understand why MLB and the public made this whole issue the fiasco it became. Baseball purists crying the blues. Congress getting involved? Just outrageous and completely ridiculous. The NFL did it right. They acknowledged steroid use in the NFL, made it illegal to use steroids going forward and implemented penalities for non compliance. Done deal, moving on.

I'd say the major difference though is the "passion" people have/had for baseball. No one cared about the NFL as much back then and the Home Run record is the most "hallowed" record in all of sports. Plus you throw in the media of today and that is why the big deal is now and not 30+ years ago.

[BlueHen86]

I'd say the major difference though is the "passion" people have/had for baseball. No one cared about the NFL as much back then and the Home Run record is the most "hallowed" record in all of sports. Plus you throw in the media of today and that is why the big deal is now and not 30+ years ago.

The bottom line is:
Nobody wants to watch a bunch of steroid cheats ruin the game of baseball.
Nobody wants to watch a bunch non-steroid cheats ruin the game of football.

[aust42]

I doubt that the NFL is serious about catching steroid users.

The NFL has been very rigorous in the enforcement of their drug policy. Not sure what your talking about.

"The bottom line is:
Nobody wants to watch a bunch of steroid cheats ruin the game of baseball."

Steroids have been a part of baseball since the 70's. Must we include a separate "steroid era" stat sheet for all the players of the past 35 years? Because that's how long steroids have been in MLB. Or just the 2000 decade to appease the baseball purists since that's when the precious home run records were broken?

"Nobody wants to watch a bunch non-steroid cheats ruin the game of football."

What?