The Twitter, tweeter, tiddly do has offered the world a new way to share information. Quick 140 character expressions from the likes of neighbors, friends, media, celebrities, and politicians. Most tend to use Twitter in a responsible manner, yet the aggressive competitive nature of the media, especially sports media has turned Twitter into a must have for a sports fanatic, who also must be up to date on the most current news and rumors.
This use of Twitter has almost ruined fact finding in sports media, and area in which there seems to be no accountability to factual reports any longer. These individuals are the same guys who vote on Heisman award winners, MVP's, Rookie of the Year, and in some cases Hall of Fame inductees.
Lets get this straight, the same guy that decides not to vote for Barry Bonds as a Hall of Fame player due to character issues can also report far fetched trades or signings wrongly and not be ridiculed for it? Further, they can see kingly change their strong minded opinion on PED use, and those players, and no one holds them accountable?
Now don't get me wrong, I do not want the likes of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, or any other abuser of Performance Enhancing drugs to be in the hall as a player either. I would like the story to be told. I would like the hall to recognize it. I wouldn't mind if they had a different wing which lists the accomplishments of these players. I however do not think the plaque of one of these types be allowed to be next to the likes of Mickey Mantle, or Yogi Berra, or Ryne Sandberg, or Tony Gywnn.
The difference between my opinions and those in the media, well no one comes to me for news or information which is used to determine their own opinion. This is where the likes of Jon Heyman loses credibility. In an excerpt from a 2011 Sports Illustrated article, Jon says this:
While I do believe Bonds took steroids (whether it was knowingly or not doesn't much matter to me, though if I had to guess, I think he knows everything that goes in his body), I don't believe all steroid users should be excluded from the Hall of Fame. I'm not here to sit in moral judgment of another human being.
[...]
As for Bonds, I don't think anyone could reasonably make the case that he needed drugs to be a Hall of Famer. When Bonds signed with his hometown Giants for $43.75 million in December of 1992 to become the highest-paid player in baseball history he was already the best player in the game, and he earned that contract through only good genes (his dad, Bobby, was also an incredible combination of speed and power) and hard work. He had a small head at the time, and he maintained that, at least in the literal sense, for several years to come.
He also states famously: "a baseball Hall of Fame would be empty without Bonds."
But apparently he is on leaving the ultimate baseball shrine, empty...
This is the same guy who consistently reports on false trades or signings, interested teams, or frontrunners. His apology list is longer than his accomplishment list, well if he would actually apologize. This is a reporter with a success rate lower than your local weatherman (not counting Tom Skilling, he's always right).
This is a guy that gets to judge on your Hall of Fame players. He is a guy that gets to judge others integrity. He is one who ultimately gets to write the baseball history book of this era.
Is he the kind of guy that should wield that power? A guy that so easily says, oops I changed my mind?
No comments:
Post a Comment