I hate Jeff Pearlman

Once again, Jeff Pearlman has written an article berating Barry Bonds for doing something positive. This guys acts like he not only knows Bonds, but that Bonds also slaughtered his family. I think my thoughts are best represented in the email I wrote Pearlman promptly after reading his article:

"No matter what he does, he's wrong. He can't win with you. I read your Page 2 article on espn.com. The link to it had this description: "Barry Bonds planned to wear no. 42 on Sunday to join in the honoring of Jackie Robinson, further proof that this man just doesn't get it." I'm not sure if you wrote that, but I'm sure if Bonds did not plan on wearing no. 42, you would have written a similar article with the description, "Barry Bonds did not plan on wearing no. 42 on Sunday to join in the honoring of Jackie Robinson, further proof that this man just doesn't get it." I'm surprised you didn't blame him for the rain that washed away the games today. I'm sure you could have come up with something like "Barry told the public he would honor Jackie Robinson by wearing no. 42. But since he's simply an evil man, he decided he needed a way around it, because in reality, he actually hates Jackie Robinson. So he used the powers that his evil performing-enhancing drugs gave him and summoned a rainout." Seriously, with the bullshit you write about Barry Bonds, I would not have been surprised to see that in there.

Here's a man, one of the greatest baseball players of all time, who wants to honor one of his heroes, and you come up with a way to make that a bad thing. Even if his track record in regard to race and sports is not great--although I've heard about plenty of times Bonds has lent advice to black rookies--he is in fact trying to honor Jackie Robinson. This is what he currently wants to do. The quote you used--the one he told mlb.com--what more do you want? It's easy to say he's not being sincere. In fact, it gets you a paycheck. But whats more logical is to assume he is being sincere, because who wouldn't be sincere when saying something like that? It's Jackie Robinson, for christ's sake. What he said was fact: "You just can't underestimate the impact Jackie had on this game." But it's Barry Bonds, so obviously there's something deceptive or wrong or evil about it, right?

It's time to move on, Mr. Pearlman. We know you don't like Barry Bonds. But enough with making him out to be worse than Hitler. You say "he has treated his black baseball forefathers like Aaron not as legends to be honored, but as stepping stones in his own maligned assault on the record books." As far as I'm concerned, this statement alone ruins your credibility. Bonds has shown nothing but respect for Aaron. If you say he treats Aaron as a stepping stone, you also should write an article claiming Cal Ripken considered Lou Gehrig as a means to personal gain. Barry Bonds not trying to erase Hank Aaron from the record books. He's simply hitting home runs. He's trying to win baseball games. He will pass Aaron on the way, and you can bet on him showing nothing but respect at that time, even though Aaron will be showing disrespect by not being there. So when the guy goes out of his way to show respect Jackie Robinson, just let him be. The next thing you write about Barry Bonds should be an apology.

-Mike Meade"