Barry Bonds Offers To Pay College Expenses For Bryan Stow's (Giants fan who was beaten) Children.

[lovetoaster]

Too little too late in the public image game there roid boy.

I really don't think he cares, or has ever cared about his public image. I don't think he is looking for a pat on the back from anyone here.

I know enough people that have interacted with him that have passed along that he is generally an ass. I don't like the man, but that does not change the fact that this is a very nice gesture.

[The Evil Genius]

Dude, you trying to defend the guy's character is comical (Giants fan or not). The guy was a world class douchebag, from all accounts. Not just a few nobody jounalists.

Really? I would have never known.

I am in the minority here, but I have never had a problem with Barry Bonds and think he is a stand up guy. So many people what to make guys who use steriods out to be bad guys and the truth is they were doing things that were overlooked by the MLB at the time.

Me neither - but I was never married to him or a reporter. Also, I didn't try to get his autograph, which, it appears, Bonds was just the beginning of that type of professional athlete.

The one thing that no one can deny though, is that Bonds is a true SF Giant fan.

[Teller]

Actually, he knew who he was playing for, and it wasn't who he wanted to play for. He wanted to be an SF Giant from Day 1, just like his dad Bobby Bonds and his godfather Willie Mays. He grew up here and he wanted to come back here.

I'm sorry, but if the Redskins were playing in the NFCC game, would you want our QB saying he doesn't care who he plays for? Or would you want a simple, "It doesn't matter. I'm a Redskin, and I have a championship game to win?"

[Bubble Screen]

If this is true, Bonds probably thought he was correct, and that Van Slyke shouldn't try to tell him what to do. Which is not unreasonable, given that Bonds was a 8 time Gold Glover who didn't have a great arm. He was a great fielder because he studied hitters and moved himself into perfect position to make the highest percentage of outs possible.

Bonds is as arrogant as the day is long, but I don't think anyone should ever question how much he wanted to win.

You're missing the point. As you stated, Bonds had a girly arm, and that's probably what Van Slyke was thinking when he told him to move in. He probably felt that from his vantage point, Bonds had no shot at throwing out Bream from where he was positioned (even as slow as Bream was). And as it turns out, he was 100% right.

---------- Post added May-25th-2011 at 01:25 PM ----------

I'm sorry, but if the Redskins were playing in the NFCC game, would you want our QB saying he doesn't care who he plays for? Or would you want a simple, "It doesn't matter. I'm a Redskin, and I have a championship game to win?"

In all fairness, I wouldn't have liked to hear that question either if I were about to play a very important game like that. He was probably thinking "WTF kind of question is that?".

At the same time, I think the way he reacted was out of line. He would have been better off saying nothng, or maybe something along the lines of what you said above.

[@DCGoldPants]

even douchebags can do nice things sometimes.

A symbol for a dark era of baseball.

[Going Commando]

Best money Bonds ever spent. I hope the Stow family will study this:

http://most-expensive.net/college-tuition-university

Good God. One more reason to not have kids. Can you imagine your daughter saying, "Dad, I want to be a Sarah Lawrence Gryphon?"

[Predicto]

I'm sorry, but if the Redskins were playing in the NFCC game, would you want our QB saying he doesn't care who he plays for? Or would you want a simple, "It doesn't matter. I'm a Redskin, and I have a championship game to win?"

I definitely would have wanted to hear the latter, even if it wasn't true.

I never said Bonds wasn't a jerk. I'm just telling you the subplot.

---------- Post added May-25th-2011 at 11:09 AM ----------

You're missing the point. As you stated, Bonds had a girly arm, and that's probably what Van Slyke was thinking when he told him to move in. He probably felt that from his vantage point, Bonds had no shot at throwing out Bream from where he was positioned (even as slow as Bream was). And as it turns out, he was 100% right.

I'm not missing the point. I'm saying that Bonds probably thought he had it sized up perfectly, and if he came in closer, there was too much risk that the ball would get over his head and end the game that way. Bonds was usually right about such judgments, which is why he got the 8 gold gloves (despite being despised by the gold glove voters).

In all fairness, I wouldn't have liked to hear that question either if I were about to play a very important game like that. He was probably thinking "WTF kind of question is that?".

At the same time, I think the way he reacted was out of line. He would have been better off saying nothng, or maybe something along the lines of what you said above.

Bonds never learned that lesson. It doesn't take much for a pro athlete to keep up the facade of not being a jerk. Fans want to like you.

Heck, even Jeff Kent pulled if off while he was here, and in many ways, he was even more of a jerk than Bonds.

[sportjunkie07]

well there you go Bonds, finally a smart PR move. i dont care if he did it just to get in good graces, i still appreciate the offer.

[IONTOP]

So how much would he have to put into a fund to have $100k when the kids go to school?

[Predicto]

So how much would he have to put into a fund to have $100k when the kids go to school?

At current interest rates? About $99,950

[Teller]

I definitely would have wanted to hear the latter, even if it wasn't true.

I never said Bonds wasn't a jerk. I'm just telling you the subplot.

Oh I understood it then. And I don't have a gripe with that. Hell, if my dad and Godfather were baseball players, and I was too, I'd probably want to play for the same team as well.

Unfortuantely, my ignorance in regard to his actions isn't my problem with him. It's my knowledge of them.

[Predicto]

Oh I understood it then. And I don't have a gripe with that. Hell, if my dad and Godfather were baseball players, and I was too, I'd probably want to play for the same team as well.

Unfortuantely, my ignorance in regard to his actions isn't my problem with him. It's my knowledge of them.

He also grew up playing out on the field at Candlestick, lived a few miles away in San Carlos, and was a high school sports star here. He wanted to come back to where he felt comfortable.

But he played as hard as he could for the Pirates while he was there, and he wanted to win that series even if he didn't plan to be on the team the next year. However, we expect our athletes to hide their feelings better - it's part of what we pay them to do. Bonds never understood that it wasn't enough to work on perfecting your game - you are also representing the fans of your team and your teammates.

[Teller]

He also grew up playing out on the field at Candlestick, lived a few miles away in San Carlos, and was a high school sports star here. He wanted to come back to where he felt comfortable.

But he played as hard as he could for the Pirates while he was there, and he wanted to win that series even if he didn't plan to be on the team the next year. However, we expect our athletes to hide their feelings better - it's part of what we pay them to do. Bonds never understood that it wasn't enough to work on perfecting your game - you are also representing the fans of your team and your teammates.

You're right.

My apologies. I should have just said this was a generous thing to do and left it at that.

[The Evil Genius]

FYI - per this article --> http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Barry-Bonds-will-pay-college-bills-for-Bryan-Sto;_ylt=AhwGXqzYZu_1ZJukmAhMeSI5nYcB?urn=mlb-wp7656

One of the coolest parts about this donation is that Bonds made it over a month ago when he visited Stow in a Southern California hospital on April 22. No mention was made to the media then and it looks like it would have still been a secret had Girardi (Stow's attorney) not revealed it to the media. Even if you've always been a Bonds hater, there's no way you can say this wasn't done for all the right reasons.

[Predicto]

You're right.

My apologies. I should have just said this was a generous thing to do and left it at that.

Why apologize? What you said was true - Bonds is a self-centered jerk of the first order.

---------- Post added May-25th-2011 at 03:00 PM ----------

One of the coolest parts about this donation is that Bonds made it over a month ago when he visited Stow in a Southern California hospital on April 22. No mention was made to the media then and it looks like it would have still been a secret had Girardi (Stow's attorney) not revealed it to the media. Even if you've always been a Bonds hater, there's no way you can say this wasn't done for all the right reasons.

Yep, that is how Bonds usually operates. Not because he is such a good person or trying to be all coy, but because he genuinely does not give a damn what the public thinks of him.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

If this is true, Bonds probably thought he was correct, and that Van Slyke shouldn't try to tell him what to do. Which is not unreasonable, given that Bonds was a 8 time Gold Glover who didn't have a great arm. He was a great fielder because he studied hitters and moved himself into perfect position to make the highest percentage of outs possible.

Bonds is as arrogant as the day is long, but I don't think anyone should ever question how much he wanted to win.

The other point is that Bonds utterly utterly despised Van Slyke. Bonds was a three-time MVP and the Pirates gave Van Slyke a big contract extension that paid him more than Bonds. The minute the ink was dry on Van Slyke's contract, Bonds was gone.

[The Evil Genius]

The other point is that Bonds utterly utterly despised Van Slyke. Bonds was a three-time MVP and the Pirates gave Van Slyke a big contract extension that paid him more than Bonds. The minute the ink was dry on Van Slyke's contract' date=' Bonds was gone.[/quote']

...Van Slyke would play 3 more seasons...in MLB...after Barry Left....never hitting more than 8 homers in a season or driving in more than 50.

That is why..the Pirates...are the Pirates.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

...Van Slyke would play 3 more seasons...in MLB...after Barry Left....never hitting more than 8 homers in a season or driving in more than 50.

That is why..the Pirates...are the Pirates.

Bonds felt that the Pirates kept the popular white dude while letting the surly black dudes (he and Bonilla) leave.

[Bubble Screen]

I'm not missing the point. I'm saying that Bonds probably thought he had it sized up perfectly, and if he came in closer, there was too much risk that the ball would get over his head and end the game that way. Bonds was usually right about such judgments, which is why he got the 8 gold gloves (despite being despised by the gold glove voters).

You're still not getting it. Cabrera (I'm forgetting his first name) didn't have much power. There was little chance at all of him pulling one over Bonds' head. And that was probably Andy Van Slyke's thinking. About the only way a guy like Sid Bream scores from second is on a ball that isn't hit very hard. And that's exactly what happened. Playing as deep as Bonds was, he had NO SHOT at throwing out, even a slow runner like Bream, with that girly arm.

---------- Post added May-26th-2011 at 01:10 AM ----------

^^ 2nd paragraph, Predicto. For some reason that didn't quote right.

---------- Post added May-26th-2011 at 01:15 AM ----------

The other point is that Bonds utterly utterly despised Van Slyke. Bonds was a three-time MVP and the Pirates gave Van Slyke a big contract extension that paid him more than Bonds. The minute the ink was dry on Van Slyke's contract' date=' Bonds was gone.[/quote']

Yeah, I had forgotten about this. So now I'm REALLY thinking he probably DID flip off Andy in that game. Still, Van Slyke was definitely in the right to motion him to move in. Especially knowing that the hitter had little to no power whatsoever, and that Bonds' arm wasn't gonna throw anyone out at home, from where he was positioned. Bonds let his personal feelings, and ego, get in the way of what was most important...the team. But Bonds was never a team guy to begin with.

[Predicto]

Yeah, I had forgotten about this. So now I'm REALLY thinking he probably DID flip off Andy in that game. Still, Van Slyke was definitely in the right to motion him to move in. Especially knowing that the hitter had little to no power whatsoever, and that Bonds' arm wasn't gonna throw anyone out at home, from where he was positioned. Bonds let his personal feelings, and ego, get in the way of what was most important...the team. But Bonds was never a team guy to begin with.

Second guessing is easy. A guy scoring from second happens every game in baseball. A guy hitting it over your head happens all the time too. You can't look at one play and assume anything (plus, while Bonds didnt have a great arm, he had an adequate arm and threw out plenty of people in his career from regular outfield depth). Most importantly, there were two outs. The percentage move was to play your normal position in order to get an inning ending flyout, not to play in and assume that a soft single would be hit.

Bonds not being a "team guy" on the field is a total myth. On the field, Bonds was always about winning, and nothing else. He didn't care if you liked him, but he cared about winning.

That is why he took 50 gazillion walks, when other superstars would swing at borderline pitches in order to pad their personal stats. Bonds understood that getting on base was more important than going for another dinger for the ESPN highlights. That is the opposite of letting your ego get in the way of the team.

[rictus58]

It's amazing that Bonds is doing something like this, and people will still take the opportunity to point out he wasn't a team player. Let's just skip that for a while and give credit where it's due in this instance.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

It's amazing that Bonds is doing something like this, and people will still take the opportunity to point out he wasn't a team player. Let's just skip that for a while and give credit where it's due in this instance.

Bonds is probably the most complicated athlete of the last 25 years. There is obviously a deep level of humanity inside him combined with a misanthropy that can be staggering.

[Destino]

Perhaps some of you should try to accept the fact that the world isn't made up of entirely good or entirely bad people.

[DM72]

Perhaps some of you should try to accept the fact that the world isn't made up of entirely good or entirely bad people.

Agreed.