Simmons defends McGwire, rips Ann Killion

[Fenian_Bastard]

Good point about the "what about the children?" crowd.
As to the rest, eh.

 

[Columbo]

Ann, I'm glad you're such a thoughtful mom. Seriously, that's great. But a vote for McGwire isn't exactly an endorsement of drug use. And anyway, part of our country's problem is the shortsighted way we "protect" our kids from life's harsh realities.
----------------

Something that stupid eradicates the efficacy of an entire column.

In fact, I didn't read past this graph.

She is not protecting her kids from "life's harsh realities" (as if Simmons would know what a single one of those is).

She is teaching them the importance of operated under your own moral code, and no one else's.

Fool.

 

[Columbo]

From one of my favorite op/ed columnists ...

...Lately, though, it’s become harder to tell the sports page from the rest of the newspaper. Largely due to money and TV celebrity, jocks now draw outsized personal scrutiny once reserved for Hollywood actors, Washington politicians, serial killers and girl singers who misplace their underpants. Mostly, it’s merely annoying to see sports commentators posing as moral arbiters, prosecutor, judge and jury.

As long as the rich never have to face the justice system that 95 percent of us face, it is incumbent on writers to become judge and jury, if they are informed.

 

[Columbo]

It's not about who my kids should admire. It's about who earned their way in. Cobb obviously did. McGwire was Dave Kingman, until he suddenly became Babe Ruth at an age most guys are declining. It's fair to think that he was a mediocre player--one who barely broke .200 one season before he began cheating--made great by artificial means. And given that, it's fair if you believe he doesn't deserve induction, as a result.

Agree with that, absolutely 100%.

And to add to that: Bonds earned his way in, too. The steroids are unfortunate -- but IF Bonds retires in 1998, he's already in the Hall as we speak.

IF I didn't get caught cheating on that Psych final senior year, I would have had a 3.7 GPA.

Instead, I was expelled from school.

Ridiculous seamhead rationalization will get Bonds in every time.

This country has lost its honor.

 

[Columbo]

I thought it was one of his best columns in recent memory.

That's like winning the midget slam-dunk contest.

 

[The Big Ragu]

It's not about who my kids should admire. It's about who earned their way in. Cobb obviously did. McGwire was Dave Kingman, until he suddenly became Babe Ruth at an age most guys are declining. It's fair to think that he was a mediocre player--one who barely broke .200 one season before he began cheating--made great by artificial means. And given that, it's fair if you believe he doesn't deserve induction, as a result.

Agree with that, absolutely 100%.

And to add to that: Bonds earned his way in, too. The steroids are unfortunate -- but IF Bonds retires in 1998, he's already in the Hall as we speak.

IF I didn't get caught cheating on that Psych final senior year, I would have had a 3.7 GPA.

Instead, I was expelled from school.

Ridiculous seamhead rationalization will get Bonds in every time.

This country has lost its honor.

I'm actually with you on this. I don't believe Bonds is deserving. And it's a shame. Unlike McGwire, in my opinion, Bonds would have been a Hall of Famer without the drugs. The fact that he cheated anyhow, disgusts me more than the marginal player who cheats. I have a lot of understanding for a guy who is staring at a career in the minor leagues and sees all the players competing with him for spots using roids, so he uses to give himself an even chance. If he makes the majors, it makes sense why he would use, when he's perilously hanging onto to that last roster spot, knowing the guy behind him very well might cheat to snare his job. That guy is cheating to save his job. You can't say that about Bonds. His ego couldn't bear "just" being an all-time great. It's kind of disgusting.

 

[Scribe4264]

If you can't throw out Sid Bream at the plate from left field in the NLCS then you don't belong in the Hall of Fame!!!!!

 

[Columbo]

It's not about who my kids should admire. It's about who earned their way in. Cobb obviously did. McGwire was Dave Kingman, until he suddenly became Babe Ruth at an age most guys are declining. It's fair to think that he was a mediocre player--one who barely broke .200 one season before he began cheating--made great by artificial means. And given that, it's fair if you believe he doesn't deserve induction, as a result.

Agree with that, absolutely 100%.

And to add to that: Bonds earned his way in, too. The steroids are unfortunate -- but IF Bonds retires in 1998, he's already in the Hall as we speak.

IF I didn't get caught cheating on that Psych final senior year, I would have had a 3.7 GPA.

Instead, I was expelled from school.

Ridiculous seamhead rationalization will get Bonds in every time.

This country has lost its honor.

I'm actually with you on this. I don't believe Bonds is deserving. And it's a shame. Unlike McGwire, in my opinion, Bonds would have been a Hall of Famer without the drugs. The fact that he cheated anyhow, disgusts me more than the marginal player who cheats. I have a lot of understanding for a guy who is staring at a career in the minor leagues and sees all the players competing with him for spots using roids, so he uses to give himself an even chance. If he makes the majors, it makes sense why he would use, when he's perilously hanging onto to that last roster spot, knowing the guy behind him very well might cheat to snare his job. That guy is cheating to save his job. You can't say that about Bonds. His ego couldn't bear "just" being an all-time great. It's kind of disgusting.

I agree with you.

 

[Janie_Jones]

Simmons is actually sufferable, for once. This business about the children has to be the cheapest trick in the sportswriter's quiver. Enough. These are deeply silly people, these columnists who construct an entire morality based on what is and isn't easy to explain to Little Billy.

Or maybe I'm forgetting that entire generation of children who spent their formative years in the Bellagio sportsbook because of Pete Rose.

 

[Cousin Jeffrey]

Ann Killion: Sit down kids, mommy needs to talk you.
Little Killion: C'mon mom, I'm playing the Wii you got me because you're never home.
AK: Well, I need to talk to you about my Hall of Fame vote (chokes up)...I'm not voting for Mark McGwire...for you two.
Other Little Killion: Is this because he's on the juice?
AK: How did you know about that? That's an adult problem. But yes, I think he took steroids.
OLK: Think? How did you not know that, when you were writing all those breathless columns about him? He looked like a Clydesdale swinging an elm tree.
AK: Hmm, that's a good line, can I use that?
OLK: No, I stole it off Klosterman.
AK: Anyway, I'm doing this for you kids, because I need to send a message to you and the youth of America. Drugs are bad.
LK: Well, what about Tony Gwynn. You voted for him and he eats a lot of trans-fats. I mean look at the guy!
(Lightbulb appears over Ann Killion's head, she rushes out of her room as her kids return to e-mailing 35-year-old men on myspace)

 

[andyouare?]

In my humble opinion, I think McGwire would garner a lot of votes if he just simply manned-up and came clean about all the **** he did.

McGwire man-up? Isn't that hard to do given steroids' effect on, uh, you know?

 

[Brock Landers]

It must be nice to live in Bill's world of absolutes. Karate Kid references are always hilarious. People always give a **** what my buddy (insert asinine nickname here) says. All cheaters should be allowed into the Hall of Fame and if you disagree, you're just a sanctimonious prick on your moral high horse.

You know, O.J. got away with murder. Michael Jackson got away with diddling kids. We still punish other people for those crimes. Just because some people get away with things doesn't give the rest of humanity a free pass to do whatever the **** they want. So if you don't want to vote for McGwire because you don't want to reward him for sticking a needle in his ass, the fact that Gaylord Perry doctored the ball or Ty Cobb hated blacks should have exactly jack **** to do with your decision.

 

[Montezuma's Revenge]

Well said, Brock. Well said.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Meanwhile, Shawn Merriman's in the Pro Bowl and up for Defensive Player of the Year, his competitors for the award have spoken out against Merriman's inclusion in both the Pro Bowl and the DPOY contention.

Please, write about something of substance.

 

[Ace]

In my humble opinion, I think McGwire would garner a lot of votes if he just simply manned-up and came clean about all the **** he did. That's probably what pisses everyone off: McGwire just doesn't have the courage to own up for his actions. Even though it is tired, the "Ty Cobb is in" argument is valid. Who would you rather have your kids look up to and idolize: Cobb or McGwire?

It's not about who my kids should admire. It's about who earned their way in. Cobb obviously did. McGwire was Dave Kingman, until he suddenly became Babe Ruth at an age most guys are declining. It's fair to think that he was a mediocre player--one who barely broke .200 one season before he began cheating--made great by artificial means. And given that, it's fair if you believe he doesn't deserve induction, as a result.

I'm with Ragu here. Pint-size Barry Bonds still would have been a Hall of Famer. Pre-muscle man McGwire no way.

And the "protecting the kids thing" is not accurate. Killion wasn't protecting her kids. She was trying to be honest with them.

 

[Columbo]

In my humble opinion, I think McGwire would garner a lot of votes if he just simply manned-up and came clean about all the **** he did. That's probably what pisses everyone off: McGwire just doesn't have the courage to own up for his actions. Even though it is tired, the "Ty Cobb is in" argument is valid. Who would you rather have your kids look up to and idolize: Cobb or McGwire?

It's not about who my kids should admire. It's about who earned their way in. Cobb obviously did. McGwire was Dave Kingman, until he suddenly became Babe Ruth at an age most guys are declining. It's fair to think that he was a mediocre player--one who barely broke .200 one season before he began cheating--made great by artificial means. And given that, it's fair if you believe he doesn't deserve induction, as a result.

I'm with Ragu here. Pint-size Barry Bonds still would have been a Hall of Famer. Pre-muscle man McGwire no way.

And the "protecting the kids thing" is not accurate. Killion wasn't protecting her kids. She was trying to be honest with them.

Someone else on this board knows how to read.

 

[goalmouth]

Simmons builds an entire thesis around bashing Killion? Please. That's why he'll never be considered more than a hobbyist in this business.

 

[Ashy Larry]

From one of my favorite op/ed columnists ...

...Lately, though, it’s become harder to tell the sports page from the rest of the newspaper. Largely due to money and TV celebrity, jocks now draw outsized personal scrutiny once reserved for Hollywood actors, Washington politicians, serial killers and girl singers who misplace their underpants. Mostly, it’s merely annoying to see sports commentators posing as moral arbiters, prosecutor, judge and jury.

As long as the rich never have to face the justice system that 95 percent of us face, it is incumbent on writers to become judge and jury, if they are informed.

are ****in' kidding me?

 

[andyouare?]

From one of my favorite op/ed columnists ...

...Lately, though, it’s become harder to tell the sports page from the rest of the newspaper. Largely due to money and TV celebrity, jocks now draw outsized personal scrutiny once reserved for Hollywood actors, Washington politicians, serial killers and girl singers who misplace their underpants. Mostly, it’s merely annoying to see sports commentators posing as moral arbiters, prosecutor, judge and jury.

As long as the rich never have to face the justice system that 95 percent of us face, it is incumbent on writers to become judge and jury, if they are informed.

are ****in' kidding me?

are is.

 

[Double Down]

I think the "Bonds woulda been a Hall of Famer anyway, so he gets in but McGwire doesn't" argument is such bull****. We have no way of knowing when he started taking stuff verses when McGwire started taking stuff. The whole "but he didn't look big until 1999" argument is assine unless you can point out exactly when it was Floyd Landis started looking huge enough to win the Tour de France.

Put 'em both in, shrug your shoulders, admit they gamed the system, violating the spirit if not the letter of the rule, and now say we're going to fix the system, not waste time trying to right past wrongs so we can look our innocent children in the eye (Oh the humanity! Oh the maudlin bull**** moralizing!).

At least McGwire managed to show some freaking shame.