Bench Reilly Bench Erin Dietel-McLaughlin Writing and Rhetoric 3 October 2011 Bonds and Clemens: Guilty Before

the Verdict Two of the most successful baseball players of all time were accused of using performance-enhancing drugs during the past decade. Both Barry Bonds and Roger

Clemens denied using steroids, yet most of America is still convinced that they are guilty without question. That fact might seem rather astonishing considering neither player ever failed a drug test during his career, and the evidence is obviously not conclusive in either case. The reason the public was so quick to condemn these players is because of how they portrayed themselves on camera. Every game of their careers was broadcasted to millions of televisions, and they had the ears and eyes of the media whenever they requested it. These players didnt have the control of their identity that they would have had with a social networking site, but they were well aware that people were watching. John Suler, in his article Identity Management in Cyberspace (2002), talks about how people online are able to choose which parts of themselves they want to show others. During a baseball game Bonds and Clemens are putting on display their identity as athletes through the medium of television. Their failures as icons were different. Barry Bonds was notoriously lazy, and played the maligned victim when the steroid issue arrived on his doorstep. Roger Clemens was well known for an exceptional work ethic, but he played angry and responded angrily to how quickly people condemned him. Despite their differences, the effect was equally negative. After allegations were brought

Bench against each player concerning steroid use, they used their star power to speak to the public on their own behalf. Bonds used a reality TV series called Bonds on Bonds, and Clemens got a 60 Minutes interview. Both players tried to salvage their credibility, but it

was too little too late. Through their careers and beyond, the camera has been the window for the commoner into the lives of these athletes. They have been sadly consistent in with their personas on and off the field. It has defined who they are to the public and therefore how the public reacted to the claims against them. Barry Bonds was born into the baseball spotlight, and raised with a silver spoon. His father was a major league baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, and his godfather was the hall of famer Willie Mays. He dominated on his private high school baseball team before accepting a scholarship to play at Arizona State University, a school well known for being a pipeline to Major League Baseball. After he graduated, and just one year in the minors he broke into the starting lineup of the Pittsburg Pirates. His rapid rise through the baseball ranks didnt slow down; it was at that point when he began to catch the eye of America. Barry Bonds stole bases, won gold gloves, and most importantly he hit home runs. He spent seven years with the Pirates before he signed the largest figure contract in the history of the Major Leagues to play for the San Francisco Giants. His baseball career was a dream and he was already assured entrance into the Hall of Fame. Perhaps it was that fact that gave him the arrogant attitude with which he took the field. In response to that attitude, Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated wrote a scathing article about Bonds titled He Loves Himself Barry Much, (2001). Reilly referenced the visible divide between Bonds and the rest of his team pointing out, When Bonds hit his

Bench 500th home run, in April, only one person came out of the dugout to greet him at the

plate: the Giants' batgirl. Sitting in the stands, you could've caught a cold from the freeze he got. (Reilly) That historic moment was on camera, and the absence of support from his teammates was too. Reilly explains that Bonds separated himself from his team with his superior and lazy attitude: Bonds isn't beloved by his teammates. He's not even beliked. He often doesn't run out grounders, doesn't run out flies. If a Giants pitcher gives up a monster home run over Bonds in leftfield, Bonds keeps his hands on his knees and merely swivels his head to watch the ball sail over the fence. (Reilly) Even John Bloom, the author of Barry Bonds: A Biography (2004), who was generally supportive of Bonds conceded, One of the more interesting patterns in fan and media criticism of Bonds is the perception that he is lazy. This perception was largely at the core of fans' anger of Bonds' failure to run out the grounder and chase the fly ball. Those actions certainly cost the team the chance to get a base runner and an opportunity to prevent a run, yet they also reinforced the notion that Bonds did not hustle, that he relied upon his natural abilities and talents, and that other players played harder and worked harder." (1) He goes on to say that this isnt the case at all, but that isnt what applies to my argument. It was how he was seen on camera. Bonds defined his reputation on the field, and he took that reputation into his television show designed to change his public persona. Roger Clemens had a much rougher entrance into the world. He lost his stepfather at nine years old and was raised by his mother. He was drafted after high school, but opted to go to college. After two years at a small school in Houston Clemens transferred to the University of Texas where he took the Longhorns to a College World Series victory. He was drafted by the Red Sox in 1983 and after two years in the minor leagues

Bench he made his first major league start. Two years after that he claimed the American League MVP award, and promptly displayed his issues with anger. When Hank Aaron said that pitchers shouldnt be eligible for that award he publicly stated I wish he were still playing, I'd probably crack his head open to show him how valuable I was. That quote was certainly discussed during his next start, and probably many more after that. Those comments paired with his image on the television certainly helped build that

reputation for a temper. Clemens comments werent the only things contributing to that perception. Clemens also was notorious for hitting batters. He ranked in the top ten all time with one hundred and fifty nine hit batters over his career. For a pitcher of his caliber, thats quite a statistic. Another despicable display of anger was when he threatened a home plate umpire by saying, "I'm gonna find out where you live and come get you this winter. Perhaps his most infamous moment took place during the 2000 World Series. When Mike Piazza broke his bat on a pitch, Clemens grabbed a piece of it and threw it towards Piazza on a broadcast watched by millions and millions of people. These instances are the most infamous of his career, but they are a few among many. The reputation for anger preceded the accusations of steroid use that began in late 2007, and his interview with 60 Minutes that was his chance to show his true self. On December 13th of 2007, the Mitchell Report was released to the press. It was the result of a 21-month investigation by a former senator on the use of illegal performance-enhancing substances in Major League Baseball. One of the players identified in the report was Roger Clemens. Less than a month later Clemens was given an opportunity to speak to the public about the accusation in an interview with Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes. It was his opportunity to win the confidence of the public, but he

Bench failed miserably. He immediately expressed his anger with the reaction of the public. Clemens said in the very beginning of the interview, "I'm angry that that what I've done for the game of baseball and the personal, in my private life, what I've done, that I don't get the benefit of the doubt. The stuff that's being said, it's ridiculous Youd think Id get an inch of respect. He later trivialized the benefits of steroids by saying, "My body never changed. If he's putting that stuff up in my body, if what he's saying which is

totally false, if he's doing that to me, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead. I should be pulling tractors with my teeth." The whole conversation takes place in Clemens home with Wallace and Clemens sitting in chairs across from each other. The lack of context allowed the viewer to focus on Clemens face. He came across as frustrated and stressed. His eyes are wide and his tone is tense. The fact that the interview was infected with the phrase it didnt happen, kept the viewer from getting anything new from his responses. It was disappointing to hear his simple denial in the face of a lengthy question backed with evidence. After expressing his anger with baseball fans everywhere, his detail-lacking responses werent exactly winning back their support. At the end of the interview Mike Wallace asked, After listening to you in this interview, do you think people are gonna believe you? Believe that you, Roger Clemens never took steroids? Clemens replied, The people that are out there that have been saying the things that they've been sayin', I don't know if I'll ever swing their opinion. These accusations are not gonna change me as a person. I'll do everything I can to prove 'em wrong. And I still don't know if that's good enough." Clemens created an identity for himself on the baseball field with his antics, which may be an unfair place for his identity to be forged. It is a place of competition and

Bench emotion. However, when he was finally given the opportunity to speak to the people of America he proved his detractors correct. He failed to present himself favorably. His nature was the same as the one they saw on the field and as a result his name remained

tarnished, and the people will continue to condemn him. He says Ill do everything I can to prove em wrong, but the very interview he was conducting was doing more harm than good. Barry Bonds had lost the support of most of America even before the BALCO scandal of 2003 and the 2006 book, Game of Shadows by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams. He was suspected of steroid use as soon as his physique changed visibly from a slim, base-stealing, gold glove outfielder into a huge home-run smashing giant. In any case, at the point when the evidence was pointing towards something shady, Bonds had the opportunity to set the record straight on his ESPN reality T.V. show called Bonds on Bonds. It was a reality show that was supposed to focus on Bonds quest for the all-time home run record, but of course it couldnt ignore the steroid issue. The show lasted nine episodes before it was canceled by ESPN after Bonds and his representatives demanded too much control over the final episode. Throughout the series, Bonds took a very different approach from Clemens with the accusations of the public. When he wasnt talking about his quest for the home run record he talked about his life and his struggles with the steroids scandal. It was an attempt to show the man off the baseball diamond. He had an opportunity to persuade the viewer that the field of play is not a fair representation of an individual. Bonds could have presented an argument that the words that are said in the heat of competition dont deserve the same scrutiny as the ones said outside of it. Unfortunately Bonds squandered

Bench his opportunity much like Clemens did. He proved his reputation correct by showing every person who would watch what he or she expected to see. In episode 6 Bonds confirmed his reputation for arrogance when he talked about his relationship with Hollywood stars, specifically Danny Glover who appeared on the show. Glover is quick to support his friend by bringing up the issue of race, Im surprised the black community has not come out to say something about this. Even if Glover has a point, comments like dont make Bonds any more appealing to the white population. It continues the theme of Bonds playing the victim. His first episode prompted New York Times writer Charles McGrath to write, Bonds, it turns out, is not quite as impervious to criticism as he pretends; nor is he immune to self-pity, tearing up at one point while declaring that baseball can take him down, he doesn't care, he could just walk away, except that there are so many people who need him, who depend on him his family, his teammates, the fans. This pitiful appeal to the public does little to deny the evidence against him and instead paints a desperate picture. Bonds appears to be begging for public to understand him, desperate for them to

leave him alone. He should have taken this opportunity to ask them to look at him. To see what he really is: a loving husband, father, and generous person. We know Britney Spears used magazine covers as a method for rebuilding her identity. (Below, 2011) Barry Bonds tried to use this show, but instead of showing development as a person like Britney, he tried to guilt the public. That seems to be a theme throughout the series, and an attempt to earn the sympathy of baseball fans everywhere. Unfortunately, when it is paired with his history of arrogance and laziness it seems insincere and pathetic. Its too little too late from Mr. Bonds.

Bench Some readers may argue that the evidence in the Mitchell Report and Game of Shadows is what damned the credibility of these players. I would point them to the story

of Mark McGuire. He was also subpoenaed to talk about his steroid use, and he refused to speak to the topic. That was in 2005. Only in 2010 did he finally admit he used steroids. In that period from 2005 to 2010 there was an incredible number of articles written that attacked Bonds and Clemens, but McGuire largely fell to the background despite the fact that his accomplishments are also Hall of Fame worthy. Or they could look at Sammy Sosa who denied outright his use of steroids like Clemens and Bonds, yet his story as a hated cheater has largely faded from blogs and news sources. Those players did not have the same reputations on the field as Bonds and Clemens, so they did not need, or want to rebuild their reputation. This is in contrast to Clemens and Bonds who created themselves on the field, and with their experiences on television. When given an opportunity to redeem themselves they squandered it. There is little hard evidence to support my statement that McGuire and Sosa are less hated, but I challenge the reader to survey as many people as he or she would like, and to look at the results. The idea behind Always-On/Always-ON-You: The Tethered Self by Sherry Turkle, that people nowadays are always connected to their technology and media (p. 135-141) applies in television too. In major sports like baseball, theres always a camera watching. The players are always connected to their fans, and the fans are always judging them. Bonds and Clemens couldnt escape the camera on the field, and when they asked that it be put in front of them they failed to take advantage. Bonds on Bonds, and 60 Minutes were last minute efforts that cemented these players as villains. In the end, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens made millions of enemies among fans of baseball. Their grand

Bench accomplishments are testaments to their skill as baseball players, but they built up such terrible reputations that they dont get the benefit of the doubt that Roger Clemens so

desperately wanted. Even before conviction in a courtroom the public had convicted them of a crime thats much worse. Theyve been dubbed cheaters because all their records have been stolen from the beloved players who came before them that definitely didnt use steroids. If only they had behaved a little better while on camera! Maybe then, they could have enjoyed innocence until they were proven guilty. Sadly, they did not.

Bench 10

Works Cited Bloom, John. "A Target of Resentment." Barry Bonds: a Biography. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2004. 51. Print.

McGrath, Charles. "It's Barry Bonds's World, and a Wary Welcome to It." The New York Times 26 Apr. 2006. The New York Times. 26 Apr. 2006. Web. 03 Oct. 2011. <http://tv.nytimes.com/2006/04/06/arts/television/06bond.html>.

Larson, Keith. "Bonds Unbound!" Weblog post. Giantspipeline.com. Scout.com, 12 May 2006. Web. 3 Oct. 2011. <http://sfgiants.scout.com/2/530213.html>.

"Roger Clemens." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 03 Oct. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Clemens#Major_league_career_.281984.E2.80.932 007.29>.

Clemens, Roger. "Clemens Vehemently Denies Steroid Use." Interview by Mike Wallace. Cbsnews.com. CBS, 6 Jan. 2008. Web. 01 Oct. 2011. <http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/01/03/60minutes/main3671585.shtml?tag=conte ntMain;contentBody>.

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"Barry Bonds: Through the Years." Cbsnews.com. CBS, 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 04 Oct. 2011. <http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-400_162-10007231.html?tag=page>.

Wassink, Zac. "Roger Clemens Is Worse Than Barry Bonds." Associated Content. Yahoo, 22 May 2007. Web. 01 Oct. 2011. <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/248427/roger_clemens_is_worse_than_barry_ bonds_pg2.html?cat=14>.

"Barry Bonds." Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/barry_bonds/index.html>. This is a place to find good information on the life of Barry Bonds.

Godfrey, George. Memorable Baseball's Steroid Era Quotes. 2006. Raw data. Http://www.baseballssteroidera.com/bse-memorable-quotes-steroid-related.html#RogerClemens.

Reilly, Rick. "He Loves Himself Barry Much." Sports Illustrated 21 Aug. 2001.Cnnsi.com. Web. 02 Oct. 2011. <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/magazine/life_of_reilly/news/2001/08/21/l ife_of_reilly/>.

Bench 12 Tollin, Mike, prod. "Episode 6." Bonds on Bonds. ABC. ESPN, Los Angeles, California, 11 May 2006. Television.

Cunningham, Sean. "The Roger Clemens Web-of-Lies Timeline." Esquire 19 Aug. 2010.Esquire.com. Web. 04 Oct. 2011. <http://www.esquire.com/the-side/feature/rogerclemens-lies>.

Turkle, Sherry. "Always-On/Always-On-You: The Tethered Self." Print. Rpt. in(E)Dentity. Ed. Stephanie Vie. Southlake: Fountainhead, 2011. 135-41. Print.

Below, Lexie. Going Under Cover: How Britney Spears Wants You to See Her. Rep. Wordpress.com, 1 May 2011. Web. 28 Sept. 2011. <http://abelow.wordpress.com/rhetoric/>.

Suler, John R. "Identity Management in Cyberspace." Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies 4 (2002): 455-60. John Suler's The Psychology of Cyberspace. Web. 27 Sept. 2011. <http://users.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/identitymanage.html>.