It simply boggles the mind.

The word "we" is used in a general sense here. I am not intending to imply that people who post here are the only people included in "we".

In the past three days people have posted blogs about the syringe (turkey baster) thrown at Barry Bonds, a response to the coach resigning, season cancelled by scandal, Duke lacrosse team and another one about the syringe/turkey baster. What is it about these subjects that boggles the mind you may ask. The comments that these people have used in their writings.

In reference to first post about syringe - "I thought todays display was , while in poor taste, hilarious! Bonds deserves everything he gets this season criticism wise."

In reference to "Coach resigns, season cancelled amid scandal" - "Not to exonerate anyone's obviously inappropriate conduct, but are we overlooking the fact that this so-called "student" was in fact a paid performer???

In reference to the syringe/turkey baster - "man it almost seems like its 1950 the way you people treated Bonds on opening day. Instead of Bonds trying to break the homerun record it seems like he's trying to break the color barrier all over again."

A lot of people, myself included, have commented that the problem with sports today is the overpaid, crybaby, whine all day athlete and the power hungry, money hungry owner. We have talked alot about the influences of the media and how they can blow things out of proportion and do so constantly. We have complained about horrible officiating and the morons who run the businesses of the sports we love to watch. We have called for the heads of some of the athletes we have put up on pedestals when they turn to alternative methods to either enhance their performance or give them the edge to stay at a high level of performance. Yes, I speak of the dreaded steroids, amphetamines, special contact lenses, etc., etc.  All of these things are talked about constantly here. I talk about them and have conversed with many of you while responding to your comments. But there is more to this than what we freely discuss here. That is perception and opinion by us!

While everyone has a right to their opinion and the freedom of speech to express it, the way that these opinions are expressed, are, at times, down right frightening.

We complain about all of the things I have mentioned here but we never look at ourselves.

I will never, ever claim to be perfect and above reproach. I will never claim that I have no skeletons in my closet. I didn't graduate from college until later in my life because I was busy exercising some demons. I clearly am not perfect. But for the life of me I cannot grasp how some people can say the things they do with no justification,  and  then not accept responsibilty for it or flat out don't give a crap about what they say.

By stating that Bonds deserves everything that is coming to him criticism wise and that when the syringe was thrown at Bonds it was hilarious is scary. Whether it was meant or not it implies that humor is attached to something that could have been harmful to another human being. And why? Bonds using steroids may do physical harm to him but what has it really done to anybody else? Ticked them off because he used steroids and won't admit it (which he has!). They call him a liar and and that means he deserves to have potentially harmful behaviors directed his way. He hasn't physically harmed anyone here. Why would anyone even think about throwing things at someone and why would they think it is "hilarious!" I think it is dangerous and kind of creepy.

And this one comes up all the time and the person who pulled it out should be ashamed. Bonds, in pursuit of the homerun record, is trying to break the color barrier all over again. I have one daughter who lives with a black man who thinks the world owes him a free ride simply because he is black. I have another daughter who is married to a black man who owns his own business and can't stand people who think that their skin color should open doors to them that hard work would, and should, do as well. Yes, I'm white. My 8 grandchildren are mixed. I am not a bigot and cannot tolerate anyone calling them names or treating them poorly because of their skin color. I also don't tolerate people who pull out the race card when things don't go the way they think it should. That this person even implies that race is a factor when Bonds (black) is approaching Ruth (white) who has already been passed by Aaron (black) is ludicrous and assinine and plain ignorant. It isn't race. The syringe implies nothing about race (although according to the author it is an excuse to use race) and trying to turn it into race is plain wrong. The sad thing is that this person is not the only one who does it. It is everywhere. Yes, there is still discrimination, there is still racism and there is enough of it to be really worried about. But it has nothing to do with Bonds going after a homerun record. Quit spewing the race card for no obvious reason - everywhere. It is wrong and in a lot of situations plainly ridiculous. With attitudes like this one we will never get past racism - not that we ever really will.  Accept the fact that not everything is a race issue and maybe we will make some progress.

But the one that really got to me was the comment about the "Coach resigns, season cancelled amid scandal." The entire content of statement is listed at the start of this but what really gets me is, "are we overlooking the fact that this so-called "student" was in fact a paid performer???" For those of you who may not know, this is in reference to the "alleged" rape of a stripper by 3 members of the Duke University lacrosse team. What got to me was the insinuation that because she is a stripper and is paid to take her clothes off means that she is perfect for a sexual assault. WHAT??? I went to school with girls who stripped to pay their way through college. They were students and they were strippers. At this time the "so-called student" has been identified as a student at a neighboring college. This is a rather neandertholic approach to sexual assault. With thinking like this I feel sorry for any woman who has to do things like stripping to get by. Hey, she wears her blouses open, low cut and her skirts are high. She deserved it. Heaven forbid that any of my granddaughters have to get a job at a Hooters to get through college. I am no prude but give me a break. I admire the female form. I enjoyed the picture that was posted of Stacy Keibler the other day. That I admit this will no doubt anger some but I in no way think that how a woman dresses or what she does for a living justifies assault. Think about what you said and how you said it. 

By the way, to the person who thinks Bonds is treated badly because he is black - the three lacrosse team members are white, the "so-called student" stripper is black. All 47 team members had DNA samples collected except the one black guy because the "so-called student" stripper said they were white. Now we have a situation, aside from sexual assault, where you could find some racially motivated stuff.

We have all complained about a lot of stuff here and discussed other things as well. Sometimes we have managed to stay friendly and sometimes it has gotten interesting to say the least. But while we are casting aspersions and blame and calling for justice, take a look inward. Sometimes the way we view things are not at all in line with how things are. Sometimes we just go off because maybe we think because we pay these people and cheer them on we have the license to say and do whatever we want. Playing the race card in a lot of situations is a smoke screen. Think about it before you just arbitrarily throw it out there. If there is justification for it then it will be recognized. Think about what is said and how it is said. Perception can be a dangerous thing. Hey, I have been asked to explain myself here a couple of times. But when you are talking about a sexual assault and the victim is a paid performer. It ain't right. There is alot of things wrong with the sports world, just like there are a lot of things wrong with the world outside of sports. I think we (this is used in the general sense) do our fair share of harm as well.