I love Keith Olberman .. but I hate his obsession with Barry Bonds.

[DemoTex]

I know it is the old sports reporter in K.O., but a little bit goes a long way. I would give K.O. some latitude on the subject, in deference to his great journalistic abilities, but the subject has really been run into the ground. Sorry, Keith. I know that you and your staff read DU. Cover stories like Bonds' if you must, but keep them to the length of - say - an Oddball segment. Know what I mean, Vern?

[CatWoman]

1. HERE, HERE!!!!

:nuke:

To hell with Barry Bonds.

[mdmc]

2. I thought that he was some sports guy.

[fooj]

3. Me, too. Enough already.

:eyes:

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Once a sports reporter, always a sports reporter. You know how men and

their sports are, Right?;)

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. I have a Barry Bonds autographed baseball..... and a

Barry Bonds wristwatch, a Barry Bonds toothbrush holder, a Barry Bonds bumper sticker, a Barry Bonds coffee mug, a Barry Bonds compass, and a Barry Bonds guide to self medication..... sorry, I just had to say that.

[U4ikLefty]

9. Oh yeah...well I have an aoutographed Barry Bonds hypodermic needle!!!

;)

[HysteryDiagnosis]

14. I'll trade ya for some surgical tubing and a lighter..... n/t

[Beaverhausen]

6. I agree, I record Keith and now I fast forward thru those segments

[Pirate Smile]

7. Well, I guess we will just have to balance his obsession with Bonds with

his delightful obsession with bashing O'Reilly.

[noamnety]

8. I'm with you on this

I mentally tune out for all that sports stuff ... I just can't find it in me to care. At all. It's Olbermann's Holloway.

[DemoTex]

10. On the other hand, if it is the balance that his producers require ...

... to get away with some of his great stuff, then so be it. He is always saying that a certain segment is thrown in (over his objections) by his producers. I know that he enjoys doing the Barry Bonds-type stuff, but maybe it is just part of his balancing act. I ain't quitting K.O. anytime soon.

[noamnety]

18. the problem for me

is that once I tune out, I don't always tune back in. If those stories were shorter, it wouldn't be so bad. But ten minutes, and I'm not even hearing the show anymore.

Maybe we could get countdown to do an online alert system. I'm envisioning a website we leave open on our computers, and when the sportscrap is over, the website sounds an alarm. http://www.COUNTersnoozeDOWN.com is available.

[Digit]

11. I agree, too much baseball/sports

You lose me there, KO.

[blue neen]

12. I read the excerpt of "Game of Shadows" (about Bonds' steroid use)

in Sports Illustrated. It actually was quite fascinating.

IMHO, the story is bigger than Barry Bonds. This is "America's Pasttime" totally drugged out; so many players were, and probably still are, using.

It also goes beyond baseball. Track and field is absolutely polluted with steroid use. It's really all a statement on our society in general: our idol worship of athletes and what the public will put up with as far as those athletes' behavior goes.

on edit: I guess I can kind of understand KO's obsession with Barry Bonds.

[Poiuyt]

15. Im not sure that track & field is polluted with steroids

It's just that they are so strict at testing and prosecuting that it might seem that way. I'm not denying that there is a problem there, but at least they are good at policing it (I think).

[blue neen]

19. I'm just going by what the "Game of Shadows" had to say.

If it's correct, track definitely has a huge steroid problem. The athletes know all of the ways to get around the tests.

I think it's all very sad. Why can't we go back to the days of sheer talent, skills, and work ethics.

Even when Bonds' trainer would tell him he had enough of a certain enhancement drug, Bonds' would say to him, "Did I f*cking stutter?" and inject himself with the drug. One of them was insulin! I don't know what insulin does for you strength-wise, but Bonds' is definitely playing with fire on that one.

[BuyingThyme]

13. So, what is Keith's take on Barry Bonds?

Is he a basher?

[DemoTex]

17. Way too convoluted ...

Keith is reporting on the intricacies of BB's suits at law. It runs the gamut. If you are really interested, check the Countdown website. I'm sure he has info there. It glazes my eyes. Know what I mean?

[upi402]

16. It pays the rent n/t

:shrug:

[ladjf]

20. Who cares what Barry Bonds does?

[Zomby Woof]

21. I do love his other obsession

Bill O'Reilly. Just knowing how much it pushes that ass towards total meltdown makes it lots of fun to watch. :D

[TahitiNut]

22. I'm shocked, shocked that professional athletes take steroids!

It's such a freaking D'oh I don't know why anyone thinks it's 'news.' :eyes:

[KharmaTrain]

23. Interesting Discussion With A "Die Hard"...This Is Hugh!

I have a friend who is just as aborbed with this story as Keith. He's the type who only reads the Sporting News and can spout out a box score or a person's batting average or terms of his contract like he's saying his name. He's in a lather about this thing.

Now he's conflicted since Bonds cheated, but he cheated when the cheating wasn't really considered cheating despite the fact that everyone knew that using the stuff was cheating. Yep, that's how confused he is. Now, should they take some of Bonds homeruns away? All of 'em? How will this effect his rotisserie league and what can he get for his old Bonds cards? That's his troubled, troubled world.

I suggested that they put a syringe next to Bonds name in the record books.