Selig can’t complain
AURORA — What’s with Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig’s personal anguish routine regarding whether he’ll be present when Barry Bonds breaks Henry Aaron’s career home run mark? Where does baseball in general get off treating Bonds’ anticipated achievement as something shameful?
Whether Bonds used steroids isn’t the point here. What’s really relevant is if he and others did use steroids, the owners, the union, the players and the media all had knowledge of it. The record should stand because of that. If it’s ultimately proved that Bonds used steroids, then Selig should apologize not just to Aaron but to baseball’s fans before resigning because it all happened on his watch and he did nothing about it.
— Dean Dranias
No comparison
ALSIP — Mike Downey’s column comparing Barry Bonds with Henry Aaron was offensive (Tribune, May 24). His opinion about Aaron honoring Bonds is debatable, but what’s really offensive is his assertion that Aaron and Bonds both know what it is like to feel unwelcome and unwanted. To equate these two situations is just outrageous.
Hank Aaron suffered through the extreme racism of the civil rights era, and he did so with class and dignity. If he played in a more recent era he would have been beloved by people of all races. Bonds, on the other hand, brings everything on himself. He acted like a spoiled brat to whom the world owed everything. He has been a jerk his entire career.
I have higher expectations for the Tribune. How that paragraph got through is beyond comprehension.
— Dave McLaughlin
Leave Wrigley alone
LIBERTYVILLE — In response to Paul Sullivan’s piece on “improvements” to Wrigley Field (Tribune, May 24) …
If I hear one note of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” I will simply walk out of the ballpark. You might as well have hot dog races and hand out thundersticks to all the fans as they walk in (see NBA playoffs).
Keep Wrigley as is.
— Todd Grubich
Too many statues
CHICAGO — As much as I like Ernie Banks, putting up another statue of a sports figure in Chicago doesn’t go over very well with me.
I remember once upon a time, a statue was of a hero who actually sacrificed for humanity. Now we have Jack Brickhouse, Harry Caray, Michael Jordan and, soon to go up, a statue of Ernie Banks. I think we’re going a bit too far with this.
— Mauro Di Fiore
Sox made right decisions
CHICAGO — Can Mike Downey actually look at the White Sox’s lineup and say it’s subpar (Tribune, May 21)? Do we really need to look at guys who went to other clubs and say “what if?”
Carlos Lee, obviously, did not fit into the South Siders’ long-term plans. He is a great hitter and an OK outfielder, but he lacked the seriousness the Sox look for in a player. They won a World Series without him.
Magglio Ordonez was not “let go.” He was offered a very generous contract despite coming off a knee injury. He refused the offer and went to Detroit for about a million or two more. They won a World Series without him.
Aaron Rowand was fantastic all the way around. He is missed in center field, at the plate and in the clubhouse. But the Sox got Jim Thome and cash in the trade, which enabled them to re-sign Paul Konerko. Would they rather be without Paulie? I don’t think so.
Why didn’t Downey bring up the much-debated Brandon McCarthy trade and report on what he has been doing, which isn’t much of anything?
— Melissa Nowak
Guillen must go
BLOOMINGDALE — Ozzie Guillen’s profanity-laced phone call to WSCR-AM is disgusting. He is a disgrace to the White Sox. He knows he is always on stage as the face of the team. He knows better (or should know better) than to behave in such an immature manner.
In the Tribune report of the incident, he doesn’t remember what he said; and he won’t apologize. His actions would not be tolerated by any other business in the public eye. It’s time for Kenny Williams to fire Ozzie Guillen now.
— Keith Dubas
The wrong voice
OAK LAWN — Now Ozzie Guillen says he is the voice and face of the ballclub. The voice — (horror of horrors) shouting profanities all over the place. The face — unshaven, constantly spitting … Heaven help us, ASAP.
— Alice Oskvarek
Oden needs seasoning
DEERFIELD — Greg Oden has all the physical tools to be a dominant big man, though his game is still incredibly raw. His mid-range game is virtually nonexistent, his post moves are limited, and he has a tendency to travel, whether it’s called or not.
At the high school and college level he could get away with sheer athletic dominance, but at the pro level, against players of similar size and strength, it’s possible he will struggle.
On the defensive end, he is a strong presence, but it will be difficult for him to have as large an impact in the NBA, considering the ability of players to avoid shot blocks.
He may turn out to be as great as some are tabbing him to be, but it is unrealistic to expect him to turn around a team right away — even he talks about how bad he was a few years ago.
To believe that a one-dimensional player (at the moment) is the path to an easy title is naive. I think it is far more likely that he’ll be the next Samuel Dalembert than the next David Robinson, and I wouldn’t reserve my Blazers NBA Finals tickets just yet.
— Steve Wolf
Goodell’s next move
CHICAGO — David Haugh’s Friday column on Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL was excellent (Tribune, May 24). Fair and balanced and just good writing, with good detail regarding Goodell’s efforts to improve the NFL’s response to the medical and financial needs of its retired players.
Now if Goodell could address bringing all the gay NFL players out of the closet and into the sunshine of respect and tolerance through education and sensitivity training. A difficult task considering our society’s bigotry, but an important one for equality and fairness.
Jim Coogan
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