Bonds and the Media Industry

August 13, 2007

Not that he’s been out of the media eye lately, but Barry Bonds’ recent achievement has given new life not only to books about him, but to the writing profession as a whole.

You have the philosophical/scientific communities arguing about the ethical issues and whether or not performance enhancing drugs can actually help a batter hit home runs. You also have questions about the impact of his protective might have had on his batting form and consequent success. And what about the legalities of it all? I do not pretend to be an authority on such matters, but whatever he did was not, in my understanding, actually illegal at the time he was supposed to have done it. IF he did it; accusations and circumstantial evidence is not proof.

Then there are the sports media columnists, writing about ESPN’s ratings and what they mean; should high numbers be taken as a tacet approval of Bonds? And what does it mean for advertisers?

Don’t forget the mathematicians and statheads.

Not only are the two latest examinations — Game of Shadows by Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams, and Love Me, Hate Me, by Jeff Pearlman — enjoying a new audience, but our old friend Jose Canseco is back, threatening (or promising, depending on your point of view) a new publication. Will it be fact or fiction?

Read an excerpt from Game of Shadows 

Read an excerpt from Love Me, Hate Me 

Who knows what next year will bring?

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