Unanimous...

Bonds Boo Birds' Major League Hall of Fame voters Icing out one of the greatest players of a generation.

Congratulations to the first ever first ballot unanimous entry to Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, Mariano Rivera. I am not sure what's more surprising- Rivera being the first unanimous vote? Or the voters continuing for the 7^th time denying entry to one the greatest baseball sluggers in a generation? It's my humble opinion that baseball beat writers and sports writers holding the 'Golden Ticket' of entry have become perversely subjective, short-sited, and hypocritical regarding Barry Bonds. The collective needs to sit down, and be humble.

If you would like to take the 'high road' argument, about cheaters inducted in to the Hall of Fame? I truly hate to disappoint you. Cheaters and poor characters have been inducted going back to the yester-years of Ty Cobb and every year of segregated baseball. Some of the greatest baseball players never had an opportunity to play on a National stage to prove their valor, based on fear of dominance. There were players that used amphetamines and other products in earlier years to gain any advantage possible for an edge over their competition. The more outlying question should be exactly when regulation of banned substances initiated, and when exactly regulation began in Major League baseball of listed banned substances. Major League Baseball placed a banned substance policy in 1985. This policy was never strictly enforced. Even with updated supposed regulation and policy in 2002, Bud Selig and the remainder of owners in Major League Baseball failed to actively regulate banned substances taking advantage of a spike of popularity following a detrimental player strike in 1994. Only after the Mitchell Report was published in 2007, and retirement of Bud Selig, was there a followed regulation policy that was enforced in Major League Baseball.

I find it difficult to punish a generation of particular deserving players, where the commissioner whom looked the other way was inducted in to the same Hall of Fame. The other hypocritical factor regarding this freeze out of two most dominant players (Barry Bonds, and Roger Clemens) is there are inferior contributors playing at the same time that were conveniently voted in to the exclusive Hall of Fame. There is no way Mike Piazza and Ivan 'Pudge' Rodriguez have numbers and production minutely close to the performance of Barry Bonds.

Another factor hardly taken in to consideration is the ambiguous accusation of what are PEDs and were PEDs used by these players even banned under the collective bargaining agreement during their playing career. Time and time again, you hear the term, 'steroids' as the banned substance. So, many players named in the Mitchell Report, have openly admitted to 'Andro' or 'Steroid' use, and others ultimately ended up testing positive of such 'Steroid' and 'Andro' subsances (i.e. Pudge Rodriguez, and Mike Piazza). During the full career of Barry Bonds, never has he admitted or tested positive regarding any banned substance. Bonds may have used some type of PED to assist him in recovery, to maintain consistency and performance, but it wasn't a substance that was particularly banned during his career. Majority of population become short-sited regarding definition of performance supplements. Steroids is an antiquated and poor choice. Steroids ultimately a destructive substance that will ultimately induce breakdown and aggressive side-affects for any athlete using it. Barry Bonds never displayed those side-affects.

There were memoirs written and reports that came out advising of an epidemic taking over the pristine green grassed diamonds perfectly pruned across the nation. It became apparent, practically every athlete competing for a spot on a major league team took advantage of an unregulated policy. The outlying question should be, if PEDs were such an 'advantage', why weren't there more breakout performances? Why weren't there more athletes having year in and year out career numbers? The reason you won't find year-in-and-out performances throughout major league baseball, would be they did not posses other abilities required to succeed in a diverse demanding sport.

Barry Bonds was playing above his competition at a time where majority were taking banned substance, according to laid out (yet loosely regulated) rules of Major League Baseball. Barry Bonds persevered, and usurped upon his competition. Steroids (which I am 100% sure he did not use) does not give any advantage over a player with natural ability to spot a ball coming out of a pitcher's hand, or his instinctual swing...Not that I am condoning the use of performance enhancing products, I just cannot deny the fact: Barry Bonds, hands down outplayed everyone in the Major League... You cannot put an asterisk on a player that has flat-out dominated his peers, and most likely was ahead of the competition regarding choice of performance supplements not banned in sports.

Barry has learned and was taught by the best-of-the-best in baseball history! His godfather is Willie Mays... America- Wake Up!!! He grew up among the greatest players known in baseball- 'Stretch' Mccovey, Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays... Let alone, Bonds learned from all the pitchers surrounding the greatest hitters. Maybe the only unfair advantage he did have, was his father, who knew everything you could know about predicting pitches from pitchers, based on the count and base runners... Bonds' father taught his son about strategy, and used that to his advantage... Imagine... having a mental edge, and knowledge what a pitcher is going to throw, based on, knowing his game?! Maybe that is why he was able to hit home runs off of over 400+ different pitchers...

You say he's arrogant? You say he isn't nice?! He's a 'Richard Cranium'?! How do you know ? I don't know him... you don't know him... Players aren't paid to be 'nice'. I never expected a player I admire to be my hero, or be my friend. Barry Bonds has been paid to perform and be the ultimate of sports entertainers... He has definitely fulfilled more than my moneys' worth! Bonds is legend of my generation. Bonds is an anomaly, a talent we should embrace. Barry Bonds by far has been one of the rare gifts to baseball.

All of the whiners, sit down... Shut up! Tip your hats to a phenomenon that's given some of the most historic highlights in baseball history!

The Great Debate: Offense versus Defense Wins Titles

I'm sure in passing, you've heard the vintage conundrum- 'Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”

Years of  argument and theory regarding the National Football League recipe obtaining world titles have always began with the default admission, 'Defense wins Titles'.

As we progress in to the third decade of the millennium, there are analysts sprouting in many media outlets challenging the status quo theory. Spurts of sports media platforms across the nation are beginning to dismiss this absolute theory, challenging what exactly is the formula concocted by franchises leading to world titles?  A new theory has hit center stage, that it's the offense on display that will duke it out for the trophy. Decades have progressed where there was ne'r a challenge of the original theory of a team's defense being the formula to winning.

Sports analysts are challenging the antiquated default argument. Are they accurate with their argument?  Taking closer look at the most explosive football game in 2018 NFL season between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams, as well as viewing the performances throughout current playoff season, Defense (with an effervescent and dynamic defense coordinator who knows how to adjust and expose unknowing offenses) lead to titles.

On Monday Night Football November 19, 2018 between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams, there were 14 touchdowns scored between both teams. Three of those touchdowns were scored by Defense on turnovers, two fumble recoveries, and an interception. The team that ultimately came out on top, the Los Angeles Rams, had two of those defense scores.  The result of this one game ignited the sports airwaves touting a transition away from the value of defense segwaying to offense firepower as the must haves to acquire the Lombardi Trophy. Yet, as the remaining NFL season played out, there were only two other offensive powerhouse offerings to add. Surprisingly, they featured the teams now playing to go to the Super Bowl.  New England beat Kansas City in week 6 of the regular season, 43-40; and the New Orleans Saints beat the Los Angeles Rams in week 9 45-35.

Another supposed argument siding with the offensive minded, is the most dominating offensive player in the millennium, New England quarterback, Tom Brady. Regardless of receiving core suiting up, year-in-and-year-out, Brady is the most precise and prolific offensive weapon.  He is New England's Trojan horse, as well. New England's offensive versatility often sidetracks analysts and opposing defensive coordinators. Two factors regarding New England's success overlooked by the masses are their sneaky running game, and its diverse defensive planning between head coach Bill Belichick and his various defense coordinators (Brian Flores has taken over this year from parting DC master, Matt Patricia).

Viewing five various sports sites ranking NFL defenses in 2018, not one had the New England Patriots in their top five (most placing them between 7th and 18th ). Yet, the New England defense literally shut down a powerhouse offense in Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers.  In the first half of the AFC Championship game, New England defense shut down Kansas City from scoring. You may refute that Patriots allowed Mahomes and Kansas City back in game, as they did come out and score 31 points in the second half, which was whole heartedly disappointing. To advise, Kansas City defense did have a winning game interception, if it weren't for a neutral zone line up infraction made; thus, a defense play made to secure a victory moving towards a title. Alas, New England overcame fiascos to prove again, that behind that precise multi – option offense machine, is a defense that allows them opportunity to overtake time of possession and patiently maneuver down past all the hash marks in to the end zone.

In Sunday's earlier championship game, Los Angeles Rams displayed an expected top ranked defense performance stopping one of the most prolific offenses for the past decade lead by Drew Brees for the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans averaged 31 points this past 2018 season in scoring.  During the regular season, the New Orleans Saints beat Los Angeles Rams 45 to 35. Needless to say, defense was suspect in the earlier regular season encounter. Los Angeles defense coordinator Wade Phillips knew going in to the NFC Championship game, he had to come up with a score stopping strategy if the Rams had any chance of winning in a hostile high octane scoring environment in New Orleans.  The defensive line, the pass-rush all- pro duo of Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh set out the game plan and came up big. The Rams defense held Drew Brees and Saints offense (drawn up by one of the better offensive minds in Sean Payton) to 23 points.

As we head in to Super Bowl 53 between the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots, offense will show up on both sides to place points on the board. Don't be fooled by the rushes, catches and flinging passes athletically nabbed out of the gridiron air; a championship will be secured by the defense showing up stalling and denying progress in their opponent's forward scoring scheme.