San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow was brutally beaten into a coma outside of Dodger Stadium, and his story has been a circus of tributes and accusations. He’s a single father with two children currently in elementary school, and he can’t do much about that now. Ex-Giant Barry Bonds has offered to pay for the college education of Stow’s kids.
Where can you read about this story? ESPN? No. Sports Illustrated? CBS has the story buried under the fold on their homepage. Yahoo Sports has it somewhere in the middle of the page, but not under their headlines. The most informative version of the story I’ve found so far is from the Business Insider sports page, and they spell Stow’s name as “Brian” instead of “Bryan.” THAT story links to “nbcbayarea.com.” Not MLB.com.
There’s a bigger point I’m trying to make here, and I’m not sure I’ve got enough gravitas as a sports writer for it to matter. I’ll let Jimmy Traina give it a try.
Bottom line: If Tebow donated the [money], how do you think these sites would play the story?
They certainly wouldn’t be waiting for comedy blogs to write about it. I’d already have a 1200 x 800 high-definition image of Tebow handing an oversized check to Stow’s kids. The fact that Barry Bonds did steroids, or lied about doing steroids, or is a jerk has nothing to do with a story like this. He’s doing a kind thing, because he’s able to, and because it should be done. If we have to bash him for it anyway, so be it, I guess. Just report it. It’s got to be more important than Kim Kardashian.
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Agreed. That’s all I really have to say; nice article. Bonds deserves so much more than the media, and as an extension of that we as fans, gave him.
In their defense, the only sensible headlines would be “Giant Dick Pays For College,” and that would lead people to think it’s a story about porn.
Journalists can be sanctimonious pricks too, just like pampered athletes. I heard Anderson Cooper won’t go on camera unless a fourteen year old Puerto Rican boy comes into his trailer to do his makeup. Facials are important, you see.
This is nothing more than image rehab for Bonds, which is why I wont give him credit for it and why no news sources will give it front page. If Bonds actually cared, he would have made an anonymous donation and had it set up by someone else. But he he tried to make a splash to rehab his image. Yes, its great that these kids will have the opportunity to go to college, but I refuse to give Bonds any credit for doing a good thing. The man has never done a decent thing for anyone in his entire life. Why start now? This is like Ted Bundy setting up a rape victim council charity.
And I saw this on the late edition of Baseball Tonight on ESPN last night. It got its own little 15 second blurb with video of Bonds and everything. It wasnt just relegated to the crawl. So it is getting major news coverage.
@Blacktooth: how do you have any idea whatsoever whether or not Bonds has ever “done a decent thing for anyone in his entire life”? I’d also point out that, if, as you demand, he did decent things but only anonymously, then you would continue to blast him because you’d never know he had done it.
It’s blasted all over Yahoo front page and all media outlets are reporting on it. Quit your’ incisive whining! BTW: I take steroids and they still love me. It’s because I’m white.
OMG!! Tim Tebow!! I dun luv you. Ayeseesee!!1
no homo.
I have seen this story is several places already, including on ESPN, which means people will see it ad infinitum for a bit. I do agree that Bonds isn’t painted as a hero like some other athletes would have been, just as some random, rich benefactor.
My respect for him increased 100-fold. What’s 100×0=?
To my credit, it wasn’t being reported to the degree it is now when this article went up. I’m going to pretend like my efforts helped.
yeah, but the college degree these kids will get off of that will have an asterisk next to it, so what’s it really worth?
@Blacktoothgrin
Bonds isn’t the one who leaked the story. He made the promise a month ago. It is Bryan’s attorney who recently told the press. If it was about image rehab Bonds would have gone public with it right after the grand jury verdict. Besides, there is not much to rehab. People who hate him still will.
BTG, that is one of the worst things I’ve seen you write (and I’ve seen you write plenty of terrible things.) Yes I’m a Bonds homer, but what rick says is completely right. Bonds made no mention of doing this to anyone, and the story only came to light when Stow’s attorney issued a press release about it because the family really appreciated the gesture and wanted the world to know that Bonds isn’t the worst human being alive. I’m not surprised that you have the reaction you do. Bonds hates the media and they hate him back, no big surprise that there isn’t favorable stories out there. It would be as if some footy player was a dick to the media and only got negative british and worldwide coverage, I would think he was a dick too. But only those who grew up watching/cheering for/and hearing the positive side of things for that player would understand that good things could be done by the man.