news-record.com

Like him or not, Barry Bonds is baseball's new home run king. For an instant, allegations of steroid abuse were forgotten as No. 756 arced into the night air late Tuesday amid cheers from an adoring sellout hometown crowd in San Francisco.

Baseball's elite, however, were less enthusiastic. Commissioner Bud Selig was conspicuously absent. And Hank Aaron, whose record Bonds had just eclipsed, offered congratulations via a brief video shown at the park.

Sports heroes don't always measure up to fan expectations. Bonds' standoffish, sometimes petulant antics can be a turnoff. Compared to the iconic Aaron, he comes up short on hero's credentials.

Particularly damning are accusations of steroid abuse. Bonds has denied knowingly using them. However, a California grand jury still is investigating and he could face indictment.

There's a thread of hypocrisy for a society that turns to drugs for everything from losing weight to enhancing sexual prowess to single out Bonds. Even so, polls show most baseball fans want an asterisk beside his record. If that were to happen, other players in baseball's record book who are accused of using steroids, among them Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, should get similar treatment.

Blatantly violating rules has become an unsavory part of competitive sports. Look no further than the Olympics, cycling and auto racing. Too often, the ends justify the means, especially if you don't get caught.

Bonds eventually may be dethroned by the steroids ruckus. Despite that distinct possibility, his record-breaking accomplishment should be met with more than a collective yawn. And for now, at least, hold off on the asterisks.