Barry Bonds is just 3 runs away from breaking Hank Aaron's all time 755 home run record. If you are a baseball fan you have been thinking about this for sometime now. Unless you have been living in a cave you know Bonds may have had some "help" getting to 753 home runs. Regardless of how Bonds got here its clear now that no one is going to stop him from reaching 755 and beyond. About a year ago I held out hope that MLB would force Bond's hand - retire before 755 or the truth about your "help" comes out. There is only one problem, despite the circumstantial evidence and rapid bulk up in muscle, there is no smoking gun to force his hand and make him retire. The idea that someone of Bond's character and questionable background could over shadow someone as great as Hank Aaron bothered me a great deal. So at 753 home runs am I worried? No, not in the least. Another record setter is celebrating it's 30th anniversary the same year that one of sport's great records will fall. Star wars set some box office records over the years and took hold of the imagination of fans everywhere. While records have fallen, Star Wars achieved greatness, and after all these years the film's impact is undeniable.

As fans we fear the "end" of Star Wars and future generations saying, "Star What"? Many refer to Star Wars as a mythical story such as The Odyssey. If Star Wars lasts half as long as the Odyssey I think we will be ok for... oh the next several hundred generations. Films today, with bigger budgets and bigger effects, still cannot over shadow Star Wars. Now I am not saying all the other movies are "alleged" steroid using knockoffs of Star Wars. My point is you cannot award The Matrix as one of the all time ground breaking special effects films without recognizing Star Wars set the bar. You cannot deny that Star Wars helped open the door for movies like The Matrix anymore than you can deny that Jackie Robinson opened the door for African American ball players. How can you acknowledge greatness without considering how greatness was achieved?

Along the same lines Aaron's 755 home run record has held a powerful place in baseball. 755 is more than a number, its a symbol of the career of one the greatest men to play the game. Aaron did not emerge as some great power hitter smashing home runs, he did it over his whole career, winning and competing time after time. During his career he rallied other great African American players to fill the void left by Jackie Robinson. When they turned him down, he did it himself. When Aaron threatened Babe Ruth's record, people threatened him, downright hated the man. No one could stop Hank though, he kept on hitting and took the record, and is a class act. Bond's record will never have that kind of history. If anything Bonds will have questions about steroid use, and a dysfunctional relationship with many baseball fans and the media. A dark cloud over everything Barry Bonds has accomplished. Hank Aaron and Star Wars leave behind legacies, unlikely champions of their day.

When 756 is hit, I will clap, maybe even cheer for Bonds, but not without tipping my hat to Hank Aaron.

Now Play Ball! And TFWBWYA!!!