Remove the asterisk

Former Dolphins head coach Don Shula came out and said today that if the New England Patriots finished the season undefeated then there should be an asterisk placed next to their accomplishment. The elevation of the term "asterisk" to the level of something that has become pop-culture is getting a bit out of hand. According to Shula, the Patriots should be mentioned in the same sentence as the Asterisk King, Barry Bonds. According to me, Don Shula should be mentioned in the same sentence as Rich Cotite because, despite all his coaching prowess, he failed to win a Super Bowl in his final 22 seasons as head coach and that includes twelve seasons with the greatest quarterback of all time at the helm. Throw in the fact that he drafted horribly aside from his selection of Marino, but then again, how could blow that pick? Anyway I digress, lets view each case and determine whether an asterisk should truly be applied.

Barry Bonds: I'm required by law to start with Bonds and I may be tarred and feathered by the three people who read this blog after they read this argument, but here goes. People believe Bonds all-time home run record should have an asterisk next to it. Barry Bonds was a 3-time MVP and a 6-time Gold Glove winner before he allegedly used steroids, so he wasn't exactly a slouch before then. Going into the 2001 season, the year he hit his record setting 73 home runs, Bonds hit an average of 33 home runs per season. The three seasons that proceeded 2001, he hit 46, 45 and 45, numbers that are not abnormal for Bonds because he has hit at least 40 home runs in six different seasons. Now get ready for this because you're going to love it. In the 2005 season, Bonds played 14 games and hit five home runs. If you average Bonds highest home run total in a season (73) and his lowest total (5) you get 39 home runs. That's a whopping six home runs more then his career average in a season. If Bonds played the whole 2005 season and was sitting at 800-something home runs, I could see people's argument for the "asterisk," however, his five home run season pretty much negated the incredible jump on the record his season with 73 home runs in 2001 gave him. What I'm trying to say is Bonds would still have great odds of breaking the home run record with just an average 2001 season and a full-2005 season. Now you're saying that's hypothetical, but isn't too the idea that he used steroids? People forget that six years later, despite all the suspicion, Bonds has yet to be convicted of doing anything illegal. It's time to Iet it go people, move on. Bonds is the best baseball player of all-time not named Babe Ruth, and the best home run hitter of all-time. Period.

2007 New England Patriots: The Patriots are 9-0 and winning their games by an average of 23 points. Included in that average was their 24-point thrashing of a Jets team that is 1-8, and basically 0-8 because their only win came against a team that is still winless. Now, had the Patriots not videotaped the Jets signals, does anybody really think the Jets would've beaten the Patriots that day? Anybody? No? Didn't think so. The Patriots didn't use signals against the 7-1 Cowboys and won in Dallas by 21. No signals were used in their big win in Indy this weekend either, and they found a way to win. It's actually possible that the Patriots could've won by more had they not taped the Jets signals because watching the Jets do anything might have such a negative effect that it makes you worse for however brief a time. Why they did this to begin with is beyond me because it's clear that they didn't need the advantage, but that is what makes Bill Belichek the champion that he is; the man is always looking for the advantage. Have the Patriots taped teams signals since Spygate? No. Would their record be any different had Spygate never occured? Negative. Are the Patriots going to go undefeated? Probably. But that's what makes the timing of this statement by Shula so perplexing. There are seven games left in the season, and a few decent opportunities for the Patriots to be beaten. Then there's the postseason where anything is possible, just ask the pre-2006 Colts. My guess is Shula knows his '72 Dolphins would get murdered by the '07 Patriots as badly as the '07 Dolphins did, and he wanted to make his precious record look a bit more legit. Whatever the reason, Shula should just keep his mouth shut and move the asterisk he intends to put on New England's pending perfect season next to his name for "greatest coach of all-time," because any coach who can't win multiple Super Bowls with Dan Marino should've never been in the business to begin with.

Is Bonds ALLEGED actions, and Belichek's Spygate scam unethical and illegal? Absolutly. But as you should now realize, there is no reason to not acknowledge the greatness of both parties. In all likelyhood, both parties would likely be in the same position they are now- atop the record books- with or without the unethical actions that people feel warrant America's new favorite term: an asterisk.

Until next time,
DTM