Hawks’ Clint Capela: ‘A Black person has a voice, and we’re all human’

After growing up around racism in Switzerland, Capela gains appreciation for African American culture since joining the NBA

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    Atlanta Hawks v New Orleans Pelicans
    Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 27, 2021, at the Smoothie King Center. Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images
    Marc J. Spears By @MarcJSpears

    Clint Capela grew up in an environment in Switzerland feeling that racism toward him and his family was the norm and part of life.

    But it was after the Atlanta Hawks center came to the United States eight years ago that he made a surprising discovery about himself as a Black man.

    “My parents had to go through it [in Switzerland] because they came from Africa,” Capela told The Undefeated. “So, when I got here, I really saw that it wasn’t supposed to be like that.

    “A Black person has a voice, and we’re all human. And the way that I grew up wasn’t always like that.”

    For Capela, who was drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2014 when he was 20 years old, it was an unexpected journey made in a country that is nowhere near immune to racism. 

    But it was a journey he did not make alone. He had willing mentors in two African Americans, John Lucas – then a player development coach with the Rockets – and scout Brent “B.J.” Johnson, who died in 2020.

    Capela, who was traded to the Hawks in 2020, had other moments of acceptance and belonging during his life, most notably playing in France for Elan Chalon. But it was his six years with the Rockets that left a deep impression.

    Capela said when he first arrived in Houston, he made a comment about his race that didn’t sit well with the team, most notably Lucas and Johnson. But thanks to the efforts of Lucas and Johnson, Capela flourished with the Rockets and also began feeling pride in his Blackness while being in a city that is 22.6% Black or African American, according to a 2021 U.S. Census Bureau report.

    “When I first came to the U.S., I remember my first interview with Houston,” Capela said. “I spoke about what is the difference between basketball here and there, and I used not-appropriate language to compare. I didn’t know it was such a big thing that was wrong. And they took me on the side and said, ‘You’re not supposed to talk like that here.’

    “Racism really affected me and I really learned that when I got here in the United States. Obviously when you’re over there [Switzerland], you think that it’s normal because you don’t know better.”

    Houston Rockets center Clint Capela (left) gets a handshake from assistant coach John Lucas (right) during warm-ups before a game against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 6, 2019, at the Toyota Center in Houston.

    John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

    Claudette Boyance-Johnson, B.J. Johnson’s widow, recalled the influence her husband and Lucas had on Capela. Johnson also was well known for promoting basketball in Africa during the NBA offseason. Johnson played a role in Capela making a couple of trips to Africa, including playing in the NBA Africa Game and participating in Basketball Without Borders in Johannesburg in 2017.

    “When Clint came here, B.J. spent so much time with him in the gym and on the court talking to him and grooming him,” she said. “Clint was young, [B.J.] always said, ‘Clint was just a baby.’ B.J. and John Lucas spent a lot of time with him.

    “Clint came with us a couple of times to Africa. The time Clint and B.J. spent together in Africa probably made him more comfortable in his skin, skin color and who he was. B.J. was like: ‘You’re Clint Capela, you have to embrace who you are. You were blessed to be born into this.’ ”

    Lucas encouraged Capela to watch the 1977 miniseries Roots, as well as documentaries on famed boxer Muhammad Ali and rapper Tupac Shakur, which Capela did. They both spent time together at soul food restaurants at every stop on NBA road trips, and Capela quickly became a fan of rap music and asked Lucas to play Rick Ross during workouts. Capela was eager to learn about African American history, and the more he learned, the prouder he became of who he was.

    “I really cried when I first watched Roots, because I had no idea,” Capela said. “How can they just detach a family? Take the daughter? Bring her somewhere else and never see her again forever. Yeah, I was just without words, and for the first time in my life, I really felt pain about it, about something I had no idea before.

    “This is how I got to learn about the U.S. culture, about how Black people originally arrived to this country, about how it’s supposed to be, and it got me really proud. Probably the first time in my life I felt really proud to be who I am, a Black man.”

    Capela’s mother, Philomene, moved from her native Congo to Switzerland in 1993 and soon began dating an Angolan immigrant. Capela was born in May 1994 and his parents would break up months later, and he never was able to get to know his father.

    Capela’s mother was a factory worker who was raising three boys. Looking back, Capela didn’t have a memorable childhood.

    “She was working every day of the week,” Capela said. “She was just working in factories, just up and down. A lot of times it was just me and my brothers at home. Sometimes she would just leave me at a friend’s that I went to school with so his parents could bring us to school. So, obviously she was doing everything by herself. I just remember her waking me up, dressing me, dropping me off over there.

    “After school, she would come after work to come get me from there. When you have one mom that does everything, you think it’s normal.”

    With the use of financial aid, Capela’s mother placed him and his two brothers in a boarding school during the weekdays when he was 6 years old in Geneva. Capela said they would be with their mother on the weekends and he was enrolled for about six years.

    Going away for school at such a young age forced Capela to mature much faster.

    “I just wanted to be a normal kid and live with my mom, like everybody else,” Capela said. “It was explained to me that I had to be able to take care of myself when I went there and have to be a good student and not put as much pressure on my mom.”

    For Capela, schoolwork and living away from home were not the biggest challenges for him. Actually, it was the racism he dealt with being a dark-skinned African kid around students and teachers who were predominantly white and not used to seeing people like him.

    “I felt like I was like them, but it was just harder to connect with them, to be friends with them,” Capela said. “When the teachers asked the students to do things in pairs, I was always the last one.

    “I didn’t necessarily understand why. It’s part of it, I guess. And when I was little, as a kid, you just don’t understand. Obviously, you hear the N-word a lot. I was getting into a fight right after that, but the school wasn’t really doing anything about it. They never did, because I guess it was a problem they never had to fix. So, obviously it was hard because you don’t understand, because you’re one of the [few] who is Black.”

    Retired French professional football player Thierry Henry (right) talks with John Lucas (left) and Clint Capela (center) of the Houston Rockets before Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs on May 9, 2017, at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

    David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

    Capela was initially a huge soccer fan — he wanted to be a striker like former Arsenal star Thierry Henry. But standing 6-feet-3 at 12 years old, Capela listened to his older brother’s suggestion to switch to basketball. Capela fell in love with the game and also was inspired by NBA guard Thabo Sefolosha, who became the first Swiss player in the league in 2006, and read everything he could about him.

    After being discovered at age 13, Capela was sent to the Swiss U-16 tryouts, where his height, athleticism and growing skills impressed coaches. Back in Geneva after the tryout, racism wasn’t his only worry.

    “Yeah, sometimes it would be kind of jealousy, like, ‘Yeah, don’t get the big head,’ even though I wasn’t,” Capela said. “I felt there was a little bit of jealousy also, so I had to learn how to deal with that, too.”

    French club Elan Chalon’s coach Romain Chenaud was impressed with what he saw and invited Capela to join his team in France. Capela was quite aware that Sefolosha played for Elan Chalon. Moreover, Capela knew that France had produced several NBA players at that time, such as Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Joakim Noah, Ronny Turiaf, Mickael Pietrus and Tariq Abdul-Wahad.

    Capela quickly accepted the offer and moved to France to pursue a professional basketball career. Life off the court was also a lot easier as he suddenly was around not only teammates, but people who looked like him.

    “You feel more involved, especially because over there we all have the same dream to become pros, to live from basketball, so we go to school together, we practice together, we go to games together,” Capela said. “There was a lot more people in France that looked like me. They had a lot more African kids that came from parents, immigrants, too, like me. So, obviously we connected. And obviously, I felt that I belonged, too.”

    Capela thrived on the court, averaging 10.2 points and 7.1 rebounds in 21.2 minutes per game during his 2013-14 season with Elan Chalon. The 2014 French LNB Pro A Most Improved Player also impressed NBA scouts when he played for the International team during the 2014 Nike Hoop Summit against the top American high school seniors.

    Capela is now in his eighth NBA season and played a significant role in Atlanta advancing to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021. The 6-foot-11, 256-pounder is averaging a double-double (11.4 points and 12.6 rebounds) along with 1.4 blocks per game this season for the Hawks (22-25), who have won five straight entering Friday’s game against the Boston Celtics.

    But his home country remains firmly on his mind. The issue of racism has lingered in Switzerland, with the coronavirus pandemic fueling discrimination and hate speech, according to a report in Swissinfo last September. There were 572 recorded cases of racial discrimination in Switzerland in 2020, according to Swissinfo.

    Older, wiser, more educated and confident in his voice, Capela wants to find a way to use his platform to combat racism in Switzerland.

    “I’m still thinking about what to do,” Capela said. “Maybe stuff like for kids, just by giving back. But I need to keep educating myself and still see about doing something in the future.”

    Marc J. Spears is the senior NBA writer for The Undefeated. He used to be able to dunk on you, but he hasn’t been able to in years and his knees still hurt.

    This Story Tagged: Atlanta Hawks 2017 NBA Africa Game Clint Capela NBA Africa
    NFL

    Assisting single-parent families is a personal passion for Bengals’ Jessie Bates

    The fourth-year safety’s JB3 Single Mother’s Initiative is inspired by his mom raising kids on her own

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      Jessie Bates 1
      Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates (center) poses with the children of single mothers whom he supported as part of his JB3 Single Mother’s Initiative. Roxann Block
      By @BransonWright

      The excitement began last month when Roxann Block and her three children were among three families randomly chosen by UpSpring, a greater Cincinnati organization that supports homeless families, to participate in a weekend of fun hosted by Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III.

      “Me and my kids are kind of down-and-out, suffering through some homelessness and some issues in our personal lives,” said Block, 37, of Newport, Kentucky, just over the bridge from Ohio. “And it was extra-depressing around Christmas, so that opportunity brightened us up. It was something to look forward to.”

      Bates, who took part through his JB3 Single Mother’s Initiative, and his two siblings lived through similar challenges as children of a single mother.

      “This is something I’m very passionate about because I was raised by a single mother and I know how hard she worked,” said Bates, whose Bengals play the Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game. “She was a great example to us, so doing this initiative with my mom is pretty cool.”

      Theresa Trotter’s (left) life inspired her son, Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III (right), to create an initiative to help single mothers.

      Theresa Trotter

      Bates, his older sister and younger brother were raised by their mother, Theresa Trotter, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Trotter, who often worked two jobs, said Bates’ father was not involved much in their lives.

      “I always remember my mom dropping us off at grandma’s house because she had to go to work superearly in the morning,” Bates said. “You’re always taught the man is the head of the household, but my mom was always that person. She was the provider. She was the one going to work, grinding and paying all the bills.”

      Despite long work hours and limited personal time with her children, Trotter took on the responsibility to get Bates to his practices and games, from Pop Warner football to little league baseball and basketball.

      “I’m getting picked up by my mom at school, she’s taking me to practice and finding time to cook dinner,” Bates said. “She’d have a full day, but I’m thankful she found the time and got me involved in so many things.”

      Trotter’s dual role also meant she took him to his first NFL game when he was in the fifth grade. It was a preview of his future.

      “It’s crazy how things have come full circle with me being drafted by the Bengals,” said Bates, whose first game as a fan was between the Bengals and Baltimore Ravens. “I was a Ray Lewis fan, and my mom knows football, so she knew what game to go to. Having a connection with my mom makes our relationship really special.”

      Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III before playing against the Minnesota Vikings at Paul Brown Stadium on Sept. 12, 2021.

      Andy Lyons/Getty Images

      The bond between mother and son was evident when Bates’ future Snider High School football coach visited his home before his freshman season. It was routine for coach Kurt Tippmann to make home visits to introduce himself to families whose sons planned to play for the high school.

      “That was my first meeting with his mom, and she was probably working two jobs, but she was on top of her son’s academics,” Tippmann said. “And she made it clear that she was going to monitor his academics. Over the years, she was always supportive.”

      It didn’t take long for Tippmann to recognize Bates’ early passion to assist others in need.

      ‘We didn’t teach him to have a caring heart. He had that when he showed up, and that’s all because of his mother’s upbringing.’

      At the time, Bates’ high school had a relationship with several organizations that needed volunteers. One group, Erin’s House, readily accepted help once a month from the football team.

      Tippmann said Bates participated without being encouraged to do so.

      “You can tell the influence parents have on a kid,” said Tippmann. “We didn’t teach him to have a caring heart. He had that when he showed up, and that’s all because of his mother’s upbringing.”

      Trotter’s impact remained with Bates on and off the field as he blossomed into one of the top players in the state, and one of the better players in Snider High School’s history. It’s a history that includes NFL Hall of Famer Rod Woodson and former NFL running back Vaughn Dunbar.

      “Jessie’s not some freak athlete that’s better than everybody he’s playing against; he had to work his tail off and that comes from his mom,” Tippmann said. “It was her example instilled in him when he was growing up, and that’s been his key to success through his college and NFL years.”

      Jessie Bates III (right) and his mother, Theresa Trotter (left), when he signed his letter of intent with Wake Forest.

      Theresa Trotter

      Bates, who turns 25 in February, was a freshman All-America and earned All-ACC honors at Wake Forest. He became a second-round pick by the Bengals in 2018 and has since developed into one of the better safeties in the game. His interception on the opening play of last week’s AFC divisional-round playoff game against the Tennessee Titans set the tone for the Bengals’ eventual victory.

      But Bates’ focus remains on those families with struggles similar to what he experienced as a child. According to the results of a Census Bureau population survey released in April 2021, the number of children living with only their mother has more than doubled since 1968, to about 15.3 million in 2020.

      “A lot of people may look at being raised by a single parent as an excuse in getting into trouble or hanging with the wrong group just because Pop wasn’t there,” said Bates, who has since developed a stronger relationship with his father, Jessie Bates II. “But my mom did an awesome job by first setting the example. And if she didn’t do it [raise me], who in the hell else was going to?”

      Bates developed his initiative with RISE Sports Advisors, a management consulting firm that helped him partner with UpSpring and Bigger Than Sneakers, a mentorship and youth-focused community organization. Bates participated in a shopping spree with homeless children in 2019. Last month, he had three families picked up in a limousine for bowling and pizza.

      “We’ve never been in a limousine and my kids were so excited,” Block said. “It was so nice to experience it in all of our pain and suffering and with us all dealing with COVID. To have my kids smile and forget about everything else for that time inspired them, and they now feel some hope.”

      The next day after bowling and dinner, Bates hosted the families in his suite at Paul Brown Stadium when the Bengals played the San Francisco 49ers. The day wasn’t perfect — the Bengals lost in overtime — but his visit to the suite after the game changed Bates’ thought process.

      “We lost, and I’m walking up to the suite after the game pissed off,” he said. “I walked in and those kids were so excited to be there and that was superhumbling.”

      While Bates was on the field, it gave his mother the opportunity to listen to the different mothers about their challenges. It also gave her a chance to share her experiences.

      “I’m there to listen and to encourage,” Trotter said of her role in her son’s initiative. “I’m there to answer any questions about my life and be there for anyone who wants to share their story.”

      Bates presented the families with Christmas gifts, but he wants his program to grow far beyond a gift-giving entity. Bates and his mom have ideas for the initiative to provide financial literacy for single mothers and possibly sponsor athletic endeavors for children.

      “Hopefully, when I get the bag [a bigger contract], it will help boost things,” said Bates, who’s in the last year of his rookie contract. “So that could be funding a scholarship, helping mothers finish school or helping their kids go to school. There’s a lot of things I want to accomplish with this initiative.”

      Until then, and at least for now, Bates’ devotion to single mothers has left an indelible impression.

      “This experience was the best set of memories my children and I have had over the last two years,” said Block. “When we watch the Bengals games, we’re constantly looking for No. 30. His kindness touched me and my family. He’s our superstar.”

      Branson Wright is a filmmaker and freelance multimedia sports reporter.

      This Story Tagged: NFL Cincinnati Bengals Jessie Bates
      NFL

      Patrick Mahomes has an opportunity to join another exclusive club

      The Kansas City Chiefs star is already among the NFL’s most accomplished playoff passers; one more win will put him on another tier

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        AFC Divisional Playoffs – Buffalo Bills v Kansas City Chiefs
        Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates a touchdown scored by Tyreek Hill against the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter of an AFC divisional playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on Jan. 23 in Kansas City, Missouri. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
        Jason Reid By @JReidESPN

        KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The quarterbacks who have started in at least three consecutive Super Bowls form an exclusive club that could expand by one on Sunday.

        If the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the visiting Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game, superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes will join Bob Griese (Super Bowls VI, VII and VIII), Jim Kelly (XXV, XXVI, XXVII and XXVIII) and Tom Brady (LI, LII and LIII) on the short and distinguished list. By starting in four consecutive Super Bowls, Kelly holds the record.

        The group’s members are among the most accomplished passers. In only his fifth season in the league and fourth as a starter, Mahomes has already proven he’s of their ilk. In some respects, he’s far ahead of his elders.

        After masterfully directing the Chiefs’ stunning 42-36 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round (the Chiefs won despite trailing by three points with only 13 seconds remaining in regulation when they took possession of the ball at their 25-yard line), Mahomes will become the youngest quarterback to start in four AFC title games, as well as four in a row.

        His historic performance has been the biggest single factor in the Chiefs becoming the first franchise in NFL history to host four straight conference championship games. The NFC’s Philadelphia Eagles are the only other franchise to host as many as three consecutive conference championship games (2002 to 2004), which occurred when they were led by current Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

        Mahomes’ teacher is in awe of his pupil.

        “He’s a nice guy. We all know that. He’s a good kid. … But down in there [in the heat of battle], he’s gritty and he wants to get after you every opportunity he has,” Reid said. “Most of all, he wants to be great and everyone around him to be great. He has the ability at that position to do that, and he’s not afraid to be coached.

        “He’s not afraid to study hard. He’s not afraid to work out hard, go the extra mile with diet, strength training, all those things, flexibility. He goes and tries to do it the best he possibly can. And as a result, you get what you got there. What we’ve seen — we’ve been spoiled with for the last few years — [is] he’s a pretty spectacular player and we’re lucky to have him right here in Kansas City. So, to have the grit, that tells you a little bit about him. That’s something special.”

        Under Reid, Mahomes has rocketed to the top of the NFL, and the postseason is the passer’s favorite time of the year. A quick review of Mahomes’ career reveals the reason.

        • The four-time Pro Bowler has played in the AFC title game each season he has been a starter. Mahomes holds the distinction of being the youngest passer to have a Super Bowl title, a Super Bowl MVP award – having accomplished both of those feats at 24 – and a league MVP award. He was selected the 2018 winner by the Associated Press.
        • He has eight playoff victories on his resume, tied for 22nd all time by a quarterback and sixth among active passers. Brady leads with 35 victories. Ben Roethlisberger (13), Aaron Rodgers (12), Joe Flacco (10) and Russell Wilson (nine) are next on the list.
        • During the 2019 season, the Chiefs went 3-0 in the playoffs while winning their first Super Bowl (LIV) in 50 years. While guiding the Chiefs to their second Super Bowl title (Kansas City also defeated Minnesota in the fourth Super Bowl), Mahomes became the only signal-caller in NFL history to lead a team to three victories in one postseason in which it trailed by at least 10 points in each game.
        • With 3,106 playoff passing yards, Mahomes also ranks 18th all time and sixth among active passers. Not surprisingly, Brady tops that group, too.
        • Mahomes has 25 playoff passing touchdowns. That puts him tied with Flacco and Wilson for 12th all time and tied for fourth among quarterbacks still in the league. Again, Brady is alone in first by far with 86.
        • When the Chiefs have trailed in the fourth quarter during Mahomes’ career, there’s no one better they could have had to lead them. Including the playoffs, since the 2018 season, Mahomes’ first as a starter, he’s 12-15 in such situations for an NFL-best .444 winning percentage. The league average is 19.4%.

        Mahomes’ historic start has prompted many NFL legends to reimagine what’s possible from the quarterback position.

        Former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs led the franchise to four Super Bowls, winning three with three different quarterbacks. In an interview for the upcoming book Rise of the Black Quarterback, Gibbs marveled at Mahomes’ repertoire.

        “Everyone has got a thought about Patrick Mahomes,” the Hall of Famer said. “This guy is so gifted and he can make so many plays for ya in so many different ways. With Mahomes, what’s so unusual is that he … he can just do everything. He can get out of the pocket and make a play, and he’s shown he can throw on the run and make things happen. He also does it from the pocket. He’s just a gifted guy.”

        ‘Not many people I’ve ever seen, especially this early in his career, can do the things he’s done’

        Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan has studied Mahomes closely as well.

        Considered among the greatest offensive playcallers in NFL history, Shanahan, while serving as the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator in the early 1990s, helped Steve Young develop into a Super Bowl-winning quarterback and a future Hall of Famer. Then as the coach of the Denver Broncos in the late 1990s, Shanahan partnered with another future Hall of Famer at the game’s most important position, teaming with John Elway to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles. When it comes to the art of playing quarterback, Shanahan’s bona fides are beyond reproach.

        Mahomes does things on the football field that Shanahan never deemed possible.

        “What separates him is his ability to extend plays. He extends plays better than any quarterback I’ve ever seen,” said Shanahan, also in an interview for the forthcoming book, Rise of the Black Quarterback. “And to have the accuracy that he has [on the move] is just … I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s also just got a great feel for the game. Not many people I’ve ever seen, especially this early in his career, can do the things he’s done. No way.”

        Already in rare company, Mahomes has a knack for finding new ways to impress. And with two more victories this season, he would move even farther in front of the pack.

        ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.

        Jason Reid is the senior NFL writer at The Undefeated. He enjoys watching sports, especially any games involving his son and daughter.

        This Story Tagged: NFL Cincinnati Bengals Kansas City Chiefs NFL Playoffs Patrick Mahomes
        Commentary

        Barry Bonds’ snub the latest confirmation of the Hall of Fame’s irrelevance

        One of the greatest players in MLB history sits outside the Hall, and Cooperstown remains too focused on the enshrinees alone

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          Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants Number 25 Retirement Ceremony
          Former San Francisco Giants player Barry Bonds acknowledges fans during a ceremony to retire his No. 25 jersey at AT&T Park on Aug. 11, 2018, in San Francisco. Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
          Clinton Yates By @clintonyates

          Cooperstown, New York, is not a “cool” place by any stretch of the imagination. The small town in upstate New York has some nice things, sure, and the seat of Otsego County is fine, but the most interesting thing there is absolutely the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. As a 40-year-old lifelong fan of the sport who played through high school, I couldn’t possibly care less about it.

          On Tuesday, the Hall announced that David Ortiz, the congenial designated hitter who began his career with the Minnesota Twins but made his name as a clutch bat for the Boston Red Sox, would be the sole player enshrined this year from the ballot. He’s the only player from the last two cycles, for that matter. More players got in from the various committees who vote as well, it should be noted.

          Overall, it’s impossible to state how far removed the entire idea of Cooperstown feels from actual baseball these days. Its place as a location to revere and honor the game, physically and otherwise, barely registers with the average fan. After years of self-important bellyaching from many members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America about steroids, political stances and pretty much everything except baseball, nobody cares. Just like in real life in the streets, if a club becomes a little too exclusive for even the average person to consider it, folks stop showing up.

          ‘The MLB world has a lot to learn about itself, and acting like one of the greatest hitters of all time didn’t exist is not only silly, it’s lame’

          The failure of what the National Baseball Hall of Fame is, never mind who it admits, is multifold. We can go back and forth about the relative merits of who should have a plaque, or what cap a player will wear, but the overall vision of the Hall’s importance is honestly too focused on the enshrinees alone. It’s worth noting that Major League Baseball does not run the Hall of Fame. They are entirely separate entities that do not necessarily work in each other’s best interest, oddly enough.

          Take, for example, Lee Smith. The guy finished his career with the most saves in MLB history and it took him a veterans committee vote to get in.

          There’s just too much history surrounding baseball for these two entities to not be working together to remind people of the living, breathing parts of the game while folks are actually still with us. Because currently, the idea that old guys are fighting with each other to keep other old or dead dudes out of their precious little circle is just plain boring.

          “My family and I put the HOF in the rearview mirror ten years ago. I didn’t play baseball to get into the HOF,” Roger Clemens wrote on Twitter. “I played to make a generational difference in the lives of my family. … Then focus on winning championships while giving back to my community and fans as well. It was my passion. I gave it all I had, the right way, for my family and for the fans who supported me.”

          Nobody’s going to forget who Clemens is just because his face isn’t on a wall in bronze. We have the internet for that now, in terms of really remembering what people did. The Hall of Fame has felt like it’s been stuck in what is akin to the pre-high-definition era of television. During a lockout, in particular, the entire process has never felt more archaic and dated.

          Which brings us to Barry Bonds.

          San Francisco Giants outfielder Barry Bonds waits on deck to hit against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field on Aug. 14, 2007.

          Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

          The so-called legitimacy of the Hall of Fame is one thing. But the experience of who the player was is another. Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire are often touted as having brought MLB back to popular culture with their home run race in 1998. There is a feeling that because of a greater good to the game we sort of forgive those two in our collective consciousness — because the homers were just too fun, is the theory. Bonds was given no such grace in his post-record-breaking years.

          It didn’t help that when he actually did get back to the game in 2016, via a hitting coach job for the Miami Marlins, it went terribly, with former team president David Samson calling the stint a “complete disaster.” That year, Marlins infielder Dee Gordon tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Horrible look all around, sure.

          But again, this is Barry Bonds. In my personal opinion, he’s the best baseball player ever. Watching him hit baseballs was a borderline religious experience. And from a competitive standpoint, a completely different thing from anything we’d ever seen.

          Will they throw him a strike? Will he get a chance to even swing? Will he hit a homer? Getting intentionally walked with the bases loaded or better yet none on? Step right up and get your tickets, kids. It really was a circus. If you want a truly deep dive on this particular matter, check out Jon Bois’ work from Chart Party. It will blow your mind.

          Beyond the compilation of numbers, the in-game, day-to-day experience of seeing him work was really incredible. He was just that good. The cover of a 1993 Sports Illustrated magazine perfectly summed up what he was like. I’m Barry Bonds, And You’re Not, it read. Yes, I will be telling my proverbial grandchildren that I got to see him play.

          What we’re really missing by certain people — never mind the home run king — from Cooperstown, is the desire to officially recognize what were unmistakably great careers, in reality. The MLB world has a lot to learn about itself, and acting like one of the greatest hitters of all time didn’t exist is not only silly, it’s lame.

          Which is a problem that MLB has been fighting for decades. Do you want to be popular or do you want to push phony agendas surrounding your game? Bonds, for all the things he did in his life, was always important on the field. Alas, the National Baseball Hall of Fame is completely irrelevant in the baseball world and has been for some time.

          MLB can only pray that it isn’t right behind it.

          Clinton Yates is a tastemaker at The Undefeated. He likes rap, rock, reggae, R&B, and remixes — in that order.

          This Story Tagged: Commentary MLB Barry Bonds David Ortiz Baseball Hall of Fame Roger Clemens