[JBC77]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Barry Bonds said the man who bought his 756th home run ball and announced plans to let the public decide its fate is an "idiot."

Fashion designer Marc Ecko had the winning bid Saturday in the online auction for the ball that Bonds hit last month to break Hank Aaron's record of 755 home runs. The final selling price was $752,467, well above most predictions.

Ecko, 35, has set up a Web site that lets visitors vote on three options for the ball: give it to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, brand it with an asterisk before sending it to Cooperstown or blast it into space on a rocket ship.

The asterisk would suggest that Bonds' record is tainted by alleged steroid use. The Giants slugger has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs.

"All of those options don't weigh anything," Bonds told the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday night in Phoenix. "In baseball, that number (756) stands."

Bonds said Ecko could have found a better way to spend three-quarters of a million dollars.

"He's stupid. He's an idiot," Bonds said. "He spent $750,000 on the ball and that's what he's doing with it? What he's doing is stupid."

Ecko did not directly respond to Bonds' comments Wednesday, but said in a statement he would make Bonds a custom T-shirt that says, "Marc Ecko paid $752,467 for my ball, and all I got was this 'stupid' T-shirt."'

Ecko plans to announce what he will do with No. 756 after voting ends Sept. 25.

Ben Padnos, the California entrepreneur who submitted the $186,750 winning bid on Bonds' record-tying 755th home run ball, said Tuesday he also plans to have the public vote on what to do with it.

Vote:http://www.vote756.com/marcecko/

[sportsfreek]

This is why I can't stand Bonds, calling the person who bought his record breaking homerun ball an idiot, maybe he needs to take a peek into that mirror and see the "idiot".

[imgv94]

Bonds is one of the best players of all time. Steroids or not.

[EJandV]

Bonds was being humble + joking and he is right . You know Bonds said that being modest about himself , not to knock the guy that bought it . He is a beast no matter if he was high on steroids or not . If you were a baseball player you might do something to increase your chances of being great too and staying in the bigs too .
Until a sport is your job and livelihood how can anyone honestly say what they would do to survive or be one of the greats of all time .
Pro athletes have a hard job , if you have ever tryed to hit a 90 mile an hour fastball then adjust and hit a slider in the big leauges you would understand it aint no joke !!!
To be successful at your job is the key here .
You would probably do it to stay a Yankee instead of having to go be in the minor leauges , who knows . note : you may park in the handicapped zone because you are late , too a baseball wanna be great no matter what , it's the same thing , you would not know unless you been there . I would pump em too if it meant I would go from batting 200 to 300 , yep damn skippy . THE CAT KNOCKED OVER A DRINK ON MY KEYBOARD LAST MONTH SO MY KEYS STICK , SO I HAVE TO EDIT AFTER BECAUSE I TYPE SO FAST .

[tacomax]

Originally Posted by sportsfreek

This is why I can't stand Bonds, calling the person who bought his record breaking homerun ball an idiot, maybe he needs to take a peek into that mirror and see the "idiot".

Let's take the only direct quote on that story:

"He spent $750,000 on the ball and that's what he's doing with it? What he's doing is stupid."

Based on that, he is stupid. And an idiot. He could have spent $750,000 on any number of good causes. Instead he chooses to spunk away $750,000 on trying to get one over on Bonds. Who, lest we forget, has not been found guilty of taking steroids when it was banned in MLB (although that is another story).

[jolub]

It's true. The guy is an idiot.

[pico]

spending 750k just to make an statement doesn't seem smart to me. well, i guess for those people, money is just a number...whatever flows his boat.

[tullamore]

I think the guy is getting a lot of attention, and advertising for his fashion company. My not be an idiot after all, his name and company are getting a lot of ink because of his purchase of the ball. $750,000 may be cheap in the whole spectrum of advertising and name recognition.

[pico]

well said. cheaper than a superbowl ad.

[moneyplays]

Bonds is the greatest baseball player to ever play the game. FVCK all the haters.

[JoshW]

I like Ecko clothing, but this seems pretty stupid. I guess if you have the money you can do any bizarre thing you want.