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Romo sets example for Bonds
By Ann Killion, Mercury News
On his Web site, Barry Bonds asked for movie recommendations to help get him through his rehabilitation. Last week, he went to see "Star Wars: Episode III" and said he enjoyed it very much.
Here's another movie that Bonds might enjoy: "The Longest Yard," which opens Friday.
Bonds might not love the plot, but he might be interested in one of the film's actors: Bill Romanowski, who plays a prison guard.
The movie might get Bonds thinking about his post-baseball career. Because Romo -- also ensnared in the Balco web -- is proving that it doesn't matter what you've done or been accused of doing, as long as you have a name.
In America, there's always a way to capitalize on your fame. Redemption through marketability.
Break a teammate's face and end his career? No problem. Spit on an opponent's face? No problem. Take steroids and any other illegal substances and be part of the biggest steroid case in history? No problem.
Romanowski doesn't seem to think his past should affect his career as an actor. When I asked him on a conference call if he thought the American public would care about his transgressions, he answered, "What do you think?"
I don't have the time to do Romo's thinking for him, but I'm pretty sure the public only wants to be entertained.
Acting up
Romanowski had an epiphany when Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor, realizing that "Hollywood needs a new terminator." After all, just as the governor's steroid use didn't hurt his run for office, Romo's shouldn't hurt his new career.
This should cheer Bonds during these difficult days.
Bonds has long aspired to an acting career, taking acting lessons and joining the Screen Actors Guild. He once said, "It's the only thing outside of baseball that I know I like to do."
Compared to Romanowski, Bonds doesn't have much to overcome. He's surly to a lot of people, but I've never seen him spit on them or punch them in the face. The steroid thing? Doesn't seem to be a problem.
He once said he would rather not make cameo appearances as himself but play a different character.
"I want to do someone else," he said. "I don't want to be me. You can only do yourself once, and then it seems like reruns."
We know how much Bonds hates reruns -- be it of "Sanford and Son," or himself.
Not wanting to play himself rules out parts in "Reporting Live: the Pedro Gomez Story," or "Field of Flaxseed." But there are other parts out there.
Romo's next role is in a baseball movie called "The Benchwarmers," a natural for Bonds. Maybe Victor Conte Jr. can hook them up.
Will star translate?
There are differences between Bonds and Romanowski. Romo -- despite earning four Super Bowl rings -- was a character actor in the NFL, not a leading man. People are less forgiving when a big slugger destined to play the hero's role is tarnished.
Another difference is that Romanowski has always indulged in analysis of his own character flaws. He resisted during "The Longest Yard" promotion ("This is about the movie, sir," said a publicist in response to a question about human growth hormone). But he eventually cracked in an interview in Denver, confiding that he spent his career trying to stay one step ahead of the testers. Perhaps Bonds' marketability will improve if he opens up about his problems and acknowledges mistakes.
If not, there still could be a role out there for him. I hear they're considering a movie called "The Mark McGwire Story."
By Ann Killion, Mercury News
On his Web site, Barry Bonds asked for movie recommendations to help get him through his rehabilitation. Last week, he went to see "Star Wars: Episode III" and said he enjoyed it very much.
Here's another movie that Bonds might enjoy: "The Longest Yard," which opens Friday.
Bonds might not love the plot, but he might be interested in one of the film's actors: Bill Romanowski, who plays a prison guard.
The movie might get Bonds thinking about his post-baseball career. Because Romo -- also ensnared in the Balco web -- is proving that it doesn't matter what you've done or been accused of doing, as long as you have a name.
In America, there's always a way to capitalize on your fame. Redemption through marketability.
Break a teammate's face and end his career? No problem. Spit on an opponent's face? No problem. Take steroids and any other illegal substances and be part of the biggest steroid case in history? No problem.
Romanowski doesn't seem to think his past should affect his career as an actor. When I asked him on a conference call if he thought the American public would care about his transgressions, he answered, "What do you think?"
I don't have the time to do Romo's thinking for him, but I'm pretty sure the public only wants to be entertained.
Acting up
Romanowski had an epiphany when Arnold Schwarzenegger became governor, realizing that "Hollywood needs a new terminator." After all, just as the governor's steroid use didn't hurt his run for office, Romo's shouldn't hurt his new career.
This should cheer Bonds during these difficult days.
Bonds has long aspired to an acting career, taking acting lessons and joining the Screen Actors Guild. He once said, "It's the only thing outside of baseball that I know I like to do."
Compared to Romanowski, Bonds doesn't have much to overcome. He's surly to a lot of people, but I've never seen him spit on them or punch them in the face. The steroid thing? Doesn't seem to be a problem.
He once said he would rather not make cameo appearances as himself but play a different character.
"I want to do someone else," he said. "I don't want to be me. You can only do yourself once, and then it seems like reruns."
We know how much Bonds hates reruns -- be it of "Sanford and Son," or himself.
Not wanting to play himself rules out parts in "Reporting Live: the Pedro Gomez Story," or "Field of Flaxseed." But there are other parts out there.
Romo's next role is in a baseball movie called "The Benchwarmers," a natural for Bonds. Maybe Victor Conte Jr. can hook them up.
Will star translate?
There are differences between Bonds and Romanowski. Romo -- despite earning four Super Bowl rings -- was a character actor in the NFL, not a leading man. People are less forgiving when a big slugger destined to play the hero's role is tarnished.
Another difference is that Romanowski has always indulged in analysis of his own character flaws. He resisted during "The Longest Yard" promotion ("This is about the movie, sir," said a publicist in response to a question about human growth hormone). But he eventually cracked in an interview in Denver, confiding that he spent his career trying to stay one step ahead of the testers. Perhaps Bonds' marketability will improve if he opens up about his problems and acknowledges mistakes.
If not, there still could be a role out there for him. I hear they're considering a movie called "The Mark McGwire Story."