Pick: Barry Bonds – By Robert Alvis

Let’s not wait until the cancer spreads throughout thesystem, let’s cut Barry Bonds out now.

Do it for the game’s sake, for the children’ssake.

Yeah, the guy hits a crazy amount of home runs, but then heshows up the pitcher by standing at home plate and watching theball soar out of the stadium.

This is followed by a flip of the bat and a slow jog to firstbase.

All things that would not be tolerated unless he was Bonds.

The man leans out over the plate and then whines like a5-year-old girl with a knee scrape when Roger Clemens pitches himinside.

He plays the game for himself only, which is why he will neverwin a world championship.

He doesn’t play for the love of the game, or histeammates.

And worst of all, not for the fans who pay $40 to sit in thesecond level of Pac Bell Park to watch him play.

The fact that Bonds may use steroids makes him no different thenmany of the leagues top sluggers, but it does make him differentthen the men he is chasing for the home run record &- WillieMays, Babe Ruth and Henry Aaron.

Letting Bonds take his place atop the record books has about asmuch integrity as giving Ben Johnson his gold medal and worldrecord from the 1988 Olympics.

The man who wants to make people forget about Babe Ruth has donenothing but guarantee that only those blind to his follies willrevere him when he leaves the sport.

Pick: Eric Olczyk from Playmakers – By NicholasLozito

I watched every episode, followed every story line and gossipedover every unexpected turn of events like a 38-year-old housewifewatching “Days of Our Lives,” but one thing continuedto eat away at me throughout the first 8212; and hopefully notthe last 8212; season of “Playmakers.”

That thing was linebacker Eric Olczyk (played by Jason MathewSmith).

Before I go ripping into Olczyk, I would like to set one thingstraight: I love “Playmakers,” and if the NationalFootball League or its players association ever attempts to fileany lawsuit against the show, I will never watch another NFLgame.

Now, back to Olczyk, the most unconvincing linebacker I’veseen on television or in the movies since Sean Austin sportingIrish gold in “Rudy.”

Put a wig on that guy, take off the goatee and he looks likeJimmy Kimmel with down syndrome 8212; no offense to thesecond-best talk show host on television, behind only thescintillating Conan O’Brien.

Somehow, ESPN thought they could get away with listing this guyat 248 pounds on their “Playmakers” roster (By the way,Olczyk is a fifth year player out of Penn State).

If this guy is 248 pounds, then call me the white BarryBonds.

Aside from the looks, Olczyk is the worst actor since thesteroid abusing defensive lineman in “The Program.”

And did anybody really give a damn about his relationship withhis father? What are we watching here, Oprah Winfrey’s Oxygennetwork or ESPN?

Why don’t the producers of this show just stop beatingaround the bush and cast Bill Romanowski to play himself?

Pick: Rich Gannon – By Jimmy Spencer

Rich Gannon has all the qualities of a player you’d wantto deactivate.

Old? Check.

Overpriced? Yup.

Bad attitude? Damn straight!

To top it off, he is now damaged goods with that shoulderinjury.

Players don’t usually fall completely apart over thecourse of an off-season.

But we saw the collapse of Gannon when Jon Gruden got in hismind and exposed him in the spotlight of last year’s SuperBowl.

His play on the field this season before the injury was awful&- posting a quarterback rating of 73.5.

But his play off the field is why he deserves to be cut.

Gannon and Jon Gruden got into yelling matches a few seasons agoand people celebrated his competitiveness.

Earlier this year, he was caught dressing down both BillCallahan and offensive coordinator Marc Trestman and was openlycriticizing his teammates in front of the media.

The guy is a cancer.

Keyshawn and T.O. get hammered for those actions while Gannongets praise.

It’s a joke and so is Rich Gannon. The Raiders need tomove on or else they will be stuck in that cellar even longer.

Meanwhile guys like Bonds get a poor rap because they haverecliners in the clubhouse and don’t treat the mediaright.

Guys like my co-worker Alvis continue to buy into what the mediafeeds them and that’s why he’s a joke too!

Pick: Dennis Erickson – By Michael Young

Any shred of hope the 49ers’ had to make the playoffs wasintercepted last weekend when the Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Lewispicked off a tipped Jeff Garcia pass and took it 29 yards to thehouse.

In a season filled with last second collapses and overtimelosses, the 44-6 rout was only the second blowout loss suffered bythe Niners this year.

Coaching can make the difference in close games and head coachDennis Erickson has changed things for the worse.

The latest horrible decision Erickson made was starting Garciaagainst the Ravens.

Four interceptions speak for themselves, the main thing theysaid to me was, Erickson, you’re an idiot.

Why did the Niners hire this bum in the first place?

Yes, he won two national championships with the Miami Hurricanesback in 1989 and 1991 but that’s college and he inheritedJimmy Johnson’s system and players to ride the gravy train tothe top.

His record of 31-33 in four years with the NFL’s SeattleSeahawks is much more revealing.

Steve Mariucci might not have taken the Niners to the SuperBowl, but he rebuilt the team from salary cap destruction, gotGarcia to play way over his potential and kept Terrell Owens inline and producing league leading numbers.

You don’t fire a very good coach unless you have a greatone lined up.

Deactivate Erickson.

Hell, let T.O. coach the rest of the season. Owens calling hisown number 50 times a game just might give the 49ers a betterchance to win.

Student Voices : Vote at statehornet.com

Rick Fox – “He moves too slow, he’s not a topathlete out there and we don’t need him. Oh, and I hate theKings.”

–Britton Hawkins, Undeclared,Sophomore

Vlade Divac – “His time is about to run out. Idon’t think flopping works anymore.”

— Noel Taueetia, Criminal Justice,Sophomore

Keyshawn Johnson – “My little brother is 10and looks up to athletes. I wouldn’t want him to be all abouthimself like Keyshawn.”

— Cliff Hinkle, Communications, Senior