It's not that hard for a guy to get on our good side. Not that hard at all. All he has to do is acknowledge his shortcomings and he's almost there. And if he can acknowledge his shortcomings while doing something even his most ardent critics respect, he can just about hold title to the public's imagination.

Even Barry Bonds.

Right now, especially Barry Bonds.

Until Bonds reached 70, the skeptics' idea was to admire the achievement but not the achiever. Then again, who would have thought Bonds would come through so well as both a player and a public figure with the klieg-light glare shining only on him?

There is a distinction between public figure and person, but it's one that's rarely drawn. Bonds is whatever he is as a person; we don't really know. The fact is, he's never been much as a public figure, and that's where we all have evidence. That's where opinions are formed.

But Public Figure Barry reached 70 without a misstep. He acted the right way and said the right things and mentioned Mark McGwire as often as humanly possible. He was dignified and humble and awed. That's all we really want. Especially the awe.

His critics will have to search for more reasons to justify their lack of interest and involvement in his achievement. You know the litany -- he's a postseason failure, he has a recliner in front of his locker, he doesn't stretch with his teammates, he has his own masseuse, flex guy and nutritionist.

(By the way, it wasn't that long ago that we were being told that Larry Walker's hiring of his own nutritionist was a sign of maturity and seriousness. Bonds, however, is out of line and worthy of contempt because he's not sidling up to the Cincinnati postgame spread of cold hot dogs and bad chili?)

The best moment for Public Figure Barry came after the game. Asked about the manner in which his teammates received him at home plate, Bonds laughed and told Mike Krukow on San Francisco television, "I think some of them got some grudge punches in on me."

This Week's List

If Larry Dierker had to do it over again, he'd tell 'em to pipe the first one and get it over with: It's all his fault again.

If Larry Dierker had to do it over again, he'd tell 'em to pipe the first one and get it over with: An all-around fine show by the Astros -- embarrassing themselves by pitching around Bonds (it's 8-1, for God's sake), losing three straight and still giving up No. 70.

Thank goodness the Braves took care of the Phillies, because it seems Skip was primed to head into that clubhouse and throw some hands: During the ninth inning of Tuesday's loss to the Phillies, Braves announcer Skip Caray said, "We need a two-out hit or a walk or an error or something."

After all he's done, Rickey might want to hold back some this weekend and end the season at 2,999: Getting 3,000 before the end of the weekend could very possibly end The Rick's career.

You know deep down, of course, why it took so long for the NFL to make a deal with the National Automobile Dealers Association to change the date of the Super Bowl: Before anything could be approved, he had to take it to his manager.

Just in case you missed it: Rich Aurilia, 200 hits, 36 homers, maybe 100 RBIs.

When it got down to the wire, Paul Tagliabue decided to play their game: The deal with the auto dealers was sealed when Tags walked into the room and said, "What can we do to get you into the Superdome today?"

Just for the heck of it: Vern Den Herder.

American League playoff predictions, otherwise known as a reason to twirl your pinky ring on one hand while dialing Jimmy Golfinger with the other: Mariners over Indians in four; A's over Yankees in four.

One reservation about the A's: Barry Zito's hair.

The new holy trinity of the shortstop position: Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada and Aurilia.

One thing Marty Schottenheimer apparently forgot to include in his contract: Roadside assistance.

This would be kind of sad if you didn't understand that Rickey hadn't heard of either of those other guys: On the day Rickey broke the stolen-base record, Nolan Ryan threw his seventh no-hitter; on the day he broke Ty Cobb's run record, Bonds hit No. 70.

Sad sight: Teams that still set off fireworks after homers in the final week of a dismal season.

Dennis Miller is binging on Bartlett's, Roget and Confucius as we speak: Less than two weeks away from Redskins-Cowboys on Monday night.

Don't know if it means anything, but it seems like someone could at least write up some fake Nostradamus prophecies to go with it: The Giants and Diamondbacks have had the same outcome (win-win or loss-loss) in every game since Sept. 7.

And finally: Tagliabue walked out of his NADA meeting with a new date for the Super Bowl, $1,800 worth of undercoating and a 100,000-mile extended warranty.

Tim Keown is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at tim.keown@espnmag.com.