Miracle Drug
DC Brother wrote me about a week ago and asked me for my take on the Barry Bonds situation.
After spending a week listening and reading various points of view, I've come to the following conclusion about Bonds.
He's a cheater, plain and simple. He's done hardcore steroids for the past several years, beginning in 1999 and continuing for years.
He's an insecure, jealous little man. (Figuratively speaking, that is. Literally, he's a beheamoth of a man who could crush me in the way a normal-sized man crushes those packing peanuts.) According to two books, Bonds turned to steroids because he was upset at the attention Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa (who were both probably using steriods, as much as it pains me to say that) were getting for their great home run chase.
While Sosa and McGwire hit 66 and 70 home runs in 1998, Bonds had 37, which is a good year. But Bonds was so enraged that players he deemed to have less talent than he did got all the attention, he vowed to do something about it.
According to the new book "Game of Shadows," Bonds reported to training camp in 1999 with 25 pounds of muscle packed on to his body. Now I'm far from what you would call a "weight-lifting enthusiast," but even I know there's no way to add 25 pounds of muscle in a four-month period without a little help from the juice.
When the books first came out, there were many people, including voters for the Baseball Hall-of-Fame, who said Bonds' statistics prior to 1999 were good enough to warrent his inclusion into baseball's most hallowed ground. He did become the first player in history to hit 400 home runs and have 400 steals in a career.
But then ESPN's Eric Kasilius (my favorite ESPN Radio host,) pointed out that just because you
were good enough before you started cheating doesn't change the fact that he cheated. It's the equivilent of a teacher catching a student cheating on the last page of a 10-page test, but since he'd gotten everything on the first nine pages correct, the teacher gives him an "A." That wouldn't happen, and it shouldn't. If you cheat, you're a cheater, plain and simple.
But Luke, Bonds has never failed a drug test.
I don't care. The circumstantial evidence is so damning in this case that anyone with any reasoning and logic skills can see Bonds used steriods, he knew he was doing it (unlike his public claim that he thought he was using "flaxseed oil." I don't know what you use flaxseed oil for, but I'm fairly certain you don't use inject it with a needle), and when his trainers told him he needed to cycle off the drugs for a few days for his health, Bonds told him to F#%@ off and he'd do it himself.
As if cheating isn't bad enough, Bonds is the worst kind of cheater. He didn't use steroids because he wanted to be a better player. He used them for spite. He couldn't stand that someone else was getting the attention he thought he deserved.
Nevermind the fact that Bonds wasn't going to ever be beloved by the public due to his personality. He's antagonistic with the media and since they're the people who help shape your image, it's in your best interest to at least be polite to them. He's also got a persecution complex that makes the Christian Right seem well adjusted.
But Luke, it's all a witch hunt after Bonds because the media doesn't like him.
That may very well be true. But that doesn't change the fact that hundreds of documents were examined by the "Game of Shadows" authors to draw their conclusions about Bonds, including calenders with notations of when Bonds used what drugs.
And let's be honest here, Bonds and Jason Giambi are the only two major stars still playing that were suspected of steroid use. And Giambi basically appologized without appologizing for his past.
McGwire essentially hung himself during his testimony in front of Congress last year in which he repeatedly said he wasn't there to talk about the past, causing the public to turn on him faster than a fat kid turns to the dessert menu.
Sosa and Palmerio are out of baseball now, both without the goodwill and public support they enjoyed during most of their playing days.
And Bonds is only eight home runs away from passing Babe Ruth for second on the all-time homerun list. Of course he's going to be the focus of the media.
He wanted the media attention when he started taking steriods in 1999. Now that he's got it, he can't very well complain that he doesn't want the media attention. After seeing the response of the media when they found Andro in McGwire's locker (it has since been banned by MLB), Bonds had to expect people would be digging into this past and wondering why he suddenly was able hit 73 home runs in a season.
It appears MLB is launching an independant investigation into Barry Bonds. The sooner he's banished from the game, like Pete Rose, the better the game will be.
Desultory fact that made my day (Part One): An email I wrote to Dan Patrick on ESPN radio was read on the air.
Desultory fact that made my day (Part Two): Yes Dear called me at work and asked why CBS was doing its usual bang-up job of broadcasting the NCAA Tourney. With under 10 minutes to go and #2 seed Tennessee trailing, we still weren't seeing the game. The fact that this upsets Yes Dear is a giant step forward in our relationship.
Why I haven't posted in a while: Yes Dear is off this week. I normally write when she works late, but when she's home, I don't have a chance.
My Final Four: UConn, Duke, Boston College, UCLA
Fantasy update: One draft done, two more to go.
What you should be reading instead of this: http://ussmariner.com/2006/03/12/bugs-bunny-greatest-banned-player-ever/
Have a good weekend everyone. With thousands of blogs to choose from (including those that are updated much more regularly), you picked mine. I appreciate it, but also suggest seeking professional help.)
After spending a week listening and reading various points of view, I've come to the following conclusion about Bonds.
He's a cheater, plain and simple. He's done hardcore steroids for the past several years, beginning in 1999 and continuing for years.
He's an insecure, jealous little man. (Figuratively speaking, that is. Literally, he's a beheamoth of a man who could crush me in the way a normal-sized man crushes those packing peanuts.) According to two books, Bonds turned to steroids because he was upset at the attention Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa (who were both probably using steriods, as much as it pains me to say that) were getting for their great home run chase.
While Sosa and McGwire hit 66 and 70 home runs in 1998, Bonds had 37, which is a good year. But Bonds was so enraged that players he deemed to have less talent than he did got all the attention, he vowed to do something about it.According to the new book "Game of Shadows," Bonds reported to training camp in 1999 with 25 pounds of muscle packed on to his body. Now I'm far from what you would call a "weight-lifting enthusiast," but even I know there's no way to add 25 pounds of muscle in a four-month period without a little help from the juice.
When the books first came out, there were many people, including voters for the Baseball Hall-of-Fame, who said Bonds' statistics prior to 1999 were good enough to warrent his inclusion into baseball's most hallowed ground. He did become the first player in history to hit 400 home runs and have 400 steals in a career.
But then ESPN's Eric Kasilius (my favorite ESPN Radio host,) pointed out that just because you
were good enough before you started cheating doesn't change the fact that he cheated. It's the equivilent of a teacher catching a student cheating on the last page of a 10-page test, but since he'd gotten everything on the first nine pages correct, the teacher gives him an "A." That wouldn't happen, and it shouldn't. If you cheat, you're a cheater, plain and simple.But Luke, Bonds has never failed a drug test.
I don't care. The circumstantial evidence is so damning in this case that anyone with any reasoning and logic skills can see Bonds used steriods, he knew he was doing it (unlike his public claim that he thought he was using "flaxseed oil." I don't know what you use flaxseed oil for, but I'm fairly certain you don't use inject it with a needle), and when his trainers told him he needed to cycle off the drugs for a few days for his health, Bonds told him to F#%@ off and he'd do it himself.
As if cheating isn't bad enough, Bonds is the worst kind of cheater. He didn't use steroids because he wanted to be a better player. He used them for spite. He couldn't stand that someone else was getting the attention he thought he deserved.
Nevermind the fact that Bonds wasn't going to ever be beloved by the public due to his personality. He's antagonistic with the media and since they're the people who help shape your image, it's in your best interest to at least be polite to them. He's also got a persecution complex that makes the Christian Right seem well adjusted.
But Luke, it's all a witch hunt after Bonds because the media doesn't like him.
That may very well be true. But that doesn't change the fact that hundreds of documents were examined by the "Game of Shadows" authors to draw their conclusions about Bonds, including calenders with notations of when Bonds used what drugs.
And let's be honest here, Bonds and Jason Giambi are the only two major stars still playing that were suspected of steroid use. And Giambi basically appologized without appologizing for his past.
McGwire essentially hung himself during his testimony in front of Congress last year in which he repeatedly said he wasn't there to talk about the past, causing the public to turn on him faster than a fat kid turns to the dessert menu.
Sosa and Palmerio are out of baseball now, both without the goodwill and public support they enjoyed during most of their playing days.
And Bonds is only eight home runs away from passing Babe Ruth for second on the all-time homerun list. Of course he's going to be the focus of the media.
He wanted the media attention when he started taking steriods in 1999. Now that he's got it, he can't very well complain that he doesn't want the media attention. After seeing the response of the media when they found Andro in McGwire's locker (it has since been banned by MLB), Bonds had to expect people would be digging into this past and wondering why he suddenly was able hit 73 home runs in a season.
It appears MLB is launching an independant investigation into Barry Bonds. The sooner he's banished from the game, like Pete Rose, the better the game will be.
Desultory fact that made my day (Part One): An email I wrote to Dan Patrick on ESPN radio was read on the air.
Desultory fact that made my day (Part Two): Yes Dear called me at work and asked why CBS was doing its usual bang-up job of broadcasting the NCAA Tourney. With under 10 minutes to go and #2 seed Tennessee trailing, we still weren't seeing the game. The fact that this upsets Yes Dear is a giant step forward in our relationship.
Why I haven't posted in a while: Yes Dear is off this week. I normally write when she works late, but when she's home, I don't have a chance.
My Final Four: UConn, Duke, Boston College, UCLA
Fantasy update: One draft done, two more to go.
What you should be reading instead of this: http://ussmariner.com/2006/03/12/bugs-bunny-greatest-banned-player-ever/
Have a good weekend everyone. With thousands of blogs to choose from (including those that are updated much more regularly), you picked mine. I appreciate it, but also suggest seeking professional help.)
posted by Luke at 4:13 PM
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