Time for Bonds to bow out disgracefully

[Phuck the Cubs]

He's huge, all right, sumo-wrestler huge. Once a fierce specimen, Barry Bonds looks soft and round, with bone chips floating in his swollen left elbow and a lack of cartilage or a meniscus in his brace-bulky right knee. If he's crumbling physically, he also might be cracking mentally, between his recent TV sobfest and obscure references to death and suicide that sound creepy.

 

And there is no mercy in sight, not that he deserves any. Now we have the growing probability that the feds will indict him for perjury, if not tax evasion, a hammer to the head that should pound through his delusions and remind Bonds he's going to lose the con game. With his body breaking down, fans hurling objects at him, baseball probing him, media swarming him and the government playing the ultimate game of hardball against him, let me deliver the harsh, definitive headline.

 

It's over, Barry.

 

You are plunging into the abyss, more likely to fade away in shame than challenge the all-time home-run record. You are free-falling into a legal shark tank bigger than McCovey Cove, as the feds summon your personal doctor and the San Francisco Giants' trainer in a grand-jury procession also expected to include your tell-all girlfriend, your personal trainer and various BALCO friends. You are doomed to go down as the most tarnished, embattled and bedraggled figure in the history of baseball, topping even Pete Rose, a victim of your own demons and ambitions and Exhibit A of why we can't trust athletes as heroes or admire their accomplishments as gospel.

 

"They ain't gonna break me,'' Bonds said. "They can try. This is not going to happen.''

 

Too late. You've yet to hit a home run this season. You're broken.

 

Wednesday night, Bud Selig's boys even played with Bonds' head by fining him $5,000 for an apparel violation. Never mind that he has been wearing the same style of wristbands for three years. They nailed him anyway because of "the size and logo'' of his forearm accessories, prompting an immediate appeal from Bonds. "They're exactly the same,'' he told MLB.com. "They can't come after me now if they didn't come after me in 2004.''

 

Oh, yeah? When you're Barry the Besieged, they're coming after you from all corners.

 

If Bonds were thinking clearly, he would retire on the spot and flee the global eye as Sammy Sosa did, so his incremental demise doesn't become a publicly aired freak show all season. I sense Barry would like to do just that, based on his "Bonds on Bonds'' tear-jerking scene. "I wish I could just walk away, like leave this game,'' he said on the ESPN series, his speak-for-pay way of communicating with a public court of law that largely has dismissed him as a fraud. "But then I let my father down, my mom down, myself, everybody. I just want to play ball. And that's it.''

 

Selig had head in sand

 

By retiring, Bonds would do everyone an enormous favor, most of all himself. Think Bud Selig and the owners want The Daily Barry to overshadow and drop more exhaust on another season? Think I'm not tired of writing and talking about Bonds as much as you are reading and hearing about him? Think Henry Aaron, who has been surprisingly neutral about a steroids suspect breaking his record, wouldn't breathe a sigh of relief?

 

The reason this story has had such long legs is because Bonds is chasing one of the greatest records in sports. It's the media's duty to protect the eras of Aaron, Babe Ruth and others from the Steroids Era, which is why many of us have torched Selig and the owners for turning their heads and not speaking up when home runs -- fueled by performance-enhancing substances -- brought back a struggling sport in the 1990s. When Selig scolds the media for not doing more reporting on steroids then, I want to laugh. The media are watchdogs, sure, but we aren't commissioned to police baseball; Bud was supposed to be policing the game. And even if the players union wasn't budging on the topic back then, Selig could have called news conferences, made a public issue of steroids and vowed to clean up clubhouses. That he responds now by vigorously pointing to his new steroids policies -- well, it's cowardly and making the paying customers wonder why Selig didn't show that kind of energy in stomping out steroids to begin with.

 

Point is, Bonds no longer poses a threat to history, at least as it pertains to Aaron's 755 homers. Only weeks from his 42nd birthday, his physical problems are conspiring with the off-field distractions to paint a hopeless picture in regard to the record. Do you really think, even with the suspicious flurry of homers this season, that Bonds will hit close to the necessary 48 when he can't plant his knee to drive the ball and can't extend his elbow because of the bone chips? And hasn't he said repeatedly he'll retire when his contract expires at season's end? He has eroded rapidly as a force, taking the night off Wednesday in Arizona with a .214 batting average and one RBI. And while he has walked 15 times in 11 games, pitchers aren't afraid of him anymore and routinely challenge him, particularly low and away.

 

Stints on disabled list likely

 

Balls that Bonds used to launch out of the park now die on the warning track. The other night, when Bonds grounded into a double play to end a rally, Diamondbacks analyst Mark Grace said: "That works. Pitch around the other guys to get to Barry.''

 

It seems inevitable he's headed to the disabled list, perhaps for lengthy stays. That would frustrate the fans/stalkers trying to top each other with sick stunts. "I have long been a man of great patience, but I would never go through that,'' said his manager, Felipe Alou. "You have to be an amazing man to take that and still show up and play.'' But pressures can build for only so long before any man implodes. For Bonds, there is a convergence of a federal prosecutor, baseball investigators, a power drought at the plate, a decaying body, a TV show for which he's being ridiculed and the persistent feeling that few people want him to pass Ruth and Aaron, which he relates to racism when he should look squarely in the mirror.

 

The question isn't if he'll hit his 756th homer. It's when he'll go home forever. "I have so much on my shoulders, so much weight on my back,'' he said. "Constantly climbing that hill is getting a lot harder and harder by the day.''

 

The hill became a mountain last week, when CNN reported that a federal grand jury is deciding whether to indict Bonds for perjury. It's one thing to have Selig's appointed investigator, George Mitchell, asking questions that may lead to eventual asterisks. It's hell when the feds are closing in. Approached for comment, Bonds directed his wrath at ESPN's intrepid Pedro Gomez, saying, "Pedro, you have issues.''

 

Let's get something straight, please: Barry Lamar Bonds is the one with the issues, more than anyone in sports. And I speak for much of America when I hope his pathetic saga soon ends unhappily.

 

http://suntimes.com/output/mariotti/cst-spt-jay20.html

[Soxbadger]

You are doomed to go down as the most tarnished, embattled and bedraggled figure in the history of baseball, topping even Pete Rose, a victim of your own demons and ambitions and Exhibit A of why we can't trust athletes as heroes or admire their accomplishments as gospel.

 

Bulls***.

 

What Rose did is far worse than what Bonds did. The worst a person can argue Bonds did was go beyond the black letter rules of baseball to try and improve his performance.

 

Rose bet on baseball games that he actually had an impact on. Regardless of whether he bet on his own team to win or lose, it still cast a shadow over every single game that was played. If Rose was not betting the Reds "Did he know something?". If Rose was betting on the Reds "Did it mean he was going to make sure his best players were used no matter what?"

 

Where is the Big Mac article Jay?

 

Where is the Slammin Sammy article for the f***ing cork? Or we can all play the innuendo game of Sammy getting "big".

 

Bonds will take down Ruth, and then bow to Hank.

 

He has eroded rapidly as a force, taking the night off Wednesday in Arizona with a .214 batting average and one RBI. And while he has walked 15 times in 11 games, pitchers aren't afraid of him anymore and routinely challenge him, particularly low and away.

 

He has walked 15 times in 11 games yet pitchers arent afraid of him anymore?

 

Why dont you actually do some research Jay, a f***ing OBP of over .500 with a batting average of .211 is insane. In fact Bonds has the highest OBP of the Giants, and would be top 5 in the entire NL.

 

Ah well what more do you expect from the most knowledgeable man in sports.

[Phuck the Cubs]

LOL. Pete Rose didn't bet on games he played in. He gambled after he retired

[Kyyle23]

Ah well what more do you expect from the most knowledgeable man in sports.

 

Come on now, when does Mariotti have time to do research with all of his ESPN appearances. He has to wake up and go to makeup for ATH, he has to read what he is supposed to say on ATH, he has to be (muted) on ATH, then he has to write these articles for the Suntimes. Research-Smesearch, Jay doesnt need the truth. The truth needs him!

[Phuck the Cubs]

Woody Paige is still much more annoying on Around the Horn than Moronoitti. Adonde is the best

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

Much as I despise Mariotti I despise Bonds even more. I want to see Bonds go down Dave Dravecky-style and do it prior to him breaking the home run mark.

 

The man is a disgrace to the game and if his actions aren't bad enough, he has this kings*** attitude of his thinking that he's beyond reproach and anyone who dares criticize him is a racist. f***ing spare me.

 

 

If he got hit by a bus tomorrow I wouldn't shed any tears.

[Phuck the Cubs]

Much as I despise Mariotti I despise Bonds even more.  I want to see Bonds go down Dave Dravecky-style and do it prior to him breaking the home run mark. 

 

The man is a disgrace to the game and if his actions aren't bad enough, he has this kings*** attitude of his thinking that he's beyond reproach and anyone who dares criticize him is a racist.  f***ing spare me.

If he got hit by a bus tomorrow I wouldn't shed any tears.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[WCSox]

Typical flavor-of-the-week trash from Moronotti.

 

That said, it would be poetic justice for Barry The Racist to fall short of Ruth's record.

[Soxbadger]

Rose bet on games when he was the manager of the Reds.

 

Now read my statements concerning Rose again and think of a manager who is betting on his own team. There is some evidence that Rose even bet against the Reds while he was the manager.

[Kyyle23]

LOL. Pete Rose didn't bet on games he played in. He gambled after he retired

 

He gambled on games he was coaching, so he wasnt retired from the sport. And who knows if he did or did not gamble while he was playing? He was a player coach, and that gives him even more room to control the games.

[NUKE_CLEVELAND]

You guys are splitting hairs here. I think its safe to say that Bonds and Rose are equal in terms of whos the bigger s***bag.

[Soxbadger]

Only reason Rose even was caught was that he was racking up huge debt to bookies and never paying them.

 

It just gets sickening that people are willing to throw Bonds under a bus for at the absolute worst, cheating in a game. There are so many pro-Athletes who have actually committed real crimes, spousal abuse, DUI, murder, yet here people come painting Bonds as the worst thing ever.

 

Ill just be happy when Bonds is acquitted and breaks Ruth's record. The Babe was great, but in terms of history he represents a dark time in America when racism prevented many talented players from ever having a chance at the big leagues.

 

Thats nothing against the Babe, but part of me will always feel better knowing that those tainted records will eventually be wiped off the books. Because in my opinion, the taint of racism is far worse than the taint of steriods.

Edited April 20, 2006 by Soxbadger

[whitesoxfan101]

Only reason Rose even was caught was that he was racking up huge debt to bookies and never paying them.

 

It just gets sickening that people are willing to throw Bonds under a bus for at the absolute worst, cheating in a game. There are so many pro-Athletes who have actually committed real crimes, spousal abuse, DUI, murder, yet here people come painting Bonds as the worst thing ever.

 

Ill just be happy when Bonds is acquitted and breaks Ruth's record. The Babe was great, but in terms of history he represents a dark time in America when racism prevented many talented players from ever having a chance at the big leagues.

 

Thats nothing against the Babe, but part of me will always feel better knowing that those tainted records will eventually be wiped off the books. Because in my opinion, the taint of racism is far worse than the taint of steriods.

 

A few things:

 

1. Pete Rose is banned for life and not in the Hall and he more than deserves it. Bonds also deserves to be banned for life and not in the Hall. I'm not going to say what either did is worse, but both cheated the game and had a direct impact on games by doing illegal things. If anything, Bonds is A BIT worse since we know he hit home runs and did other things at the plate he wouldn't have been able to do while clean, but they both deserve a lifetime ban.

 

2. For the first highlighted paragraph....I have no problem that Bonds is an asshole as a person and hates everybody and everybody is racist and he hates the media, etc. Those things are sadly why the media is attacking only him so much (that and the fact he has 700 plus homers), while leaving other cheaters like Big Mac and Sosa alone, but those aren't why I hate Bonds so much and want him gone. My issue with Bonds is he was going to be a 500/500 player WITHOUT cheating, but he was so egotistical that he had to start cheating so he could break all kinds of records and get attention. That is just pathetic, I mean if your a guy that takes the roids to make your family some money and get yourself in the majors, at least that has SOME logic. But Bonds was a hall of famer as a skinny guy with 30/30 skills, and for him to STILL cheat is unreal.

 

3. Bonds will never, ever be acquitted. Will it ever be proven conclusively that he did steroids beyond the documents we have now in the books and newspapers? I doubt it (although it's SO SO obvious he's guilty to anybody with a brain), but there is no chance in hell he is acquitted of anything other than perjury charges, and that won't prove us anything. As for Bonds vs. Ruth, HE'S NOT BREAKING A RECORD!! Babe Ruth DOES NOT hold the home run record, HANK AARON does. When Bonds passes Ruth, he moves into the #2 spot on the all time list, he does not break any record. Record means #1. The only personal issue I have with Bonds is how he wants to pass Ruth just so 2 black guys will be at the top of the list, now THAT is racist and pathetic on Bonds part.

 

4. Finally, I agree with you 100 percent on Ruth. He's an all time great since he was hitting more home runs than teams, and was also a great pitcher, and stuff like that.....but at the same time, his accomplishments are tainted to a degree since he played pre 1947, and the same goes for any great player who played before the color barrier was broken.

Edited April 20, 2006 by whitesoxfan101

[Soxbadger]

I lost my first post cause of an IE error so this one probably will be not as good. Ah well such is life.

 

1) How does Bonds deserve to be banned for life? If you compare his alleged crime of using steriods to other players such as, using a corked bat, using a file on a baseball, etc who received a 1 week to 2 week suspension how can you justify Bonds being banned for life? There is no way that the crime fits the time. Especially since during Bonds allged use, there is absolutely no test that proves he actually did steriods. There is no bat that broke open with cork, there is no vaseline on the top of his cap, there is nothing but smoke. To ban Bonds for this will be unjustifiable in comparison to other similar acts and their respective punishments.

 

Even now Bonds would have needed to be caught 3 times before he was banned, Bonds to this day has been caught 0 times. Im pretty sure that the MLBPA agreement has some sort of clause that makes it impossible to suspend a player with out giving him hearing. Meaning that if they even attempt to suspend Bonds for a week, they will need to have a hearing. At that point it will become very interesting how they will try and punish some one for actions that took place years ago. While there is no statute of limitations in baseball, it seems blatantly unfair to punish some one for something they never were actually caught doing.

 

Will Giambi be suspended for life?

 

Palmeiro?

 

Big Mac?

 

Sosa?

 

These are all players who almost have the exact same rap sheet. Palmeiro was actually caught and still there was no talk of life time ban. It seems extremely excessive and undefendable that Bonds who was never caught can be banned for life, yet other players who were caught cheating in a game receive a slap on the wrist. Almost seems better if Bonds had been caught, because all he would have gotten was at most a 1 week suspension. Yet now because he was never caught, he deserves a life time ban?

 

2) What about Gaylord Perry? What about Sammy, Big Mac? Or perhaps a Sox player Belle who was one of the best hitters at the time caught corking his bat? All of these players get a free pass, but yet Bonds is banned for life?

 

Once again the double standard is astounding, I could find other hall of fame players or potential hall players who were caught cheating or did something wrong, who got a few game suspensions and then it was over. Yet Bonds, never once caught, should be banned for life?

 

3) Its not a question of whether he will be acquitted, it is a fact. He will not be convicted, and you can quote me on that. The govt can not charge him with any other crime, he was given IMMUNITY for the use of the clear and the cream. That means that even if they can prove he did the steriods, they can never convict for that.

 

They can only convict for perjury, one of the hardest convictions to get. Most prosecutors do not even charge for perjury unless they evidence that absolutely is undeniable. This case is going to be he said she said. The govt will not get very many witnesses to testify in the real trial. A grand jury is much different.

 

Why?

 

1) A grand jury can use evidence that would not be allowed in a trial. If you do not believe me you can look up whether hearsay evidence is allowed in a grand jury, because outside of limited exceptions it is not allowed in petit jury (fancy name for regular 12 person jury).

 

2) In a grand jury there is no cross-examination. Cross is one of, if not the most important part of a trial and that is why it is gauranteed by the constitution. When a grand jury hears testimony, it is unrebutted. They do not hear all of the damaging testimony, in fact there is case law that suggests a DA need not bring in exculpatory evidence to a grand jury. This is a far cry from a real case in which the DA has a duty to hand over all evidence to the defense, and where all of the DA's witnesses are going to be crossed. This is why you will not see a Sheff, etc on the witness stand. When they get up there, they will be at the mercy of the defense lawyer, and if it is about credibility they will dig up everything to discredit the witnesses.

 

Second, I said "Break Ruth's Record", which is what Ruth's HR total is. Its his own personal record, I never said MLB record, I said that he would come behind Hank. So Bonds will end up 2nd on the list behind Hank but in front of Ruth. And a quick side note, when Ruth was hitting all those home runs there were many people that claimed he was actually "african american".

 

So in the end, Bonds will never be convicted, and I doubt baseball will impose any sort of retroactive penalty. It would seem some what insane to retroactively penalize bonds, but give every other player a free pass and not subject them to any scrutiny. In the end, whatever happens to Bonds will have to happen to atleast a handful of other players. If Bonds is gone for life, so will big Mac, etc. That is why it wont happen, baseball does not want to give itself a black eye.

 

Just look at Palmeiro, he perjured to Congress and in the end there was just nothing to do. They even caught Palmeiro taking steriods after he told Congress he had "never done them". But perjury is so impossible, and Palmeiro had Angelos with his power house law firm in the back pocket.

 

They are just trying to make Barry's life miserable, that is what the govt does when they feel you dicked them. This is nothing more than revenge for Bonds not giving them the testimony they wanted at the first grand jury. You can bet your life that had Bonds perjured in such a fashion that got better convictions for BALCO, Bonds would be a hero in the govt's eyes.

 

But hey when the GOVT witness perjurs, thats just prepping a witness.

 

[Jordan4life_2007]

Don't people ever get sick of Bonds hating?

[Soxbadger]

Yes.

 

Im not even a Bonds fan, I have never even followed his career.

 

But when its so apparent Bonds is a scape goat, I start to feel that it is necessary to stand up and say "This is wrong."

 

On one hand you have Bonds being "banned for life" and hes never even been caught, on the other hand you have players who were actually caught cheating in a game, some times multiple times, who recieved nothing but a slap on the wrist.

 

Its a joke.

[Gregory Pratt]

It just gets sickening that people are willing to throw Bonds under a bus for at the absolute worst, cheating in a game. There are so many pro-Athletes who have actually committed real crimes, spousal abuse, DUI, murder, yet here people come painting Bonds as the worst thing ever.

 

Umm, Barry used to abuse his girlfriend/mistress. Nice try painting him as someone who at least didn't "commit real crimes." The fact is that Bonds is not only a juicer but a real-life monster.

[WCSox]

Umm, Barry used to abuse his girlfriend/mistress. Nice try painting him as someone who at least didn't "commit real crimes." The fact is that Bonds is not only a juicer but a real-life monster.

 

Barry's also a terrible teammate and hates white people. Oh, and he's an admitted former steroid-user and he's being investigated on perjury charges. Why so many people have a hard-on for a guy like that is beyond me.

[Soxbadger]

Was Barry ever convicted for spousal abuse?

 

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?

 

Or is that only for non-stars?

 

WCS,

 

I dont have a hard on. I just want Barry to be treated like every other player in a similar circumstance.

 

Why is the fed not going after Palmeiro? He perjured?

 

Why is baseball not going after Mac, he used steroids?

 

Hypocrisy needs to be beaten down, no matter who it forces you to defend.

[WCSox]

WCS,

 

I dont have a hard on. I just want Barry to be treated like every other player in a similar circumstance.

 

Why is the fed not going after Palmeiro? He perjured?

 

Why is baseball not going after Mac, he used steroids?

 

Hypocrisy needs to be beaten down, no matter who it forces you to defend.

 

The Feds are not going after Palmeiro because they don't have any evidence that he was using steroids when he testified under oath. However, they did investigate the possibility after he tested positive and apparently they didn't find enough evidence to put him on trial. McGwire took the 5th during his testimony, so they can't go after him for perjury.

 

The Feds are going after Barry because there are a number of people that Barry pissed off who are willing to testify against him.

Edited April 20, 2006 by WCSox

[Soxbadger]

Barry pissed off who are willing to testify against him.

 

In the business this is called bias and interest. When your entire case boils down to having people that are "pissed", bad mouth some one, its not a good one.

 

Remember, in a grand jury there is no 6th amendment right to cross-examination. The US judiciary has interpreted the 6th to only apply to petit jury and therefore the governments evidence goes unrebutted.

 

Just wait till those "pissed witnesses" get crossed.

 

And for Palmeiro why would the feds need evidence that he was using steriods while he testified?

 

For a charge of perjury you need (im cutting out the unimportant parts to make it easier) this is 18 USC 1623 if you would like to look it up yourself and make sure im not lieing. Id suggest 18 USCA 1623, because that will also have the annotations.

 

Section 1623. False declarations before grand jury or court

 

(a) ... knowingly makes any false material declaration or makes or uses any other information, including any book, paper, document, record, recording, or other material, knowing the same to contain any false material declaration, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

 

...

 

© An indictment or information for violation of this section

alleging that, in any proceedings before or ancillary to any court

or grand jury of the United States, the defendant under oath has

knowingly made two or more declarations, which are inconsistent to the degree that one of them is necessarily false, need not specify

which declaration is false if -

(1) each declaration was material to the point in question, and

(2) each declaration was made within the period of the statute

of limitations for the offense charged under this section.

In any prosecution under this section, the falsity of a declaration set forth in the indictment or information shall be established sufficient for conviction by proof that the defendant while under oath made irreconcilably contradictory declarations material to the point in question in any proceeding before or ancillary to any court or grand jury. It shall be a defense to an indictment or information made pursuant to the first sentence of this subsection that the defendant at the time he made each declaration believed the declaration was true.

 

I believe Palmeiro said something to the effect that he had "never used steriods." Which is a much easier statement to prove false, then the ones that they are going to have with Bonds. I have not seen the Grand Jury testimony, but my guess is that Bonds said he did not know it was steriods, not that he never did them.

 

That is going to be hard to prove, because they are going to have to prove Bond's knowledge. Its very hard because its always a mater of credibility.

[WCSox]

In the business this is called bias and interest. When your entire case boils down to having people that are "pissed", bad mouth some one, its not a good one.

 

[legal mumbo-jumbo]

 

That is going to be hard to prove, because they are going to have to prove Bond's knowledge. Its very hard because its always a mater of credibility.

 

Sure, there will be credibility issues with some witnesses (especially his ex-girlfriend). And there will also be witnesses who have no reason to lie about Bonds on the stand.

 

Barry's experiencing one of life's lessons: When you spend your adult life being an arrogant asshole and a racist, people are NOT going to go out of their way to help you when you're in trouble. This isn't a case of the big, bad government picking on Barry. (Remember that the Feds considered charging Palmiero as well.) This is an example of the government being able to build a case because a number of people don't feel inclined to protect Barry's arrogant, racist ass.

 

I agree that the case against Palmiero would've been stronger. But apparently the government couldn't produce enough credible witnesses to testify on their behalf. I'm not sure why that is, but it might have to do with the fact that Rafy didn't smack his mistresses around, treat his teammates and team staff members like s***, or use the race card to defend his indefensible actions.

Edited April 21, 2006 by WCSox

[Gregory Pratt]

Was Barry ever convicted for spousal abuse?

 

What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty?

 

Or is that only for non-stars?

 

WCS,

 

I dont have a hard on. I just want Barry to be treated like every other player in a similar circumstance.

 

Why is the fed not going after Palmeiro? He perjured?

 

Why is baseball not going after Mac, he used steroids?

 

Hypocrisy needs to be beaten down, no matter who it forces you to defend.

 

SoxBadger, all I'm hearing from you is Defense Attorney-type nonsense. Deflect attention from Bonds by saying that other people did it too -- "why go after Barry first?" Blah blah blah.

 

You're only innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. On the baseball diamond of public opinion Barry Bonds is guilty as charged of being a nasty human being and a cheater.

 

And I have the smallest hunch that, should charges of perjury and tax evasion be wrought, Barry Bonds is going to have hell to pay. All because he's black and MLB is hypocritical, I'm sure. You're going to look foolish when he does get prosecuted and convicted.

 

And about drug tests -- human growth hormone doesn't have a test. There are many reasons Barry hasn't been caught with them in his system.

Edited April 21, 2006 by Gregory Pratt