Like the recent Congressional Katrina Report that officially “documented” what everyone in America has known for almost six months, the March 13 issue of Sports Illustrated purports to officially “document” what every baseball fan has known for years: that Barry Bonds – reputedly the most “gifted” player in the history of the game – has used steroids to enhance his performance on the field of dreams.Nonetheless, about the so-called “bombshell revelation”, Bonds said yesterday, no doubt with as much hope as fear, “there’s no need to read it….” A point, alas, that is all too self-evident.
But as I wrote in
this previous article, steroid use has flourished in baseball and other professional sports pursuant to an open conspiracy amongst players and team owners to feed the gladiatorial lust of fans who want to see stronger, faster athletic cyborgs perform for their atavistic enjoyment. And, of course, the more fans revel in their steroid-fueled feats of athleticism, the bigger the players’ contracts (and even bigger the owners’ bottom line).And Congress wants to
legislate against this cozy conspiracy that works so well for players, owners and the voting public? I don’t think so…..As I wrote in this previous article, there are many reasons why “B.S.” Bonds is a jerk. And lying about using steroids is the least of them!The real question is not: Is Barry Bonds a steroid junkie? The question is: What is Baseball going to do about it?
Perhaps Bonds makes so much money that he can afford more advanced chemists to provide masking agents to hide the cocktail of steroids flowing through his body than the ones Baseball can afford to detect them. And, I suspect, that’s the way Baseball wants it. Yet Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig held Congressional legislators at bay last year by purportedly implementing the strictest steroid testing program in professional sports that includes random, off-season testing and 10-day suspensions for first-time offenders.
In his defense, however, Bonds has declared publicly that “they can test me everyday if they like”. And, so far, he’s batting “1000” against Baseball’s steroid testing pitches. Therefore, despite all of the circumstantial evidence of his steroid use, Baseball will do nothing to prevent Bonds from passing Babe Ruth’s home-run total and, quite possibly, dethroning Hank Aaron as the all-time home-run king this year.
NOTE: Although steroids clearly juiced Bonds up with superhuman physical strength, they may have retarded his mental and emotional strength (as the article linked to above – about why he’s such a jerk – demonstrates). Therefore, it remains to be seen whether he has the mental fortitude to continue playing his game – despite widespread schadenfreude amongst fellow players and relentless jeering from fans in every stadium away from home that are likely to be the only serious fallout from this story.
So, let’s play ball!Barry Bonds, Baseball, steroids
jt says
I agree with you 110%!!! All of this talk about revelations is bullshit. Most professional players take the stuff and its only because sports writer hate Bonds they’re trying to destroy him.
Average Fan1 says
First I am a long time baseball fan,and I also must agree that this is all water under the bridge. Who cares who used Steroids when it wasn’t even illigal back then. I sat in the stands and watched Sosa and McGuire battle back and forth for the single season homerun record and I cheered with everyone else. Now becuase maybe Barry Bonds didn’t always give sports writers the time of day this non-story with him at the forefront is continuely brought up. If it wasn’t illigal it isn’t a story.If he doesn’t test positive now it agin isn’t a story. Let it be and move on with life and the average baseball fan. Heres to Barry hitting 60 this year and then walking off into the sunset as the All-Time Homerun King
Bill says
ALH
This is great and truthful article. I think all of the sports writers now making a big deal about this story should be required to read it. You have exposed their hypocrisy for what it is. I’m really worried that the pressure might get to Barry before he break that record.
Anonymous says
When McGuire and Sosa were battling it out for the home crown I told the most baseball savy person that I knew, my dad, that it wasen’t good for baseball. He, at first, disagreed with me since he was a big McGuire fan but then he saw the logic.
Baseball lives on it’s past, on it’s record books. Most of the records were achieved without the aid of anabolic steroids. The strongest thing that Roger Maris took was aspirin. But here are McGuire and Sosa, juiced up on performance enhancing substances saying that they are making a legitimate run for a title that Roger Maris accomplished with aspirin.
I knew this would get out of control and besmirch the game that so many of us love. How valid are those new records?
Bonds was off all of last year. Plenty of time to stop using steroids and be tested negative for using.
Noel