Bonds Indicted/Tested Positive for Steroids

[roadrunner]

Nineteen little lies. The government says that's how many Barry Bonds told during his grand-jury testimony four years ago, the one that prompted Thursday's indictment on four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice.

One big lie. That sums up the prime of baseball's home run king.

Even if the charges don't stick or Bonds escapes without jail time, the unsealing of the indictment revealed to the public the true breadth of Bonds' arrogance – and appears to have confirmed, once and for all, that he had tested positive for steroids.
"During the criminal investigation," the indictment read, "evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing substances for Bonds and other professional athletes."

From there, the government lays out seven full pages of alleged lies, ending its four-year investigation into the former San Francisco Giants star that started with a raid on the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), a small company located in a humdrum building in Burlingame, Calif., that was the nerve center for performance-enhancing drug use in American sports.

As BALCO's honchos fell and Bonds' friend and trainer Greg Anderson went to jail, Bonds kept swinging, kept mashing home runs, seemingly impervious to pressure and prosecution. He affected the same attitude with the government that he did as a player: strong and defiant and sweating arrogance.

"Let them investigate," Bonds said Feb. 20, the day Giants position players reported to spring training. "Let 'em. They've been doing it this long."

He didn't stop.

"Do I look concerned?" Bonds asked July 21.

A little more than two weeks later, he hit career home run No. 756, passing Hank Aaron and vaulting himself into baseball history. Already he had secured himself a place in ignominy, the specter of steroids trailing him after the BALCO investigation, the book "Game of Shadows" and the physical changes that took him from a wiry rookie to a puffed-up beast.

When the government called him to the witness stand Dec. 4, 2003, it offered Bonds an Order of Immunity, so long as he didn't perjure himself.

The government says he did, again and again and again, and so baseball's biggest star, a seven-time Most Valuable Player, now could stand trial for having violated Title 18, United States Code, Section 1623(a).

On that day, Bonds repeatedly answered no to questions about his alleged steroid use, and in the indictment, the government underlined 19 instances in which it alleges he lied.

Did he take steroids?
"No."

Anything like that at all?
"No, I wasn't at all."

Did anyone other than physicians stick needles in him?
"No, no."

Did he talk with Anderson about or receive human growth hormone from him?
"No."

And then comes the fourth count, when Bonds was asked about his dates of steroid usage. He first claims that he got the Cream, one of BALCO's designer steroids that at the time was undetectable, in 2003, then talks about having gotten it late in 2002, and in the end, even he seems a bit confused by it.

Any 10-year-old knows it's not easy to keep lies straight.

All this led to the final count, Obstruction of Justice, for giving "false statements" and "evasive and misleading testimony." The indictment was signed by U.S. Attorney Scott N. Schools, unsealed by the court Thursday and delivered to a public that for so long had wondered whether Bonds would skate.

Finally, the innocent-until-proven-guilty dictum is applicable. Bonds' apologists have trotted it out for years now, as though using something from the criminal-justice system was the only way to defend him.

Even if a jury finds him not guilty, though, the damage has been done. Bonds tested positive, and the grand-jury questioning alluded to a specific time: November 2000. Perhaps investigators found a sample from BALCO, or maybe from somewhere else. Whatever the case, they were confident enough to put it into evidence, the smoking gun that could confirm perjury.

Deduce what you will from it. Steroids do more than build muscle. They help in recovery, can improve hand-eye coordination, increase fast-twitch-muscle speed. Patrick Arnold, the chemist who created the Clear – another of BALCO's steroids – and later was sentenced to four months in jail, said his performance-enhancing drugs really did enhance performance.

Now, Bonds will move on to his new uniform, a bespoke suit, which he will wear into the courtroom if he doesn't cop a plea. No team is likely to touch him, not with the indictment hanging over his head and 43 years of wear and tear hanging on his body. He very well may be finished with 762 home runs, a record that could be broken at the beginning of the next decade by Alex Rodriguez, from whom Bonds stole the headlines one last time.

So for the next five or six years, the sport of the Black Sox and Pete Rose must endure the shame of having a cheater holding its most hallowed record. And then, hopefully, Bonds will be gone, off to the faraway parking lot of second place, a big, fat lie that the game can pretend never was told.


J

eff Passan is a national baseball writer for Yahoo! Sports. Send Jeff a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast. Updated on Thursday, Nov 15, 2007 7:49 pm, EST

Its about time this fraud is getting officially exposed.

[fluid.forty.one]

A-rod better beat his record.

[jthig32]

I thought Barkley's stance on this was laughably ignorant. He calls it a witch hunt, and says they should catch everyone that was doing steroids, as if Bonds is being indicted for steroids use itself.

Hey Chuck, what makes Bonds different is he LIED about it in a feaking court of law. That's a big freaking deal.

I'm very neutral about steroids in general. I really don't care that much. But perjury is a big deal, and I hope he goes down for it.

[roadrunner]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

A-rod better beat his record.

I'm thinking that if he is found guilty, then MLB should wipe his name completely out of the record books anyway. But, what I think they should do will probably never happen.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I thought Barkley's stance on this was laughably ignorant. He calls it a witch hunt, and says they should catch everyone that was doing steroids, as if Bonds is being indicted for steroids use itself.

Hey Chuck, what makes Bonds different is he LIED about it in a feaking court of law. That's a big freaking deal.

I'm very neutral about steroids in general. I really don't care that much. But perjury is a big deal, and I hope he goes down for it.

C'mon, Thig. It's nice to take the high road and all, but if you'd have been in the same situation you would have lied, too. It is without question a witch hunt. You want to help them find the witches? Hell, no, you don't.

Let the "justice system" take its course. They have to prove it, beyond a reasonable doubt. If they can't, you sure don't want to help them.

It would be nice to be righteous and all and say that you should always lay down for the justice system. But everyone knows that everyone was using steroids at the same time that Bonds was. Why is Bonds the one on trial? Well, I don't think you have to consider that for long.

The government needs to get their nose out of this. I would hate the fact that even a penny of my tax dollars went toward prosecuting a professional athlete for using steroids. This is a matter that the league should police. The government has no business doing so.

Of course, it's all about the attention. I understand that, but I don't want public money being spent on finding out whether a millionaire athlete "cheated" at a damn game. It's not their problem, or mine.

[Flacolaco]

"During the criminal investigation," the indictment read, "evidence was obtained including positive tests for the presence of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing substances for Bonds and other professional athletes."

It doesn't matter now. It doesn't matter how this ends up legally, or how many people say this is a witch hunt.

This is damning. He will have an asterisk in the hearts and minds of everyone in America.

Congrats Bonds.

[chumdawg]

Did you only just know realize that Bonds was using steroids? Interesting.

Do you also believe that Raffy and Pudge and McGwire and Giambi weren't using steroids? Well, I guess Giambi admitted it. But the rest of them?

None of the pitchers use it, right?

What a non-story. I'm pretty sure that everyone is smart enough to realize what is going on.

[Flacolaco]

Chum...of course!!!!

They're all freaking cheaters. It is a complete witch hunt.

I am cheering and applauding today, however. Because there exists a rather LARGE contingent of people who have defended Bonds relentlessly this entire time. Every step in the direction of silencing them, is a step in the right direction.

Of course all of those other guys were using steroids. But bonds made himself into the largest asshole of them all, and he deserves this attention, IMO.

Which, by the way, is far too much attention for the boring ass sport of baseball.

[chumdawg]

That's where you are wrong. Bonds didn't make himself into the largest asshole of them all. In fact, Bonds resolutely and steadfastly avoided media attention. He may have been an asshole in the clubhouse, according to his teammates (and he may have not), but he didn't seek out the media. The irony is that Bonds was the most media-unfriendly baseball player in our time, but also the most scrutinized.

I like Barry Bonds a lot. It's because I see him as the ultimate consummate professional. And I mean "professional" in the very sense of the word. Bonds was paid to produce on the baseball diamond, and he always, ALWAYS did that.

Now, people tried to dig into his personal life, but that is no business of theirs. Their business is only what the player does on the diamond. Or at least, it only should be. Leave the man be otherwise.

He is without question the greatest baseball player of our generation. He is what Willie Mays was to earlier generations, what Ruth was even before. You simply have to respect that.

These attempts to besmirch his name are born of nothing but jealousy and petulence. He did steroids in a steriods era. As they say, don't hate the playa, hate the game.

[alby]

^ so, you like Bill Clinton?

[MavsX]

barry bonds is gonna get F'ed in the A

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

C'mon, Thig. It's nice to take the high road and all, but if you'd have been in the same situation you would have lied, too. It is without question a witch hunt. You want to help them find the witches? Hell, no, you don't.

Let the "justice system" take its course. They have to prove it, beyond a reasonable doubt. If they can't, you sure don't want to help them.

It would be nice to be righteous and all and say that you should always lay down for the justice system. But everyone knows that everyone was using steroids at the same time that Bonds was. Why is Bonds the one on trial? Well, I don't think you have to consider that for long.

The government needs to get their nose out of this. I would hate the fact that even a penny of my tax dollars went toward prosecuting a professional athlete for using steroids. This is a matter that the league should police. The government has no business doing so.

Of course, it's all about the attention. I understand that, but I don't want public money being spent on finding out whether a millionaire athlete "cheated" at a damn game. It's not their problem, or mine.

Hey, I said that I really don't care that much about the steroids thing. It's overblown. However, perjury is a different story.

Bottom line: You lie under oath, and someone can prove it, you go to prison. Period.

[u2sarajevo]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Hey, I said that I really don't care that much about the steroids thing. It's overblown. However, perjury is a different story.

Bottom line: You lie under oath, and someone can prove it, you go to prison. Period.

Unless you are or have been the President of the USA?

[Flacolaco]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

Unless you are or have been the President of the USA?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

Unless you are or have been the President of the USA?

Not if I had any say in the matter.

[fluid.forty.one]

Originally Posted by Flacolaco

How's he suppose to hit left, right, up and down all at the same time?

[mcsluggo]

if any one could... HE could

[Male30Dan]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

Unless you are or have been the President of the USA?

Nice...

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

A-rod better beat his record.

They might as well put an asterick by his name too. Things will come out about league wide steriod use. Anyone ever wonder why all of a sudden A-Rod wants to sign that big contact now with the Yanks?

Roger Maris record is still in the books as well. It is nothing new about steriods in MLB. If hits the fan correctly, then Clemmons name will surface as well.

[Kirobaito]

Originally Posted by fluid.forty.one

How's he suppose to hit left, right, up and down all at the same time?

DDR has all four arrows at the top of the screen. He's not supposed to hit them, they're there to reference when to hit the arrows that crawl up over them.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

[dude1394]

Why exactly is this a federal case anyway? What is the "crime" that was being investigated?

I continue to be more afraid of over-zealous prosecutors than just about anything else in this country. As far as I can see there is little if any check on their power. The power to subpoena you to death or to get you in a witness chair, ask you all kinds of questions and if your memory is faulty, drag you up on perjury or obstruction of justice.

I beleive if I were ever called to a grand-jury I would just completely blank out. They ask me a question about what my name was I'd say I can't recall. Where are you, can't recall. I have a really bad memory and I have a real problem of being sure about anything.

It is truly kafkaesque. Really frightening to see someone with this much unfettered power running around.

[SaltwaterChaffy]

Originally Posted by Silk Smoov

They might as well put an asterick by his name too. Things will come out about league wide steriod use. Anyone ever wonder why all of a sudden A-Rod wants to sign that big contact now with the Yanks?

Because the Yanks were the team who could pay him the most money?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Why exactly is this a federal case anyway? What is the "crime" that was being investigated?

I continue to be more afraid of over-zealous prosecutors than just about anything else in this country. As far as I can see there is little if any check on their power. The power to subpoena you to death or to get you in a witness chair, ask you all kinds of questions and if your memory is faulty, drag you up on perjury or obstruction of justice.

I beleive if I were ever called to a grand-jury I would just completely blank out. They ask me a question about what my name was I'd say I can't recall. Where are you, can't recall. I have a really bad memory and I have a real problem of being sure about anything.

It is truly kafkaesque. Really frightening to see someone with this much unfettered power running around.

They were investigating Victor Conte for distributing illegal drugs and money laundering. Is that a crime-in-quotes in your eyes?

I'm pretty sure they even gave Bonds immunity for his testimony, and he STILL wouldn't cooperate and lied under oath (allegedly).

[Silk Smoov]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterChaffy

Because the Yanks were the team who could pay him the most money?

Could be? But, I am betting on A-Rod name coming up about taking steriods in the past. Kenny Rogers name will surface as well. Does A-Rod and Kenny have the same agent? Something is starting to smell fishy. All of a sudden these two players want to hurry up and sign contracts on their own.

[TheBlueVan]

people keep saying its a witch hunt, or racially motivated or whatever, but bonds holds the two most recognizable records in all of baseball, maybe all of sports. if he was obviously cheating, and lied TO A GRAND JURY UNDER OATH, its not a freaking witch hunt.

sure i hope they catch everyone else. yes, i know they wont. but rationalizing it and saying that because everyone else was doing it its ok is just FLAT OUT WRONG. i can not understand how people can defend barry bonds in this at all. every single defense they give for him is weak. "its because he's black"... it was hank aaron's record anyways! hank aaron had to endure way more racially motivated backlash that bonds has, and because of that i have the utmost respect for him as a player and individual. however, to claim thats the reason this is happening to barry bonds is to ignore a vast amount of evidence to the contrary. "everyone else was doing it"... well coming down hard on bonds would show other people that steroid use is not tolerated.

i'm sorry, but anyone who sees any kind of a negative in this is just flat-out wrong. this is great for baseball and can hopefully give them a fresh start

[chumdawg]

This is great for baseball? You think? Let's drag out into the spotlight how absolutely ingenuine all their records are? Let's highlight how their best players use drugs?

I'm not following you. Baseball players these days are drugged and not to be remembered!!!!! Preserve the records of old!!! Baseball lore is to be remembered!!!

Give. Me. A. Break.

No one gives a shit about sanctity of records, trust me. Baseball likes to hold those records first and foremost, but in this day and age nobody cares. Everyone knows that Bonds is a better hitter than Ruth, just like everyone knows that Rose was a better hitter than Dimaggio. Trust me, there are very few people that believe that even the "Say Hey" kid was a better outfielder than Ken Griffey, Jr.

It's time to put the nostalgia behind us. These guys are way better than the guys who came before them. And Bonds is better than them all.

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

This is great for baseball? You think? Let's drag out into the spotlight how absolutely ingenuine all their records are? Let's highlight how their best players use drugs?

I'm not following you. Baseball players these days are drugged and not to be remembered!!!!! Preserve the records of old!!! Baseball lore is to be remembered!!!

Give. Me. A. Break.

No one gives a shit about sanctity of records, trust me. Baseball likes to hold those records first and foremost, but in this day and age nobody cares. Everyone knows that Bonds is a better hitter than Ruth, just like everyone knows that Rose was a better hitter than Dimaggio. Trust me, there are very few people that believe that even the "Say Hey" kid was a better outfielder than Ken Griffey, Jr.

It's time to put the nostalgia behind us. These guys are way better than the guys who came before them. And Bonds is better than them all.

Thank you. Maybe this is just because I hate baseball, but I couldn't really care less if Bonds has been taking steroids his whole career, and I also certainly don't give a shit if he's lied about it every time he's been asked. He's maybe the greatest player of all time. Steroids don't make his records invalid anymore than all the records set before non-white peoples were allowed to play.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Thank you. Maybe this is just because I hate baseball, but I couldn't really care less if Bonds has been taking steroids his whole career, and I also certainly don't give a if he's lied about it every time he's been asked. He's maybe the greatest player of all time. Steroids don't make his records invalid anymore than all the records set before non-white peoples were allowed to play.

Boy, you ain't never lied. First off, baseball needs to realize that it has been relegated to the third most significanct sport...if that. And second, it needs to get the corncob out of its collective ass.

Such a sad, sad decline into oblivion for the once great American tradition. But, it has only itself to blame. It should have embraced steroids, WWF style. Now it faces the ignominious distinction of everyone thinking it is fixed even when it is not fixed. So sad. So sad. But not regrettable. That's how bad the management has been.

[alby]

Cowboys v. Vikings had a higher rating than game 7 of the ALCS.

Think about that for a second.

[TheBlueVan]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Such a sad, sad decline into oblivion for the once great American tradition. But, it has only itself to blame. It should have embraced steroids, WWF style.

youre kidding right? maybe we just have completely different opinions on america's pastime and the legitimacy of what a "sport" is, but thats just ridiculous. i would like to see all the cheaters caught. you say it would ruin the sport, but it would return a sense of credibility to it. baseball was at its most popular back when people werent doing steroids, and while i feel like there is a lot wrong with baseball right now, that would certainly help.

they need to contract some teams, get rid of the rampant advertising, lower some ticket prices and make sure that people know they are watching a CLEAN and LEGITIMATE sport. if they allowed steroid use to continue, they would become the WWF, a niche sport. people don't want to watch chemically engineered human beings do something out of the realm of normal human beings. thats the beauty of baseball, its accessible. anyone can play it, anywhere. once you lose that, youve lost its soul.

baseball's not about mashing home runs. baseball in its heyday was about defense and pitching, well-disciplined play and accessible everyday heros. you go from dimaggio and mantle to a-rod and bonds, its terrible. bring em all down, everyone's sick of it and baseball needs to do the right thing. everyone KNOWS theyre cheaters, and "cheating doesnt pay," so i need to see that to believe in the sport again

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by TheBlueVan

you go from dimaggio and mantle to a-rod and bonds, its terrible.

Um, weren't DiMaggio & Mantle both spouse-abusing alcoholics?

Plus, I think the point Chum was trying to make is if you don't make rules against steroid use, then it isn't cheating... (I love attacking Chum in one thread & defending him in another...)

Hell, none of us would have the same opinion about steroids if the witch hunt never started... Athletes have been using them since the '70s, but nobody made a fuss about it until some high school kids died from misusing them in the '90s...

If Bonds wants to enlarge one head while shrinking the other so he can get the homerun record, so be it... How many World Series did he win again?

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by jthig32

They were investigating Victor Conte for distributing illegal drugs and money laundering. Is that a crime-in-quotes in your eyes?

I'm pretty sure they even gave Bonds immunity for his testimony, and he STILL wouldn't cooperate and lied under oath (allegedly).

So this was a trial of a Victor Conte? The scare quotes were because I didn't know it was a crime to be using steroids.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by TheBlueVan

people keep saying its a witch hunt, or racially motivated or whatever, but bonds holds the two most recognizable records in all of baseball, maybe all of sports. if he was obviously cheating, and lied TO A GRAND JURY UNDER OATH, its not a freaking witch hunt.

So why was bonds testifying in a money laundering case? Boy if I'm ever asked to go before any grand jury I'm going to have such a case of amnesia they will think I'm rain man.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by dude1394

So this was a trial of a Victor Conte? The scare quotes were because I didn't know it was a crime to be using steroids.

Well, yes, it's absolutely a crime to be using steroids that you do not have a prescription for. Just like any other controlled substance.

And yes, it was a Grand Jury investigation of Victor Conte. And to respond to your latest post, Bonds was called as a witness because he was one of Conte's clients, and they had evidence that Conte gave Bonds steroids. Real evidence, btw. Bonds had to claim that he didn't KNOWINGLY take steroids, because they had solid proof that he did, and that Conte gave them to him.

Why are you acting like this? Are you so far right wing that you honestly think that this was some overzealous persecution of someone? Do you really not think what I just laid out was a perfectly good reason to call Bonds as a witness?

[Stranger]

I consider Bonds' records legitimate because there are so many factors that affect these things that you just have to take them as they stand. The game changes constantly. As some stated, baseball wasn't integrated when Ruth played. Then again, there were only a relative handful of teams then anyway. Pitchers didn't throw as hard, bats were heavier, everything was different.

But that's a completely different issue than Bonds' legal problems. Steroids are dangerous, and illegal, and the majority of fans don't want them affecting the game. The feds have every right to bust illegal suppliers and investigate baseball, just like they busted crooked game shows and any number of other high-profile people and institutions that are skirting the law.

I think Bonds suffers the brunt of this unfairly, as it looks like dozens and dozens of players were taking steroids with the tacit approval of baseball. But the perjury charges aren't related to that. If he didn't want to face charges, he should have taken the fifth. But he was too interested in protecting his reputation. Although I'm not sure, I would think that federal prosecutors generally pursue cases of likely perjury at federal trials. The one question I do have is whether or not they will go after Palmeiro, who, if memory served, clearly claimed he had never done steroids before congress right before he tested positive.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Well, yes, it's absolutely a crime to be using steroids that you do not have a prescription for. Just like any other controlled substance.

And yes, it was a Grand Jury investigation of Victor Conte. And to respond to your latest post, Bonds was called as a witness because he was one of Conte's clients, and they had evidence that Conte gave Bonds steroids. Real evidence, btw. Bonds had to claim that he didn't KNOWINGLY take steroids, because they had solid proof that he did, and that Conte gave them to him.

Why are you acting like this? Are you so far right wing that you honestly think that this was some overzealous persecution of someone? Do you really not think what I just laid out was a perfectly good reason to call Bonds as a witness?

Jthig...don't get upset, I haven't followed bonds (or baseball) at all so I had no idea what the deal was with him and was honestly asking questions.

I expecially didn't understand why it was a federal case at all? Still not completely sure why it was to be honest. So it was a federal crime that conte was accussed of?

But true...I am riled up on over-eager prosecutors. They seem to me to be the closest thing to legally abusive police power. I've also seen someone who has access to the justice system harrass someone with constant filings that they had to address. And it was all just harrassment by this person. In this case it's probably more left-wing (scared of the abuse of federal power) than right.

[Stranger]

Incidentally, I think it would do a disservice to Aaron and Ruth to alter the records books in any way. If they do that, then it would be their records that would seem fraudulent.

[chumdawg]

The federal government should get their damn noses out of this. If baseball decides it wants to do something (which, as i have said, is not a smart thing), then baseball can do something. This is not a federal government issue.

I'd like to see the federal government get involved with marijuana use by NBA players. Give me a break.

[TheBlueVan]

im sorry, but if you dont see barry bonds being indicted as a good thing for baseball and all of sports, and if you cant see that baseball needs steroids GONE, well theres i just have nothing left to say.

Mantle was an alcoholic, but he was also from Commerce, Oklahoma and a farmer's son. i dont mean that he was a great role model, only that people could identify with him and other players. im sorry, but its hard to identify with a player making 200 million dollars and sticking himself full of needles to do it.

bonds is indicted, hopefully justice will be served throughout baseball and the game can move on. to ignore it any longer is to kill what little credibility baseball has left.

how about basketball? if the refs really were biased, wouldnt you want to know? or would it "destroy the sport"?

by the way, BONDS WAS CONNECTED TO CONTE, THATS WHY HE HAD TO APPEAR IN COURT... WHERE HE LIED. maybe im just idealistic, but i feel like if you break the law, you should be punished

[chumdawg]

BlueVan...baseball will never have steroids gone. That's what it comes down to.