After reading as much of "Game of Shadows" as I could stomach, I am disgusted with the sports writing community in general who touted this book as the proof that Bonds was cheating.
Interestingly enough, the authors (my apologies to real writers) concede that Bonds didn't so much as drink a protein shake before the 1998 season.
The current theme in Baseball media circles is to pile on Bonds at every opportunity. You can tune in to almost any show where the name Bonds comes up and find some know-nothing libeling Bonds.
Bonds is going down for perjury, Bonds is a cheater, Bonds associates are in jail, Bonds once beat up an 8 year old who wanted an autograph...It goes one and on. But none have mentioned that Bonds was granted immunity from prosecution during his Balco Grand Jury appearance while touting the book as authoritative.
We are supposed to believe that Bonds, who has been lambasted since well before 1993 when he came to the Giants organization, and who had nothing to lose when it came to public opinion, nor any reason to lie, lied about his steroid use. Absurd.
The authors also let us know (and the general media again doesn't mention this) that Barry, while working with Anderson from BALCO, was being tested regularly. And his test results not only showed no sign of steroids, but also higher testosterone levels than one would expect for somebody who regularly used steroids. All this is in the book, but the sports writers who accuse Barry of "hating baseball" are exposing themselves as the true haters. I'm convinced that most sports personalities who claim the book in question is proof of something other than the fact that you don't have to have talent to be a sports commentator, have not even read the book. And if they have, they didn't do it with even the slightest critical view.
These cretins and their hangers-on are willing to ruin the game for as many within ear shot while promoting themselves.
I'm not black and those who commissioned the recent poll mentioned in Todd's article didn't bother to have its authors contact me or anyone I know who supports bonds.
I'm a fan of Baseball and Barry Bonds. But I wasn't a fan of Barry's when he first came to the Giants. I was a die hard Will Clark fan and didn't want to see Will leave the team.
But in the subsequent years, I have witnessed a marvelous player who loves the game of baseball (in spite of all the valid reasons he could grow to hate it) and who has been treated mercilessly by the so-called press.
I don't think that Bonds used steroids. However, if he did, and here's another bit from the book that you won't see repeated often, "they don't work."
The quote is Barry's. If you've actually paid attention, what fueled Barry's 2001 record-breaking was a change he made to his swing. And if you don't believe me, just compare his first home run to #745. Major league baseball has both available at the Bonds fan page.
Also not mentioned often is that in the years leading up to the single-season record-breaking year, Bonds' home run production actually went down. Prior to 2001, his best year was in 1996 - two years before he is alleged to have started taking steroids - when he hit 46 homers. But again, rather than simply stand back and marvel at the sheer talent and work ethic that has resulted in one of the most productive all-around ball players to ever play the game, fans of this game will be subjected to more "experts" claiming that the only way one can improve himself is to take drugs.
And really, how absurd is that? You have a bunch of middle-aged white guys (mostly), who haven't accomplished nearly as much in their lifetimes, ragging on Barry because he isn't as physically inept as they.
Sour grapes. In closing, I'd like to request that Todd get some stones and stand up for Barry. There may be a racial element to the criticism he has received, but this witch hunt is mainly stirred up by a bunch of jealous wannabees who have had Bonds laugh at them during a press conference one too many times.
Sincerely,
A baseball fan in Austin.
