Hopefully by now, you've seen our little April Fool's Joke with Michael Strahan and Tom Arnold.  The staff here at Best Damn thought we had something good going, but Michael & Tom punked even us.   Some of you loved it, some of you (mostly Giants fans) were horrified at least at first.  Our friend in the FOX Funhouse Peter Schrager even devoted the top of his column to it.  Meanwhile, Florida won the National Title and somebody threw a syringe at Barry Bonds in San Diego.  That got our producer Charlie thinking..

Barry Bonds, I'm sorry. Yeah, I'll say it. I'm a sucker for weepers. I'm sorry I have been doubting you. If you're acting, then you got me good. But I don't think you are.

This all stems from what I saw tonight. A competing network (may or may not rhyme with "SMEE-ESS-PEE-ENN") showed a clip of Bonds from his new reality show bawling his eyes out, frustrated with his perception by the media and by those outside of the media. I'll tell you right now - it was one of the best soundbytes I HAVE EVER HEARD.

Sure, he doesn't know me, I don't know him. And like Robert DeNiro's character in "A Bronx Tale" says to his son (to paraphrase liberally), "Barry Bonds doesn't pay your bills, Calogero, he doesn't care about you." So why should I care about him?

Because I'm human. And apparently, so is Barry.

Seeing a grown man cry, a STRONG grown man cry, is slightly uncomfortable. It's like when I saw my father cry for the first time when my grandmother died. That's not supposed to happen. Strong men don't cry. But maybe we should re-program our thinking.

I've never had a syringe thrown at me at the workplace. Barry Bonds has. I'm not on steroids (although I'm quite buff these days due to a new workout program). And as far as we know, Barry Bonds isn't ... Bonds isn't ... he's ... well, believe him or not, he doesn't deserve to be treated like this.

I have no idea what it's like to get crucified by the media everyday. I have no idea what it's like to get hate mail. I have no idea what it's like to have my life or my family's life threatened. Barry Bonds does.

In the minds of many, especially in this country, you are guilty until you are proven innocent. We live in the United States of Doubt, bound by the convictions of the masses, pledging our allegiance to whatever the majority is thinking or saying.

Look, with two books coming out on him, the allegations from the past, BALCO, etc., it's hard to believe that he DIDN'T juice.

But maybe, just maybe, he's telling the truth.

And maybe, just maybe, we should cut him a break.

Because we're human. And so is Barry Bonds.

Peace, and I'm out.

Good point Charlie.  It seems some people won't stop until Barry is crucified.  Remember, Barry has never tested positive for steroids.  There's plenty of evidence to suggest he did, but he's still innocent until proven guilty.  So if you think throwing a syringe at Barry makes you cool, you're the idiot.