Barry has been off to a slow start and who can blame him.  The Giants had two games postponed by rain and now there are more allegations of perjury and of a possible grand jury indictment.  I am amazed by the hate I see for Bonds and also the lack of knowledge by many people who seem to think this means Barry is going to jail.  Nothing can be further from the truth.  Don’t get me wrong; it’s not like I don’t believe our government is wasting precious tax dollars investigating a possible perjury charge by a baseball player, because I would believe just about anything when it comes to our legal system.  People can sue for the most absurd reasons and often times even win.  Our government can find time to convene Senate hearings about steroids but can not close our borders.  A federal prosecutor can find time to chase perjury charges against Barry Bonds but not find time to prosecute illegal aliens.  That should tell you what is really important to our elected officials and even worse, that we allow them to do so.  Government waste is at an all time high as our officials spend pork on their own pet pig projects and stopping is nowhere in sight. 

As for Barry, well he may or may not have perjured himself.  In the end, let’s not forget that he was given immunity for any grand jury testimony that he gave to the feds the first time he appeared.  Secondly, anything he has said off the record about steroids, all the denials, can not be held against him in a court of law.  He can only be found guilty of perjury if he did indeed lie to that grand jury or another legal proceeding with intent.  Just because a book was published saying he has been taking steroids since 1998 is not proof he lied.  In fact, the evidence against him in the book comes from “sealed” grand jury testimony.  Don’t get me started on the meaning of “sealed”, but suffice it to say that even if someone did unseal that testimony for these reporters, it is this same testimony where Bonds claims to have taken the “Clear” and the “Cream” unknowingly.  So if you want to use other people’s testimony to catch Bonds in a lie, you would have to get them to say he took steroids.  The only people who would know that is Victor Conte, Greg Anderson, and maybe Bonds’ personal physician.  BALCO founder Victor Conte insisted Thursday, March 30, that he never gave performance-enhancing drugs to Barry Bonds and that a new book that makes those claims is "full of outright lies."  The personal physician will be allowed to hide under the cloak of secrecy afforded him by the physician/client privilege.  And you can bet that Greg Anderson will not say anything against Bonds. 

This is the same federal government that brought in Sosa, McGuire, and Palmeiro for their take on steroids.  Rafael denied taking steroids in that “official” testimony before the Senate committee and yet tested positive just weeks later.  Has the federal government thought about going after Mr. Palmeiro for perjury?  Not on your life, although that would be easier to prove than going after Bonds because Rafael does have a positive test, something that Bonds has never had.  Some have said that Kimberly Bell, Bond's mistress could testify against him and that would be enough.  If that were the case, then Jose Canseco's testimony against Palmeiro should be enough to prove Rafael perjured himself during the Senate Committee hearings. 

One thing that I have learned about athletes in general is that they are usually dumber than they think and eventually slip up and get caught at whatever it is they are trying to get away with.  Affairs are eventually found out either by children born out of stupidity or extortion of mistresses.  Hidden drug use is suddenly uncovered.  Steroid users finally test positive.  Not in Barry’s case.  He has never tested positive, period!  And he has been tested numerous times.  Lance Armstrong was accused of steroid use and the vast majority of fans came to his defense.  Why?  Because they like Lance and he is a cancer survivor.  The truth is, Lance probably did use EPO, a red blood cell stimulator.  Cyclers need more red blood cells so that they can supply their muscles with the oxygen needed to pedal.  Back when he supposedly used EPO it could not be tested for, and we will never know for sure so I give Lance the benefit of the doubt and believe him. 

As far as jail time goes, Victor Conte and Greg Anderson were both given very meaningless sentences and so even if Bonds were found guilty surely he would be given what amounts to a slap on the wrist by the feds.  Conte and Anderson both got less than 4 months actual jail time.  The so called “Ringleaders” of the whole steroid issue get measly months in jail and everyone thinks Bonds will go for years.  Known drug users like Doc Gooden are only now receiving jail time after being caught multiple times on cocaine.  Come on!  Barry will still be swinging his bat long into September as the feds drag their feet on yet another issue.  It took Ken Star how many years to investigate Bill Clinton?  How about Patrick Fitzgerald who is investigating Lewis Libby?  He is still investigating others while Libby goes to a grand jury. These guys get paid for dragging their feet.  Once they find one defendant, they keep investigating because they know their time will eventually run out as a “special” prosecutor.   If anything our government knows how to do well, it is how to drag its feet.  I will refrain from starting down that path as it is a dark one, but suffice it to say that Barry will pass Babe Ruth for second on the all time HR list sometime in May.  The secret grand jury will eventually decide to either go forward or quit but either way if it does go to trial Bonds will be found innocent of any crime.  I predict a judge will throw the case out if it does go to trial, and again, granted how sloppily our government proceeds into these quagmires, I have no doubt it may go to trial.  I just wish that the powers that be would let us get back to baseball and forget about steroids.  Let the new MLB policy work as it should to prevent future problems.  Let’s all move on and watch as we get some new rookie sensations to follow like Chris Shelton or the resurgent veteran like Jim Thome.  I am excited about this season as should every baseball fan.  Don’t let the feds take our joy away.

 

SoCalSportsFan