The other day, I (along with another person) engaged in a conversation with someone who came to the defense of Barry Bonds, who's currently caught up in a perjury trial concerning whether or not he lied to federal investigators about his steroid use. We had a good talk about steroids, the trial (specifically how if he's found not guilty doesn't mean he's innocent), and what fans should think about all this.
I should start by clarifying my position on steroids and athletes who knowingly use them. Athletes who use steroids are cheaters, plain and simple. I don't care about the argument that says since we don't know everyone who did or did not, we should just give everyone a free pass. That's a pathetic excuse, one that refuses to punish those who we know took steroids. We're not going to catch everyone, but we can at least catch as many as we can.
Maybe I'm alone on this, but were I a professional athlete, I'd rather be an honest loser than a cheating winner. I know that sounds naive, and my opinion would probably be different had I actually experienced the trials and tribulations that come with reaching the top, but that's the standard I hold professional athletes to. This is why Sammy Sosa no longer has my respect, which is saying something, considering how much I idolized him growing up.
Now back to that conversation I had. This guy was of the opinion that Barry Bonds may have either never taken steroids or at least had never knowingly taken them. A classic steroids apologist. I used to be like that when it came to Sammy Sosa, but I had to just accept the fact that Sosa was no longer the hero he was to me when I was young. I should point out that this person said he liked Bonds as a player, so there's an understandable bias; no one wants to see their hero fall from grace.
I read Game of Shadows when it first came out a few years ago (when Bonds was a bit more relevant) and reread it last week, and I can tell you that there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that Bonds knowingly used steroids, based on what Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams uncovered during their investigation. I won't state the alleged facts here (just read the book, it's an eye-opener), but I doubt the Bonds fan I talked to would have the same mindset had he read it.
Then there are also the questions surrounding his physique and his statistics. It's hard to ignore what kind of physical freak Bonds turned into during the latter half of his career. It's also hard to ignore the boom in his statistics over that same timeframe. He had some of his best seasons after he turned 35, which is unheard of in baseball now. And the Bonds fan still held onto that sliver of a chance that Bonds is innocent.
Another point of contention was Bonds' perjury trial, which is still ongoing. It's important to note that a verdict of not guilty should not exonerate Bonds of steroid use. Yes, Bonds would walk free and Major League Baseball would be unlikely to do anything to punish him. Such is the mantra of Bud Selig, the commissioner of the league. I've said it before, but Bud Selig is one of the worst things to ever happen to professional baseball. Selig has cared more about promoting a positive image than cleaning up baseball, and has refused time and time again to admit how damaging steroids have been to the league under his watch.
All this brings me to what fans should think about steroids and how we should deal with those guilty of using them. As I said before, the argument that we don't know everyone who used and who didn't use is nothing more than a pathetic defense, and doesn't exonerate anyone. Apologists like these, and like those who claim Bonds is innocent, are bad for baseball and hurt the game. There is no room for cheaters in sports, and anyone who thinks otherwise is doing more harm than good.
We don't know who exactly was and is guilty, nor do we know who was and is innocent. But the old axiom of "innocent until proven guilty" should be retained by baseball fans. We know Sammy Sosa is guilty, like we do Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi. We know Barry Bonds is guilty. All that's left is to grow up and leave behind that false hope of innocence for former heroes and idols, as hard as that can be.
Until next time, Orange Hat Guy
No comments:
Post a Comment