Barry Bonds turns over a new leaf?

We always knew that there was a nice guy hidden inside Barry just waiting to be left out. Now we finally get to see the new and improved Barry just wanting and needing to be loved. :rolleyes:

Bonds: Steroid allegations, asterisk possibility hurt

ESPN.com news services





In his first exclusive interview since passing Babe Ruth as second on the all-time home runs list, Barry Bonds spoke to ESPN's Jim Gray on Tuesday.
Bonds told Gray that the steroid allegations hurt.
"I'm only human," he said.
But he declined to discuss those allegations, saying not only that he cannot by law talk about his grand jury testimony but also that Major League Baseball has requested he not discuss steroids. He also said that his attorneys have asked him not to talk about the situation.
According to ESPN legal analyst Roger Cossack, any witness who testifies before a grand jury is allowed to discuss his own testimony but cannot talk about the testimony of other witnesses. Major League Baseball has had no comment on Bonds' contention that it asked him not to talk about steroids.
Bonds said it would hurt if, after he is done playing, an asterisk was put next to his records.
"It would hurt. I would be disappointed," he said. He also said he didn't know if that would happen but in his heart he believes it will happen.
However, he told Gray that he doesn't believe Major League Baseball is attacking him personally by investigating steroid use; he thinks baseball is doing what is best for baseball by looking at the whole period.
Bonds talked a lot about how he's trying to change and be a happier person. He's working hard to react better to questions that he considers stabbing. He said he wants to be liked.
Bonds played down claims that his pursuit of Hank Aaron's home run record has been joyless, saying that at times he didn't make it pleasant. But he said that he's trying hard to change and to create joy. He also said he doesn't recall making negative comments about Ruth in the past; if he did say such things, he said that was "old Barry" and apologized.
Bonds also doesn't believe that race has been a factor in how he's perceived. He said he blames himself for the impression the public has of him because as a younger player he was angry and didn't handle his emotions well in public. He also apologized for that.
Bonds said that it meant a lot to him when Albert Pujols recently came out in publicly support of him.
"I love him for it," Bonds said. "I love Albert Pujols."
Bonds also said it was great to see Pujols' performance this season and hopes Pujols breaks his single-season home run record.
Bonds said despite everything that's going on in his career, he's having more fun now playing baseball than he's ever had. And he credits his current teammates for that.
He said he wants to keep playing if his health allows it. He said winning a World Series still is his No. 1 goal, but he's not going to run from trying to break Aaron's record. He said he doesn't know if he can, but he's not going to run from it. He said he would probably break down and cry if that happened.
He said he tells his son that he needs to stop being angry and learn to forgive if he wants to avoid living through what Bonds himself is living through.