Barry Bonds - It's Not My Fault, It's Always Someone Else's

[sammy]

http://sports.aol.com/mlb/story/_a/b...11025409990001

[Yankwood]

24% told me all I needed to hear. These voters are not about to diminish what Aaron and Maris did by letting the likes of McGwire, Sosa, Palmeiro and yes, even Bonds, into the Hall and honoring them when they knew they were cheating. Every intelligent form of life should know the rules of life by now. One of them is, if you cheat, you may get caught. If you get caught, suffer the consequences. That's what is happening right now. Why all the fuss and why all the tears for these guys? They cheated, they got caught and life goes on.

[staindsox]

Yankwood, you're on a roll. I absolutely agree. They knew the rules, they cheated, and have to deal with the consequences. More and more of the old timers are getting angry. Even Harmon Killebrew, who is as low key as they come, made a few comments showing his frustration on the steroid issue. These guys feel their records are being stolen by cheaters. If anyone is a victim, I would say it is them.

[hblakewolf]

Yankwood-

McGwire used Andro and admitted it. I'm not aware of a single positive test ever being produced that implicates big MAC of using Steroids. Until I see some type of substantiated documented proof, he's still one of the best who has ever played the game-period!

On a related topic, Phil Niekro admitted that he "cheated" every time he pitched, yet he is in the Hall of Fame. Here is a guy who admitted he cheated, and is in? McGwire admitted NOTHING, however, has HOF #'s and is excluded?

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

Seeking McGwire game used equipment, especially a Cardinals pre-game/BP jersey, 1998 home and road pants and batting helmet.

[Yankwood]

If a cop pulls me over and I'm drunk so I refuse the breathalizer, do you think the cops and the judge and the DA say, "Damn, he got away". Don't waste your time worrying about these guys. They aren't worth it. If someone thinks Big Mac is innocent, not only must he or she be blind but deaf as well, regarding his pitiful performance before congress.

This subject about guilt and innocence has been beaten to death but I can not hide my head in the sand on this one.

Also if the cop pulls me over for speeding, I can't say, "What about Charlie? He was speeding down this same street 20 years ago and nobody gave him a speeding ticket. How come I'm getting one?"
I can't do anything about what happened then but why does that mean we all become deaf and blind now?

Again, and it can't be any simpler, IF YOU CHEAT, YOU MAY GET CAUGHT. WHEN AND IF IT HAPPENS, JUST SHUT UP AND SUFFER THE PENALTY. This penalty will be a doozie but it's a good message for kids. Letting them all go scott free, is not.

[hblakewolf]

Yankwood-
We'll fill this thread up pretty quickly if we continue down this path. No doubt, we agree to disagree.

Until I see some type of substantiated hard proof, MAC is being used as the whipping post for all Steroid users.

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

[Eric]

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.comFailure leaves a testy Barry
BY T.J. QUINN
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Thursday, January 11th, 2007

Barry Bonds, already under investigation for lying under oath about his steroid use, failed a test under Major League Baseball's amphetamine policy last season and then initially blamed it on a teammate, the Daily News has learned.

Under the policy, which went into effect only last season, players are not publicly identified for a first positive test.

But according to several sources, when first informed by the MLB Players Association of the positive test, Bonds attributed it to a substance he had taken from the locker of teammate Mark Sweeney. Sources did not identify the drug in question but characterized it as a serious stimulant.

When asked last night whether Bonds had an explanation for why he failed the test or if he wanted to issue a denial, Bonds' agent, Jeff Borris, said, "I have no comment on that."

Giants officials did not return calls seeking comment last night.

Bonds, who has long defended himself against steroid accusations by saying he "never failed a drug test," did not appeal his positive test, but was immediately subject to an additional six drug tests by MLB over the next six months.

Sweeney declined comment, but his agent, Barry Axelrod, told The News, "Mark was made aware of the fact that his name had been brought up, but he did not give Barry Bonds anything and there was nothing he could have given Barry Bonds."

Bonds was not punished for his transgression, but instead was referred to treatment and counseling. While amphetamines are considered performance-enhancing drugs, they are treated differently than steroids under baseball's drug policy. Had Bonds failed a steroid test, he would have been suspended for 50 games, but under baseball's amphetamine policy no one is publicly identified or suspended until a second positive, which would result in a 25-game suspension. A player is suspended for 80 games for a third positive.

The policy covers a range of stimulants, including the ubiquitous "greenies," or Dexedrine. Benzedrine, ephedrine and the stimulants Ritalin and Adderall, which are used to treat attention-deficit disorder, are among the substances on the policy.

"We're not in a position to confirm or deny, obviously," MLB spokesman Rich Levin said. "A second failed test would mean a suspension."

Sources said Sweeney, a first baseman/outfielder, first heard about the test when Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players association, called to say the player's name had been dragged into the controversy.

Orza told Sweeney that if he had anything troublesome in his locker, he should remove it and that he should not be sharing substances with other players. Sweeney told Orza that there was nothing in his locker that would be of concern, sources said.

Axelrod would not comment on the conversation between Orza and Sweeney. Orza also refused to comment on what he said to Sweeney or about Bonds' failed test, but added, "I can say unequivocally in my 22 years I've known Barry Bonds he has never blamed anyone for anything."

Sweeney apparently confronted Bonds, and Bonds told him that Orza had misunderstood, that he had not intended to implicate his teammate.

Bonds has been in the doping spotlight since September 2003, when federal agents raided the BALCO lab and the home of Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson. Bonds testified before a grand jury in the steroid-trafficking case that he had taken substances identified by the government as steroids, but that he believed they were legal supplements. A Daily News reporter overheard part of his testimony that day admitting he had unknowingly used steroids, and a year later the San Francisco Chronicle published extended excerpts from the grand jury transcripts.

The leaks about Bonds' steroid use were not sufficient evidence to allow MLB to test Bonds for cause, but the failed amphetamine test is.

BALCO founder Victor Conte, Anderson and three other men served prison sentences for their parts in the trafficking ring, and Bonds has been under investigation for perjury and tax evasion for more than two years. Anderson is in prison on a contempt charge for refusing to testify against his longtime friend. Long before steroids took hold in clubhouses in the early 1990s, amphetamines were the performance-enhancer of choice in baseball. Even when baseball first adopted a steroids policy in 2003, amphetamines were not specifically banned or tested for, although many are illegal without a prescription.

[suave1477]

Yankwood-

McGwire used Andro and admitted it. I'm not aware of a single positive test ever being produced that implicates big MAC of using Steroids. Until I see some type of substantiated documented proof, he's still one of the best who has ever played the game-period!

On a related topic, Phil Niekro admitted that he "cheated" every time he pitched, yet he is in the Hall of Fame. Here is a guy who admitted he cheated, and is in? McGwire admitted NOTHING, however, has HOF #'s and is excluded?

Howard Wolf
hblakewolf@patmedia.net

Seeking McGwire game used equipment, especially a Cardinals pre-game/BP jersey, 1998 home and road pants and batting helmet.

1) Howard, as we may not see the direct proof through the Media of Mac using Roids. A player I know who had played with Mac had told me Mac used Roids.

2) To your next comment - Think about what you just said. Neikro admitted cheating and he was allowed in the Hall. Mac doesn't admit it and even though he has high numbers and he is not allowed in.

I think you answered yourself on that one!!!

I beleive it is Human Nature to forgive, and forget when someone can admit they were wrong.

REMEMBER JASON GIAMBI - he was the big Roids scandal of the Yankees people were ripping him a new on left and right for the whole season, he comes out never actually saying he took the roids but he came out apologizing and all of a sudden its like it never happend. Over night everyone completely forgets.

[sylbry]

If a cop pulls me over and I'm drunk so I refuse the breathalizer, do you think the cops and the judge and the DA say, "Damn, he got away". Don't waste your time worrying about these guys. They aren't worth it. If someone thinks Big Mac is innocent, not only must he or she be blind but deaf as well, regarding his pitiful performance before congress.

This subject about guilt and innocence has been beaten to death but I can not hide my head in the sand on this one.

Also if the cop pulls me over for speeding, I can't say, "What about Charlie? He was speeding down this same street 20 years ago and nobody gave him a speeding ticket. How come I'm getting one?"
I can't do anything about what happened then but why does that mean we all become deaf and blind now?

Again, and it can't be any simpler, IF YOU CHEAT, YOU MAY GET CAUGHT. WHEN AND IF IT HAPPENS, JUST SHUT UP AND SUFFER THE PENALTY. This penalty will be a doozie but it's a good message for kids. Letting them all go scott free, is not.

You forgot one.

How about Charlie gets pulled over for doing 100mph over the limit and get's thrown in jail. He claims he should only get a $100 ticket like his friend Joe, who got a ticket for doing 10mph over the limit, because afterall they were both simply speeding.

[PK]

[quote=hblakewolf;30195]Yankwood-

McGwire used Andro and admitted it. I'm not aware of a single positive test ever being produced that implicates big MAC of using Steroids. Until I see some type of substantiated documented proof, he's still one of the best who has ever played the game-period!

Howard Wolf

Best ever? Please. He did one thing well, hit home runs. 7th all time in HR and and hit one every 10.6 times he was at bat. Other then that what?? Not too much. IF, he gets elected he would have one of the lowets batting averages ever(.263), has only 1,626 hits(would be very low on list), played average defense at first base with 1 gold glove, 12 CAREER stolen bases, sturck out more then 25% of the time he stepped to the plate 1,596 SO to 6,187 AB and was never an MVP.

He admitted to Andro and another over the counter drug that I cannot remember and at the item was legal in baseball and not tested for so he does get a pass there, but where there is smoke there is always fire. Look at how much his body changed during and then after his career ended. Something sure let all the air our of him because he looks nothing like he did when he played except for all the pock marks on his sandpaper face. I know what I saw when he went in frort of Congress and he was a deer in headlights with something to hide. As I heard someone say, only Mobsters go in front of Congress or a jury and pleed the 5th. Or not there to "talk about the past"