While I don't agree with a premise of the initial post that there is anything honest about barry bonds, nor do I believe he tells anything like it is, I do agree with the portion of the premise that he is a monster that baseball created and baseball is now left to live with him, if not protect him and others, not unlike the cocaine Pirates of "We Are Family" days, all to protect the game overall.
Jerk that he is, bonds brings 'em in the seats and the BUSINESS of baseball will not throw him under the bus to defend its "integrity" (at least for now or until it is forced to, though don't see that ever happening).
In this regard, I recently watched an episode of "outside the lines" on ESPN. They showed an interview witih a Washington Post reporter back in 1988 expressing his belief that Canseco was using steroids at that time. For his comments, that reporter was apparently threatened with lawsuits and bannishment from the clubhouses. No inquiry at the time by MLB.
Ten years later during the McGwire/Sosa homerun derby similar attacks were made against the writer who broke the McGwire "andro" story. Again, no inquiry by MLB-only MasterCard commercials
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Since the 1980's Bash Brothers days, to today, nothing has been done about steroids and the past will get glossed over as it always does because the hype, the big numbers, $$$$$$$$$ and the "integrity of the game" bs is what sells the game and MLB, Selig etc. don't want to mess with it. They would happily let steroids go on and on if they could. Baseball is, after all, the sport that coined the phrase that if you ain't cheating you ain't trying.
Certainly it will be something else in the future, just as it was always something in the past- alcohol, cocaine etc. After all, if you believe it is making you better, from that confidence alone, it probably is, at least in the short term.
Bonds press conference yesterday was more of the same. Barry's defense was a good offense. Let's move forward he says. Let's not look at the past unless we look at everyone's past he says. I'll bring up the 18th and 19th centuries if that's where we are going, he says (duh, is the race card far behind that comment); and, don't go looking in my closet for dirt unless yours is spotless, he threatens reporters (after all bonds is the ultimately bully, from insulting most anyone he seems to speak to, to steroids to the body armor, to the tantrums if anyone dares throw inside to him).
Unfortunately, in years to come this will all become interesting antidote like Babe Ruth eating dozens of hot dogs before the game. That is what baseball does and encourages to be done. Truth, cleaning house etc.. ain't happenin', although the Balco trial may be more than MLB's spin doctors can handle.
For my 2 cents I believe that bonds used illegal substances and these enhanced his game the last several years and with judicious use, prolonged his career. He is a .300 lifetime hitter. In his first six seasons with the Pirates he hit as low as .223 and .248. As recently as 1999 he hit .262. Other than the one "spkike" year when he hit 73, his highest homerun total was 49 and more typically in the 30's. In the years they were both with the Pirates, Bonilla routinely out hit him in most every category. Great hitter, yes. Greatest hitter/player ever
