UNITED STATES OF AMERICA -Plaintiff vs. BARRY LAMAR BONDS - Defendant

The above text is the indictment of Barry Bonds which was handed down today by a San Francisco district court. Readers of this humble weblog know full well your host's views on the matter of Barry Bonds being the new "home run king" as we outlined them back in October. Nonethless, we want to state for the record that our opinion on this is based solely on our knowledge of human physiology as well as the effects of steroids. (Based on our observation of others we know who have taken them in years past.) But that point aside, all one needs to do is look at these pictures of Bonds and notice how starting in 1999 he begins getting a bloated face and bulk on his frame and by 2001 it is unmistakable.

Even if Barry Bonds survives these indictments, the die is cast and his career while at one time a sure future Hall of Fame winner{1} is less likely now. If he does get in, along with Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and others their achievements will always be questioned and rightfully so.{2} Bonds would at the very least be able to offset some of it if he comes clean on this matter -he may have to go through a Pete Rose kind of exile{3} before eventually being accepted. As for the records which have been altered as a result of this usage -by Bonds as well as others- time will tell what major league baseball will do about it.

Notes:

{1} Bonds was arguably the best player in baseball during the 1990's prior to the steroid controversy. Certainly he was one of the most well-rounded players in history and the only player to ever have 500 home runs and 500 stolen bases. (Prior to 1998 he was a consistent base stealing threat.) He also played excellent field defense and was a productive and clutch bat in the lineup. His 400-400 status at that time alone (400 home runs, 400 stolen bases) would have made him a shoe-in for the Hall in and of itself as no one else has matched that combination of power and speed. But he acted unethical and for that he should endure an exile from baseball akin to what Pete Rose has had to endure up to the present day.

{2} Perhaps putting astrisks by their names and any career numbers they put up would be a good idea.

{3} My view on Pete Rose is essentially this: he made mistakes and has had to pay for them for some time now. Ultimately though, a player's status for the Hall should be based on what they do on the field and Rose was arguably the hardest worker in baseball history. He holds a few records none of which (to my knowledge) were attained by cheating. In other words: reinstate him into baseball so he can be eligible for the Hall of Fame.

Points to Ponder;

[It] is quite unlawful to demand, defend, or to grant unconditional freedom of thought, or speech, of writing or worship, as if these were so many rights given by nature to man. [Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903)]

Iran Hands IAEA Nuclear Blueprints

Along with Muammar al-Gaddafi{1} and the latter's agreement to expose his WMD program to UN Inspectors a few years back{2}, one has to ask if any of these developments would have happened if the United States had not involved itself militarily in the Middle East after 9/11. According to former Italian Prime Minister, this was what motivated Gaddafi to volunteer to reveal his WMD's and submit his country to inspections by the UN.{3} It seems feasible that the surge (a subject recently covered in some detail at this very weblog) may be a motivating factor in Iran's latest move -too early to say for sure but certainly it seems appropriate to advance that hypothesis tentatively so I will do so at this time.

Notes:

{1} Whose name I rarely spell right by my own admission.

{2} Briefly on Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi's Situation (circa December 22, 2003)

{3} President George W. Bush and other supporters of the Iraq War portrayed Gaddafi's announcement as a direct consequence of the Iraq War by stating that Gaddafi acted out of fear for the future of his own regime if he continued to keep and conceal his weapons. Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, a supporter of the Iraq War, was quoted as saying that Gaddafi had privately phoned him, admitting as much. [Wikipedia: From the Article Muammar al-Gaddafi]

Points to Ponder:

Notice everything, turn a blind eye to much and correct a few things. [St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)]