Bonds Indicted on Perjury, Obstruction of Justice

[Mark Carver]

Although Stephen A. Smith would argue the contrary, aren't they really going after BALCO? Bonds was called to testify to the Grand Jury about the BALCO case, and it's because he wouldn't cooperate with that investigation that he's now indicted, right?

Exactly... it was the Feds looking into illegal actions by BALCO and in February of 2004, 4 men were in fact indicted on 42 counts of distributing illegal drugs to athletes and money-laundering. Barry Bonds at that time was called before a Grand Jury to testify and claimed that he never knowingly took steroids.

The Feds say otherwise in the 5 count indictment against him... so all Bonds had to do was to tell the truth and his problems would have just faded away.

[geschinger]

Amen Sister! Who cares..Why it's so important for them to nail Barry Bonds is so far beyond me I'll never understand the obsession. Yes he's a jerk, yes he took steroids, but SIX MILLION DOLLARS, seriously!!!

I think the big point that is being missed in all of the hoopla is that it didn't start out as an attempt to nail Barry Bonds. The fact that the government gave Bonds immunity from everything but perjury makes it pretty clear that it wasn't Bonds they were going after. The reason he is in the mess he's in is that unlike the many other athletes who testified he chose to perjure himself. And regardless of what anyone thinks of steroids, perjury is a crime worthy of the government going after somebody for. I'm sure he was given every opportunity to prevent an indictment much like Marion Jones just a week or two ago.

[Flip217]

...so all Bonds had to do was to tell the truth and his problems would have just faded away.

Isn't this basically what Giambi did? He cooperated, made his public apology (though he didn't specify what he was apologizing for, a tactic I've tried with my wife to little success), and now has sort of disappeared from the discussions, apart from using him as an example of declining skills now that he's off the juice.

[cindyluvsbrady]

What is your opinion on Pete Rose and the HOF?

IMO Pete Rose should not get in either.

I saw him In Cooperstown in July.He looks really really bad.I do think it is very sad.

[Gurgi]

It is example time baby!

Six million dollars is nothing compared to the free media this will generate. Going after Bonds lets all the atheletes in America know there may be consequences of their actions. When your dealing with something that is hard to stop(sterioids). Putting a certain FEAR into everyones heart is the right way to go. Destroying Grimsley and Bonds puts these guys on notice. Quit cheating!

If you want to take steriods go to the WWE!

Oh wait. You might kill your wife and son.

[mweb]

Exactly... it was the Feds looking into illegal actions by BALCO and in February of 2004, 4 men were in fact indicted on 42 counts of distributing illegal drugs to athletes and money-laundering. Barry Bonds at that time was called before a Grand Jury to testify and claimed that he never knowingly took steroids.

The Feds say otherwise in the 5 count indictment against him... so all Bonds had to do was to tell the truth and his problems would have just faded away.

Yes, all he had to do was tell the truth, which he should have done, but I don't see how his lie affects the case, it was just to try to protect his reputation, it doesn't matter otherwise imo.

[mweb]

It is example time baby!

Six million dollars is nothing compared to the free media this will generate. Going after Bonds lets all the atheletes in America know there may be consequences of their actions. When your dealing with something that is hard to stop(sterioids). Putting a certain FEAR into everyones heart is the right way to go. Destroying Grimsley and Bonds puts these guys on notice. Quit cheating!

If you want to take steriods go to the WWE!

Oh wait. You might kill your wife and son.

He's not being punished for using steroids, so I'm not sure the example point holds up.

[Gurgi]

They wanted an example. They needed an example. The story would of been over by now if he had come clean but it is better for their goals that he did not.

They want people to tremble when the feds ask them about steroids. They want people to start spilling the beans the first time they sit down with them. They want people to turn over everyone and everything rather than get caught up in this drama. They want everyone to say Giambi did the same thing why isnt he in trouble? He didnt lie.

They want to peel back all the layers of major league steroid use? What coaches supplied them? What is the distribution network? What doctors are involved? Does it go overseas?

Whats the best way to get cooperation? Pound the ones who dont help you and let the ones go who do.

[geschinger]

They wanted an example. They needed an example. The story would of been over by now if he had come clean but it is better for their goals that he did not.

They want people to tremble when the feds ask them about steroids. They want people to start spilling the beans the first time they sit down with them. They want people to turn over everyone and everything rather than get caught up in this drama. They want everyone to say Giambi did the same thing why isnt he in trouble? He didnt lie.

They want to peel back all the layers of major league steroid use? What coaches supplied them? What is the distribution network? What doctors are involved? Does it go overseas?

Whats the best way to get cooperation? Pound the ones who dont help you and let the ones go who do.

The Bonds indictment has little to do with steroids and MLB. The government doesn't care about peeling back the layers of MLB steroid use, they care about making it clear that lying to a grand jury in a federal investigation is not going to be tolerated.

[Maverick2143]

They wanted an example. They needed an example. The story would of been over by now if he had come clean but it is better for their goals that he did not.

They want people to tremble when the feds ask them about steroids. They want people to start spilling the beans the first time they sit down with them. They want people to turn over everyone and everything rather than get caught up in this drama. They want everyone to say Giambi did the same thing why isnt he in trouble? He didnt lie.

They want to peel back all the layers of major league steroid use? What coaches supplied them? What is the distribution network? What doctors are involved? Does it go overseas?

Whats the best way to get cooperation? Pound the ones who dont help you and let the ones go who do.

To be perfectly honest with you I think the Fed's could care less about steriods. What they really care about and are nailing BALCO for is the money laundering. It just works out well for them that these crooks happen to sell steriods too.

I also don't think it is about wanting to know what Bonds knows because he probably knows very little if anything. He probably knows a few players and a few of the dealers but he is most certainly is not going to be the Frank Lucas of the steriod world exposing hundreds of names.

If Bonds had just told the damn truth none of this would be happened. "Ohh what a tangled web we weave....."

[Leitch]

Well, I guess we've got a big-meanie-to-the-fans, nasty-to-the-press, homerun-hitting, black boogeyman face to put on the decade of the "Steroids in Baseball" scandal, so it's all over and we can all go back to our lives.

Oh wait, we've had him all along. What does this really accomplish? Does anyone think Barry Bonds is really going to see the inside of a cell for this? Does anyone care?

[Maverick2143]

Well, I guess we've got a big-meanie-to-the-fans, nasty-to-the-press, homerun-hitting, black boogeyman face to put on the decade of the "Steroids in Baseball" scandal, so it's all over and we can all go back to our lives.

Oh wait, we've had him all along. What does this really accomplish? Does anyone think Barry Bonds is really going to see the inside of a cell for this? Does anyone care?

Yes and Yes

Will he see a cell? I think you can almost count on it. He won't see anywhere near the 30 years that is the max but 3-5 years isn't out of the question probably half inside a federal pen and the other have on house arrest on something similar.

And absolutely I care because for the final time people this IS NOT ABOUT STERIODS. It is about going before a federal grand jury, putting your hand on the Bible, and then lying through your teeth. It is absolutely critical to our system of justice that when someone testifies before a jury those people can be certain that the witness is telling the truth. If we cannot assure this than the whole legal process becomes a sham.

[Gurgi]

You dont think this has something to do with a movement? A policy started by the speech Bush gave in the State of the Union about five years ago about steriods? People assume he is doing all sorts of manupulation of the justice department why wouldnt he tell the Attorney General to get serious about Steriods. And why wouldnt the Department officials know it was a favorite of the sitting President? Heck yes they would push on these cases. Make some noise! Thats how these things work.

If Bush decided that Korean massage pallors were a plague on the community the Justice Department would start pressing cases on prostitution in massage establishments to curry favor.

[mdguy2415]

My personal belief is everyone was doing it (steroids/PED's) from top to bottom, and the three-ring circus’ business is about to pick up. The feds got their man, and they are going to make an example out of him. He allegedly lied to the feds, and pissed on their show.

The case now isn’t about Bonds’ perjury, it’s about how he’s ruined American sports and the sanctity of a game.

Why the fuss isn’t raised about football - I have no idea.

All the moralists, talking heads, experts, etc., are coming out; however, cheating is rampant in every segment of society and people seem to be selective as to what they want to fight about and turn a blind eye to.

Sheffield, Giambi, and all the guys caught are being given a pass — thus, Bonds has sinned & is in a word of trouble not because he did drugs, but because he was arrogant, ornery and pissed off a large segment of the sporting public.

Sports is like pro wrestling now — just entertainent & the world is really messed up.

Enjoy it for what it is.

[RShack]

My personal belief is everyone was doing it (steroids/PED's) from top to bottom, and the three-ring circus’ business is about to pick up. The feds got their man, and they are going to make an example out of him. He allegedly lied to the feds, and pissed on their shows.

The case now isn’t about Bonds’ perjury, it’s about how he’s ruined American sports and the sanctity of a game.

Why the fuss isn’t raised about football - I have no idea.

All the moralists, talking heads, experts, etc., are coming out; however, cheating is rampant in every segment of society and people seem to be selective as to what they want to fight about and turn a blind eye to.

Sheffield, Giambi, and all the guys caught are being given a pass — thus, Bonds has sinned & is in a word of trouble not because he did drugs, but because he was arrogant, ornery and pissed off a large segment of the sporting public.

Sports is like pro wrestling now — just entertainent & the world is really messed up.

Enjoy it for what is.

Hard to argue with all that. I wish I could. But I can't.