Buried Bonds

[Chris Shryock]

Barry Bonds’ baseball career could be over, but his career as a defendant might just be getting started

If baseball is the national pastime, despising Barry Bonds is a close second. He is to colossal jerk what Jessica Simpson is to dumb blond: indistinguishable. It’s his persona. It is who he...
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[Mike]

Chris, all I can say is GREAT ARTICLE man. You have done your homework on this one

BUT

There are some things that I can say (but I know I am going to get buried on them)

This chick is out to get Bonds! What if she is lying on the stand? She is pissed off because she lost an alimony suit against him which according to Law & Order and the different CSI shows, gives her motive to try and bring her down. Also what about the fact that she, like Jose Canseco, is trying to sell a book that she wrote on her on and off affair with Bonds. Sure she has receipts and such but: Bonds has money man and can pay for good lawyers.

The fact that the grand jury testimony leaked in both cases is one of a legal battle in the brewing. It is against the law for grand jury testimony to be public. The stories from the SF Chronicle were leaked, but it was illegal for that to happen. Any smart lawyer will have, and you watch, all that testimony thrown out in court.

The fact that Bonds may have or may not have paid taxes on $ 80,000.00 worth of unreported income is also minor. $80 K? Everyone does this all the time. Look at Willie Nelson, his was in the millions. What about Dusty Baker, he owes over $ 1 million from unreported income. The amount that you are stating that will cause Bonds to go to jail, that wont happen man.

Some of the reasons that which also make Bonds pissed off is the fact that he is treated like crap in almost every stadium across the united states. While in St. Louis last season watching the Giants/Cardinals series, fans were not only screaming obscenities towards Bonds, which I understand is valid in some cases, they were yelling racial slurs about his children, his wife, calling his daughter a whore. Wouldn’t that piss you off also? Now you cannot tell me that he did not hear it cause KP and I were sitting right on the third base line, next to this group of assholes that were yelling these obscenities. Bonds would pass within 3 feet of us coming into and out of the dugout. THAT WOULD PISS ME OFF MAN, make fun of me, call me an asshole, doper, whatever, DO NOT ATTACK MY FAMILY!!!

I know that 90% of the way Bonds is treated is his own fault and that he used steroids, even though he may have known, or may not have. Also he did not higher some trainer, the one he hired was his friend from growing up. Victor Conte has stated that he never gave steroids to Barry Bonds, NEVER.

Of course I am Pro-Bonds. I am a Giants fan, have been my whole life and want to see them win the series. I used to watch the Giants games at Candlestick by myself back in the late 70’s when I was 7. Sorry to bash your article, not a very warm welcome to the Rant. But your writing style is outstanding, both you and John.

Mike

[KP]

That was a great article! I hope you stay around and write often.

I didn't know about the phone records and receipts and all that, including resuming his affair after his second marriage. I wonder how the media made him do that?

I know an affair doesn't translate in to steriods....but the personality behind both decisions are intermingled. If the man would cheat on his wife, don't you think he'd cheat anywhere? He's not guilty simply by association or a rotten attitude...but it all sure seems to fit nicely.

One more thing...it's interesting to me that his comments about the possibility of retiring came almost immediately after McGwire's ridiculous production in Washington. Maybe Bonds saw a way out?

[Mike]

yeah it was a great article but Bonds will never see the inside of a jail, they have nothing on him and the IRS stuff is just not enough

They can never proove that he lied under oath, This chick is not too credible just like Canseco. How do we know if she is telling the truth. And to say that she has nothing to loose is a lost arguement right off the bat becuase she is promoting and selling a book

[Chris Shryock]

Mike,

A couple of things:

First of all, thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it. Now, onto your points.

1. True, to some degree, Bell's motivation is money. But let's examine why. Maybe it's because Bonds convinced her to move to Arizona, and quit her job as a graphic designer (which payed $80,000 per year). Then he bailed on making the house payments -- albeit after the down payment. She couldn't find a job in graphic design, and became the definition of house poor, since she was making mortgage payments on a bartender's wage.

So when Bonds' allegedly offered her $20,000 dollars to end everything and buy her silence, of course she didn't take it. Would you? If someone convinced you to quit your job and move away with them and told you they would cover the payments on your 207,000 dollar house, and didn't pay more than the down payment, wouldn't you want your money back?

Me too.

Bell sold the house and returned to Sanf Francisco, and when she tried to reclaim the $100,000 she lost in the move, that's is when Bonds' allegedly offered her the afore mentioned $20,000. So, she wrote a book instead, to recoup her losses. It is not as if writing books is a huge moneymaker. She will probably never see more than half a million maximum for this book. Just enough to recoup her money, pad her bank account a little to get her life back on track.

2. As far as leaked grand jury testimony. It is 100% illegal, and whoever is leaking it should be found and prosecuted. But just because it is leaked doesn't mean it isn't true.

Besides, the role of a grand jury is to indict, nothing more. So even if Bonds is indicted and all leaked tesitmony is thrown out at a possible future trial, the prosecutors would just parade the same list of witnesses back to the stand and have them restate their stories.

3. The $80,000, in and of itself is not that big of a deal. But if what Bell is saying, that Bonds' took earnings of memorabilia in cash, and then funnled the money to her in $9,000 stacks (cash transactions over $10,000 are regulated by federal law) to pay for her down payment, is corroberated by her bank statements (which were subpoened). I believe that could be considered money laundering, and if he didn't pay taxes, well, though admittedly not a huge deal by its lonesome, it could be icing on the proverbial cake, given the perjury investigation.

4. As far as people yelling racial slurs and other derogetory statements etc., at Bonds and his family, this is obviously WAY over the line. In no way shape or form do I defend that. Not even close. Call HIM a cheat, jerk, whatever, but no one's family should ever have to endure that type of verbal abuse.

5. As far as Anderson being a childhood friend, he was. We agree there. However, there are court documents suggesting that Bonds received steroids from BALCO. And court records show that Conte and BALCO VP James Valentetold investigators that Bonds received the cream and the clear. As if that isn't enough, documents seized at BALCO and Anderson's home show that Bonds' was on a long list of supplements (steroids, HGH) since 2000. Which coincidentally corroberates Kimberly Bell's testimony of when Bonds told her he began using. All this coupled with his obvious physical change, says steroid user to me. If it walks, swims, and quacks like a duck, chances are its a duck.

Otherwise, thats it. I really do appreciate your comments, and enjoy some friendly banter back and forth.

Sorry to bash your team, and your guy. But I don't think it looks very good for either right now.

[Chris Shryock]

As far as the jail-time goes. He won't get any jail time for tax evasion, not a chance. But he will if he is convicted of perjury. Lil' Kim just is facing 15 years, 5 years for every time she perjured herself, and that isn't getting reduced to a gine and community service. She is going to do time.

Just a thought.

[Mike]

Your points are all good, i need some more time to respond to them, i usually put my foot in my mouth or speak before i know what I actually want to say!!!

I hope you stick around!! and you and John both are very talented

[Ishkur]

Am I the only one who just doesn't give a shit about steroids?

[mark_chalifoux]

No, you're not. Gary Smiths story in SI confirms as much. Great work Chris

[Shane]

Originally Posted by Ishkur

Am I the only one who just doesn't give a shit about steroids?

No. You are the one having trouble with the fact that you have been outdone.

Deal with it fuckface.

[Shane]

Originally Posted by Mike

Chris, all I can say is GREAT ARTICLE man. You have done your homework on this one

BUT

There are some things that I can say (but I know I am going to get buried on them)

Probably so. It IS a good article though.

Originally Posted by Mike

This chick is out to get Bonds! What if she is lying on the stand? She is pissed off because she lost an alimony suit against him which according to Law & Order and the different CSI shows, gives her motive to try and bring her down.

Did I read that right? You are basing your argument on network TV?

Originally Posted by Mike

The fact that Bonds may have or may not have paid taxes on $ 80,000.00 worth of unreported income is also minor. $80 K? Everyone does this all the time. Look at Willie Nelson, his was in the millions. What about Dusty Baker, he owes over $ 1 million from unreported income. The amount that you are stating that will cause Bonds to go to jail, that wont happen man.

The Willie Nelson case really isn't relevant. He paid a tax consultant, that took his money and ran. So, in theory, Willie had to pay twice. And that sucks. But yeah, I see what you are saying.

Originally Posted by Mike

Some of the reasons that which also make Bonds pissed off is the fact that he is treated like crap in almost every stadium across the united states. While in St. Louis last season watching the Giants/Cardinals series, fans were not only screaming obscenities towards Bonds, which I understand is valid in some cases, they were yelling racial slurs about his children, his wife, calling his daughter a whore. Wouldn’t that piss you off also? Now you cannot tell me that he did not hear it cause KP and I were sitting right on the third base line, next to this group of assholes that were yelling these obscenities. Bonds would pass within 3 feet of us coming into and out of the dugout. THAT WOULD PISS ME OFF MAN, make fun of me, call me an asshole, doper, whatever, DO NOT ATTACK MY FAMILY!!!

While I wholeheartedly agree, I also disagree, but only to a degree. That's a lot of gree's. I am all for heckling an opposing player. I taunt goalies, make fun of forwards, and offer to give the panties of his wife back to the captain. However, there is a line, and some "fans" do cross it. It is very wrong, but the world is full of stupid people. Bonds is supposed to be a professional, and as a professional, this should not bother him no matter how bad it gets. Even if a junkie and his son jump the wall and beat up the base coach, you have to rise above that level as a professional.


I just wanted to point out to everyone, that this must be the longest post by Mike ever. I won't even highlight his 18,000 spelling errors. I am just so proud that he focused for so long.

[Ishkur]

Originally Posted by Point_Man

No. You are the one having trouble with the fact that you have been outdone.

Outdone with what?

What the hell are you talking about!?