Bonds Fires Back at Comments by Wendell

[red007]

Lawyers for steroid defendants say Bonds in clear

By ROB GLOSTER, AP Sports Writer
February 27, 2004
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Lawyers for two of the men accused of participating in a steroid-distribution ring said Friday that baseball slugger Barry Bonds ``never took anything illegal,'' and actually rejected a questionable substance at the heart of the government's case.

The defense of Bonds, who has been accused by at least one major leaguer of taking steroids, came outside court after a pair of hearings in the case against four men charged with providing performance-enhancing substances to dozens of athletes.

``Barry Bonds never took anything illegal. He declined to take any of these illegal substances,'' said Tony Serra, the attorney for Bonds' personal trainer, Greg Anderson.

ADVERTISEMENT





Serra said Bonds ``was offered substances via the schedule,'' referring to a calendar seized from Anderson that listed doses and scheduling of substances taken by the athletes he trains.

Serra said Bonds was offered something that prosecutors have referred to in documents as ``a 'clear' steroid-like substance'' -- apparently the newly unmasked steroid THG. Serra said Bonds was offered that substance ``by two or three people'' through Anderson, but declined to try it.

Serra would not identify those other people, but said they also were involved in the case and that the substance had ``to emanate out of the lab, I would think.''

Serra was referring to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, whose founder Victor Conte and vice president James Valente are also charged with Anderson. Track coach Remi Korchemny is the fourth man indicted. All have pleaded innocent and are free on bail.

Bonds frequently has denied steroid use and no athlete has been charged in the case.

Conte's attorney also said that Bonds, one of dozens of athletes who testified before the grand jury that indicted the four men, had done nothing wrong.

``My client knows of no illegal activity that has ever been done by Barry Bonds,'' said lawyer Robert Holley. ``(Conte) would like us to go on record because of the rumors and innuendoes.''

Colorado Rockies reliever Turk Wendell said this week it was ``clear just seeing his body'' that Bonds was taking steroids.

 

[blueedwards]

so, the attorney for bond's personal trainer and childhood friend says that bonds is clean? ok, i'm convinced.

 

[stolidog]

Just look at his inflated body compared to a few years ago - Heavy lifting would make him cut but his swing would no way speed up - the juice allows him to hit 60-70 homers a year and nothing else. He is a egotistical punk that must have an asterisk next to his name for any record ever attained.

 

[VaultedTreehouse]

I love the people who think everyone isn't taking them. A lot of them are. Does anyone realize that the new Giambi is 3 hat sizes smaller this year. Hmmmmmm, that's one of the clearest signs of steroids, the size of the head. Bonds has added many sizes over the past 5 years.

 

[red007]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by stolidog88:
Just look at his inflated body compared to a few years ago - Heavy lifting would make him cut but his swing would no way speed up - the juice allows him to hit 60-70 homers a year and nothing else. He is a egotistical punk that must have an asterisk next to his name for any record ever attained.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Barry has hit over 50 home runs only once (in 2001) in his career.
Don't let the facts get in the way of the story.

 

[KennyB]

You guys that don't think that Bonds has done juice in the past are out of your fuking minds. If you take a close look at him and look at how he bulked up a couple of years ago it is OBVIOUS that he taken steroids.

Racial? That is just assinine.

 

[BillDozer]

People also have to remember that this guy was working in a lab making all kinds of new mixes.

When McGuire was playing he was taking androstein (sp) and so where my buddies I was lifting with and that stuff is now banned. Back then it was the new creatine. Barry was taking supplements but we will never know how far he crossed the line if at all.

In his defense alot of older players get motivated to make up for what they lost in their youth which is why you see slower Michael Jordans and Magic Johnsons bulked up moving to forward in the end.

 

[GMON]

Phuck Bonds......who really gives a shit what comes outta' his pie-hole.

Jimmy Leyland put the boy-brat in his place when he slapped Bonds in the head and threw him off the field.

If you don't think Bonds was gobbling the bean, your nuts.

 

[wilheim]

Smoltz calls for tougher steroid testing
Feb. 29, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Atlanta Braves closer John Smoltz called on major league baseball to adopt tougher steroid testing policies.


Saying the sport's integrity is at stake, Smoltz added Sunday that he doesn't even understand the testing policy adopted as part of the collective bargaining agreement in 2002.

"The more this becomes a monster, the more it plays into everybody's mind," Smoltz said after a spring training workout. "There's a way they should do tests. Do them the way they should be done -- not a platform that's just a smoke screen."

Last season, baseball conducted random tests for steroids and between 5 percent and 7 percent came back positive. That triggered a clause in the labor agreement that allowed players to be punished this season if they were found using steroids.

But Dick Pound, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, called the policy a "complete joke" and an "insult" to the fight against performance-enhancing drugs.

Under baseball's plan, the first positive test for steroid use would result in treatment only. A second positive would bring a fine or suspension, but a player would have to test positive five times to get a one-year suspension.

The code adopted by most Olympic sports calls for a minimum two-year ban for a first steroid positive and a lifetime ban for a second.

Smoltz doesn't think steroids are the primary reason that homers have gone up dramatically in recent years. He pointed to smaller ballparks, juiced-up baseballs and better weight training.

But Smoltz also said the issue of performance-enhacing drugs must be addressed in a more meaningful way.

"It's not right," he said. "It's not a level playing field."

Smoltz said he's never taken steroids and doesn't know of anyone who has, but he believes all players are being tainted by the transgressions of a few. He praised President Bush, former owner of the Texas Rangers, for raising the issue in his State of the Union address.

"This stuff did not just pop up out of nowhere," Smoltz said. "This controversy is not going to end until the studies and tests are done the right way."

Smoltz, the 1996 NL Cy Young Award winner, wondered at times whether certain players were using steroids. The increased power numbers only raise the suspicion.

"With some players, it's because of steroids," Smoltz said. "But it's not all because of steroids."

Four men associated with a San Francisco lab have been indicted on federal charges of providing steroids to athletes. Among them: the personal trainer for San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds.

Gary Sheffield, who played for the Braves the last two years, also testified before a grand jury that returned the indictments.

Bonds and Sheffield have denied using steroids, but Smoltz said it's time for baseball to eliminate any doubts.

"It's not good for the game. It's not good for the future of the game. It's not good for the kids who want to play this game," Smoltz said. "It sends the wrong message."



AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

 

[PanchoSanza]

I think baseball will manage this problem very carefully, in other words, don't expect any big names like Bonds or Sosa to be caught.

It was hard enough to in fans back after 1994, they don't want another black eye.

They will catch a few ham and eggers and will probably give the big stars enough warning so that they can clean their systems out.

Maybe in 5 years they will have weeded 99 % of all users out and fans will always be left to wonder who was really cheating.