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That's Sports
If it looks like a skunk and smells like a skunk.....
Tuesday, March 9, 2004
I think the old saying applies here. If it looks like a skunk and smells like a skunk then it's a skunk. Barry Bonds has been denying the fact that he took steroids supplied by his own personal trainer, Greg Anderson.I am not privy to any information on this topic but I think the facts are pretty evident. An unnamed source told the San Francisco Chronicle that Bonds and several others including Bill Romanowski, Jasson Giambi and Gary Sheffield have been taking steroids since as far back as 2001. It is reported that Bonds is taking a human growth steroid and it wouldn't surprise me one bit.
Bonds is pulling the old "lie and deny" until they have some hard facts on him and then he will come out with the old --"other guys are doing it so I have take steroids as well to compete" or "I have a problem and I need rehab".
Bonds' former teammate Andy Van Slyke is saying that he knows almost for sure that Bonds has taken steroids and he is just using common sense. Bonds slugging percentage in Pittsburgh ranged from .416 to .624 including 1992 where he cracked out 34 homers. He went to the Giants in 1993 and the slugging percentage started to grow as did Barry. His slugging percentage grew from .677 to .749 including an unbelieveable year in 2001 with a record 73 homers and an .863 slugging percentage. That doesn't prove anything but it does raise some suspicion.
How about stolen bases? When Bonds was with the Bucs he tore up the basepaths with 32 stolen bases or more six of seven seasons. Maybe the air was a little thicker in the city by the bay and Bonds chalked up only two seasons out of ten with 32 or more stolen bases. Let's take a trip back to yesteryear and see how Bonds has done recently from let's say 2000 and on. It looks as though Bonds is really running with a piano on his back as he has only nabbed 11, 13, nine, and seven stolen bases respectively.
Hmmm? Is it the fact that Bonds is putting on the beef? I'd say probably because in those years Big Barry has smacked out a total of 213 homers. That's more dingers than some people hit in a career.
It's very interesting that Bonds has other players actually coming out and saying that they think he's been taking steroids because they are the ones with the inside track. Don't think that people don't talk in these inner circles because they do. Someone has said something and that little tidbit of information has cruised through some phone lines and through cyberspace until it eventually arrived at the Chronicle.
Greg Anderson and employees of his company are quick to deny that Barry Bonds has taken any steroids including THG which is a masking agent for steroids. It's smart on their part to protect guys like Bonds and Giambi but will they be able to protect them from guys like Romanowski.
Last year, on national television Romanowski broke down and cried about how he will be retiring and how he will be changing his lifestyle as well as showing the supplements he has taken to help him gain an edge on his opponents. Well, Romo also has this crazy streak in him and he goes off --- look at how he attacked his own player in practise and also look at how he smashed another guy after the whistle for no reason. The 'roids kicking in? I'm not sure but it sounds like something is going on in his noggen that just ain't right.
I think that Romanowski will be the weak link to everything here. My guess is that he will crack up like an egg in an omlette and blow the whistle on the whole gang. If he starts crying for a reporter what do you think he'll do to some serious questions when he doesn't have access to his filing cabinet of supplements. He will be the weakest link.
This is not the attention that baseball needs. They need to clean up their name. Remember, this is the sport that allowed Steve Howe seven chances at drug rehab. Howe got seven strikes but in this day and age Bonds, Giambi, Sheffield and Santiago might just get one strike.
If they don't hit a homerun it might be a different kind of grand slammer!
Gary Patterson was born and raised in Chatham-Kent. He grew up in Thamesville and now lives in Chatham. Patterson was Sports Director at Beaver Communications an Blackburn Radio for over 15 years. Gary is also the track announcer at Dresden Raceway as well as some appearances at Windsor Raceway. He has played all sports inclduing being a mermber of three OBA Championship baseball teams in Thamesville and has also played hockey and football. Gary still plays golf, slo-pitch and ball hockey and well as the odd game of pick up hockey. Patterson is a passionate Miami Dolphin and Michigan Wolverine football fan. Here are few other details about Gary Patterson: Favourite food: steak, chicken wings, chili or Kenny Tharp\'s famous meatloaf; Favourite non alcoholic drink : Diet Coke; Favourite drink: Scotch, Coor\'s Light; Favourite Sports team : Miami Dolphins/Michigan Wolverines/New York Yankees; Favourite Bar : Bru\'s Room Margate Florida/Pompano Beach Florida; Favourite Bartender : Tanya (Margate), Sarah (Pompano); Favourie Vacataion spot : Pompano Beach Florida; Marital Staus : married with chilren Hockey player : Curtis Jospeh/Todd Bertuzzi; Favourite Football player : Retired Dan Marino, Anthony Thomas; Favourite Basketball player : Steve Nash Favourite Baseball player : Derek Jeter; Favourite colour : Blue; Favourite TV Show : CSI Favourite movie : The Sting, Blue Brothers and Field of Dreams; Favourite song Life Been Good To Me ( Joe Walsh); Favourite Band : Tom Petty/Eagles; Favourite type of Dog: Springer Spaniel; Favourite type of Cat : NONE
