Barry Bonds – Steroids, Balco, and the Truth – Not Just the Cream

A new report on Sports Illustrated’s web site shows the sordid truth of his true dependence on steroids in his vain attempt to pass Babe Ruth and Henry Aaron for the home run record in major league baseball. The combination of steroids, human growth hormones, and other strength enhancers is horrifying,

…when Bonds broke Mark McGwire’s single-season home-run record (70) by belting 73, Bonds was using two designer steroids referred to as the Cream and the Clear, as well as insulin, human growth hormone, testosterone decanoate (a fast-acting steroid known as Mexican beans) and trenbolone, a steroid created to improve the muscle quality of cattle.

BALCO tracked Bonds’ usage with doping calendars and folders — detailing drugs, quantities, intervals and Bonds’ testosterone levels — that wound up in the hands of federal agents upon their Sept. 3, 2003 raid of the Burlingame, Calif., business.

But, wait, it gets worse.

According to the book, Bonds gulped as many as 20 pills at a time and was so deeply reliant on his regimen that he ordered Anderson to start “cycles” — a prescribed period of steroid use lasting about three weeks — even when he was not due to begin one. Steroid users typically stop usage for a week or two periodically to allow the body to continue to produce natural testosterone; otherwise, such production diminishes or ceases with the continued introduction of synthetic forms of the muscle-building hormone.

Bonds called for the re-starting of cycles when he felt his energy and power start to drop. If Anderson told Bonds he was not due for another cycle, the authors write, Bonds would tell him, “F— off, I’ll do it myself.”

Here is a man who is trying to set the home run record and be the greatest of all time. This is not the role model I want my young boys to following. Major League Baseball needs to step up and address this issue forcefully.

Between Mark Maguire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro , and Barry Bonds abuses of steroids, how are the fan to trust anything in baseball. And baseballs greatest asset was the fun with statistics that everyone would follow. Ruth and Aaron’s home run records, Gehrig’s consecutive hitting streak, and  Cal Ripkin, Jr. consecutive games played are all things that baseball fans know and treasure.

And then these idiots destroy the trust we have as fans, and make the records empty shells.

To paraphrase a politician, “I knew Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds, you are no Hank Aaron.”