As we move along into the second year of this new decade, it's interesting to reflect on what history will have to say about the decade that just passed, the first of not only a new century but a new millennium. Well, sports-wise, it was anything but fantastic. Looking back on the 2000s, it's tough for the front page headline not to be performance-enhancing drugs and how they tarnished not only our national pastime, but even some of our Olympic heroes, especially in track and field. It's tough to think that this won't be seen as the age of cheating, and the age of the asterisk.
PEDs have tarnished the reputations of the greatest athletes during this era; you know the list, Barry Bonds, A-Rod, Marion Jones, Mark McGwire, Floyd Landis, Sammy Sosa, and possibly even Roger Clemens and Lance Armstrong. So how will players involved in baseball, cycling and track and field especially, escape the shadow that steroids are sure to cast over them a few years from now when most will just be distant memories?
Fans are very forgiving of off-field transgressions, but when problems occur on the field, they're not quick to forget, unless athletes themselves are quick to apologize - see Andy Pettitte and even Jason Giambi. For athletes like Barry Bonds however, who fight the allegations consistently, the cheater label sticks on to them like white on rice. And that's why today, sports fans are chuckling at the fact that Bonds has a perjury trial, seven years after he told a grand jury he never knowingly took PEDs.
The sad part is, Bonds isn't even contesting the fact that he took PEDs anymore - it's been made clear by both sides in the case, that he has used steroids such as the cream and the clear - he's only contesting the accusation that he took them knowingly, which is what the perjury case is in fact about.
The case would be made easier if Bonds' former personal trainer Greg Anderson agreed to testify, which he has consistently refused to do, despite the fact that he had to serve about two weeks year in prison because of his refusal. That's not all Anderson has served time for however; back in 2005 he served three months for money laundering and guess what else ... steroid distribution. It's certainly not explicit evidence of Bonds' guilt, but it's tough to believe that Bonds would stick with Anderson if he too was not using the steroids. He certainly did not stick with Anderson during the first days of the trial; reports say that both times Anderson walked by Barry in court today, Bonds averted his eyes.
At 6:51 p.m. yesterday, Bonds' fate was handed over to a jury, which will continue deliberations on Monday. People such as his former business manager, former personal shopper, former girlfriend/mistress, and other ballplayers that Anderson gave drugs to, have all testified against Bonds, but the prosecution has reportedly been weak up until these past few days, while Bonds' defense has been impressive throughout. From a legal standpoint, it's been noted that while the prosecution had tons of witnesses, they may have not had enough actual evidence to prove Barry Bonds actually knew he was taking steroids when he told a grand jury he did not. The prosecutors have appealed to common sense, and have essentially brought the stories of all the witnesses together, but it is tough to tell whether they have actually tied the knot between them with tangible-enough evidence. So while it's common sense to presume Bonds knew what he was doing as everyone else his trainer gave steroids to did, it does not necessarily mean there is enough evidence to prove it.
It has taken a long time to get to this point, and even this trial will not be the end for mention of PED use in sports. Every year around Hall of Fame voting time, the debate will begin whether to elect players who took steroids like Barry Bonds to the Hall or not. So, Bonds not only faces the jury for his perjury trial now, but hereafter he will face a jury of sportswriters debating his Hall of Fame status and a jury of baseball fans, wondering what exactly to make of his legacy.
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