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Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 3651
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 04:14 pm: | 
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Supersized Barry
Shadows afterword details Bonds' freakish growth
by Tom Verducci
Tuesday February 27, 2007
One year after Game of Shadows, one of the most important books of our time, the possible indictment of Barry Bonds remains unresolved, his trainer, Greg Anderson, remains loyal enough to his client to stew in prison rather than testify against him, and baseball remains hostage to the ill will Bonds generates as the face of baseball Bud Selig can't stand. The stench of stagnation is everywhere.
When will it end? Lance Williams, who authored Shadows along with Mark Fainaru-Wada, thinks the answer of whether or not Bonds will be indicted for perjury could come in the next six months.
"My gut feeling is we're going to know before the end of the season," Williams told SI.com. "I think they'll come to some resolution [on whether to indict] and we'll hear about it."
But as the book is released this week in a paperback edition with a new afterword, the most important constant in the 12-month wake of Shadows is this: Bonds has not challenged a single fact in the book. It stands as an encyclopedia of this doping era in general and of Bonds' massive doping regimen in specifics.
Bonds' attorney, Michael Rains, has thrown his share of smoke bombs to divert attention from the facts: challenging the authors' right to profit from the book (he summarily dropped the challenge, with virtually no hope of success), and now trying to demand disclosure by the feds of how much money they've spent on investigating Bonds and, ironically enough, asking them to continue spending more money in the case by continuing to pursue the identify of people who might have leaked information, though the chief leaker already has been outed.
You hear all that noise from the Bonds camp and yet most conspicuous is the silence on challenging the facts of the case. Shadows succeeded because it couched nothing and stood unchallenged. My favorite fact: the authors detail in their afterword the freakish growth of Bonds' body parts in his years with the Giants: from size 42 to a size 52 jersey; from size 10 1/2 to size 13 cleats; and from a size 7 1/8 to size 7 1/4 cap, even though he had taken to shaving his head.
"The changes in his foot and head size," they write, "were of special interest: medical experts said overuse of human growth hormone could cause an adult's extremities to begin growing, aping the symptoms of the glandular disorder acromegaly."
You cannot read the book without concluding that Bonds is one of the biggest serial dopers in sports history. So why haven't the feds dropped the hammer on his little story about how he thought he was using flaxseed oil?
Williams said he believes the prosecution team "intended to indict last season" but its boss, Kevin V. Ryan, the United States attorney for the Northern District of California, wanted Anderson's testimony against Bonds for an airtight case. But as Williams said, "Anderson has shown no intention to ever participate."
Why would Anderson continue to simmer in an East Bay, Calif., prison? In addition to protecting "his biggest and best client," Williams said, Anderson may feel double-crossed by the feds. Williams said the feds cut a plea deal with Anderson that included his cooperation in the form of testimony. Anderson objected to cooperating, and when he did so, the feds pulled the entire plea deal out from under him.
Anderson could remain in prison until January 2008 --- "when the grand jury's term expires in July and, if they wanted to be mean, they could extend [the sentence] another six months," Williams said.
Meanwhile, Williams and Fainaru-Wada may have dodged prison themselves. The reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle faced the possibility of incarceration if they did not comply with a subpoena to reveal the identity of the person or persons who provided to them leaked grand jury testimony from the BALCO case, including Bonds' flaxseed bit.
But since then, Troy L. Ellerman, a former defense lawyer for BALCO founder Victor Conte and BALCO VP James Valente, admitted he leaked the testimony to the reporters. He agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice and related charges. The subpoena compelling the reporters to testify was withdrawn last week. (The authors have not acknowledged any of their confidential sources.)
Ellerman is looking at a two-year sentence as part of a plea offer, but if the judge rejects that offer -- there is a sentencing hearing in June -- the judge could order the case to go to trial. In that scenario, Williams and Fainaru-Wada would most likely be called to testify, and they would be staring at the possibility of prison again if, as they intend, they do not testify regarding the identity of their sources.
"We're still in some jeopardy," Williams said.
Meanwhile, the decision on whether to indict Bonds no longer belongs to Ryan, who left his position Feb. 16, but to his replacement, Scott N. Schools, a former general counsel at the Justice Department.
"We can't tell what he's going to do," Williams said. "The prosecution team thought they'd had enough [to indict] before. Now the question is does he agree with that?"
Until Schools decides to indict or not, the case moves nowhere, Rains' histrionics notwithstanding. Anderson remains in lockup and Bonds remains a drag on the game. Meanwhile, the voices of Williams and Fainaru-Wada remain as free and clear as when we heard them last year.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/tom_verducci/02/27/shadows.afterwo rd/index.html
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Jackie
Regular Poster
Username: Jackie
Post Number: 465
Registered: 04-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 04:20 pm: |
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Unfortunately, steroids has the opposite effect on the gonads ! |
Doberman23
Veteran Poster
Username: Doberman23
Post Number: 823
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 04:38 pm: |
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i am so sick of the witch hunt on barry bonds, you would have thought that he was a mass murderer or something. it is amazing when congress members parlayed themselves as mr.bigballs crew but when it came down to the katrina disaster and when people brought up the war issue those balls shrunk like they where the ones on roids.
the man plays baseball and his use of steroids effects absolutely no one but himself and those that depend on him. they are spending thousands and thousands of dollars on trying to bring the man down but it won't ever happen.
in no way am i a barry bonds fan, but at this point i hope he breaks the record by mid season and then just quits. the barry bonds issue is old news and they need to spend their money, efforts, and time on something more meaningful. |
Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 3652
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 04:45 pm: |
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Right after they remove his cheating ass from the record books. Thank you. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 7520
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 04:46 pm: |
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Baseball should level the playing field by allowing all players to use steroids. |
Doberman23
Veteran Poster
Username: Doberman23
Post Number: 825
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 27, 2007 - 04:51 pm: |
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lol ... i don't care what they do, just quit showing it on espn. and by the way, just like when mark mcguire used andro , it was not against league rules. if it's not against the rules, is it cheating. GO BARRY!!!!! |
Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 3666
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 01:14 am: |
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Grand jury probe links online drug sales to pro athletes
By BRENDAN J. LYONS
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A downtown pharmacy was raided by a law enforcement task force on Tuesday, the climax of a large New York state grand jury investigation into Internet drug sales that could expose widespread illicit steroid use by professional athletes and thousands of people across the nation.
The unprecedented inquiry, led by Albany County's district attorney, has taken New York Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement agents and an Orlando-based federal task force deep inside a maze of shadowy pharmacies and Web sites that have reaped millions of dollars in profit by allegedly exploiting federal and state prescription laws, according to court records.
More than two dozen doctors, pharmacists and business owners have been, or will be, arrested in the coming days in Alabama, Texas, Florida and New York on sealed indictments charging them with various felonies for unlawfully distributing steroids and other controlled substances, records show.
Full Story:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/305292_drugraid27ww.html
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Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 1910
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 02:58 am: |
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Awwwwww....it's all hype! Berry has been hitting Golds Gym and pumping iron hard and fast. Creatine and 100 gram Whey protein shakes is the answer! |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 8590
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 5 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 07:47 am: |
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The media deified Mark McGuire when he was breaking homerun records even though he showed some very obvious signs of steriods use. In fact, when he was flatly asked had he use steriods, McGuire sheepishly avoided answering the question.
But since Barry Bonds has EXCEED everything McGuire, Babe Ruth and that every other home run hitter, he's being villified.
If Barry Bonds wants to inject steriods 'til his nuts shrivel up into raisins, that's his life and business.
And fuhk the MLB record books!
MANY of the records were established during a time when the League excluded Black and Latino players. So they're all bogus to begin with. |
Doberman23
Veteran Poster
Username: Doberman23
Post Number: 829
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 05:06 pm: |
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my sentiments exactly ..enjoy the 5 stizars.. i don't hand em' out often. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 7533
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 06:32 pm: |
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Mark McGuire has fallen out of favor with the sports world and wasn't inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame during the last balloting because of his suspected steroid use. And I was serious when I said that everybody should be allowed to use steroids if they so choose. It's really not fair for athletes who don't take performance-enhancing drugs to have to compete with those who do. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 8602
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 07:02 pm: |
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They're NOT just attempting to deny Barry Bonds the right to play ball or be inducted into the Hall of Fame. They're attempting to try/convict the man of (fricking) FELONY CRIMES.
McGuire went before the US CONGRESS and flatly REFUSED to admit to having used steroids. Yet former teammate of his Jose Canseco copped to he and McGuire having injected 'roids into each other's a$$es.
Why isn't MCGUIRE being investigated/charged with anything?
Likewise, Raphael Palmerio flatly LIED to the US CONGRESS when he said he's NEVER used steroids (mofo even had the stones to angrily POINT at Congressional committee while he did such) even though former teammates of his directly asserted he had used them.
Why isn't PALMERIO being investigated/charged with anything?
And, please, what about the corked bats, pinetar bats, amphetamines and other pharmalogical accelerators, painkillers, etc. players have used over the history of baseball to become/remain effective?
Hell. Pitcher Phil Niekro got into the Hall of Fame when it was jokingly acknowledged he illegally spit-balled his way to fame & glory.
This sh*t ain't about righteousness or justice. It's about a BLACK athlete whom the WHITE press DETESTS tearing through their favorite sport and his having the natural ability to get more from cheating than every other, mostly WHITE, cheater has gotten. |
Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 3682
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 07:36 pm: |
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It looks like Evander has been on steroids as well and I'm really disappointed. I agree that either everyone should be allowed to take steroids or no one should, and if the sports leagues have rules they should enforce them equitably. The athletes who use them should be honest about it. But the dilemma in all of that is how to accurately measure the athletes' capabilities when some are using performance enhancing drugs or growth hormones and others are "pure." The only fair thing to do is to separate the teams into those who do and those who don't. Athletic segregation.
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Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 7537
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 28, 2007 - 10:10 pm: |
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Wonder what felony crimes Barry Bonds is being accused of being guilty of?? |
Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 3687
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 - 01:02 am: |
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Complete denial
SI: Holyfield allegedly received steroids, HGH via alias
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Sports Illustrated reporters Luis Fernando Llosa and L. Jon Wertheim are tracking the investigation of an illegal steroid distribution network that has implicated pro athletes. On Tuesday, they accompanied agents on a coordinated raid of an Orlando compound pharmacy and a Jupiter, Fla., "anti-aging" clinic that investigators allege conspired to fraudulently prescribe steroids, human growth hormone and other performance enhancing drugs over the Internet.
SI.com: In addition to major league outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., another prominent athlete whose name has surfaced in media reports is Evander Holyfield, the four-time heavyweight boxing champ. What do you know about his situation?
Llosa/Wertheim: Ironically, Holyfield's name does not appear in the law enforcement documents we reviewed. However, a patient by the name of "Evan Fields" caught investigators' attention. "Fields" shares the same birth date as Holyfield -- Oct. 19, 1962. The listed address for "Fields" was 794 Evander, Fairfield, Ga. 30213. Holyfield has a very similar address. When we called the phone number that, according to the documents, was associated with the "Fields" prescription, Holyfield answered.
SI.com: Is he tied to raids of compound pharmacies and "anti-aging" clinics as well?
Llosa/Wertheim: This case appears to be a little different. Rather than using the internet and receiving the prescriptions through the mail, "Fields" allegedly picked them up from a private Georgia urologist whose offices were raided as part of this ongoing investigation. But authorities tell us the drugs came from Applied Pharmacy, the Mobile, Ala., compound pharmacy the DEA raided last fall.
SI.com: Do you know which drugs were involved?
Llosa/Wertheim: According the records we reviewed, in June 2004, the individual that authorities believe to be Holyfield picked up three vials of testosterone, two vials of Glukor (a drug believed to be used during and after steroid cycles) and injection supplies. Less than a week later, according to the document, he picked up five vials of Saizen, a brand of human growth hormone (HGH), and related supplies. In Sept. 2004, he returned for a follow-up visit for hypogonadism.
SI.com: Does Holyfield have an explanation?
Llosa/Wertheim: We contacted him today. He denied knowledge and offered to get back to us, which he never did. He did, however, release a statement through Main Events, the boxing promotion company. "I do not use steroids. I have never used steroids. I resent that my name has been linked to known steroid users by sources who refuse to be identified in order to generate publicity for their investigation. I'm disappointed that certain members of the media fell for this ploy and chose to use my name in headlines and publish my photo alongside stories ... about an investigation into a practice that has nothing to do with me or what I stand for."
SI.com: At 44, Holyfield is still fighting. What is boxing's policy with respect to steroids and HGH?
Llosa/Wertheim: Most commissions do ban steroids and HGH. But again -- and we can't stress this enough -- this investigation is about the chain of supply and this network. It's not about which athletes are or aren't using performance-enhancing drugs. The document makes no assertion that Holyfield used the drugs that he is alleged to have received.
Boxing is not like other sports where there is a league and union that agrees on standard policies such as drug testing. In boxing, anti-doping rules can vary by state commission. We spoke with several officials with the Nevada Athletic Commission, and while HGH is on a list of banned substances, boxers are not tested for it. Marc Ratner, the former head of the Nevada commission, also told us that boxers are only tested when they fight -- not out of competition. Still, a number of fighters in recent years, including James Toney and Fernando Vargas, have been sanctioned for using performance-enhancing drugs, serving suspensions of 90 days and nine months, respectively.
SI.com: Has Holyfield's name come up before?
Llosa/Wertheim: He has never tested positive. However Dr. Margaret Goodman, chairman of the medical advisory board of Nevada Athletic Commission, says that as early as 1994, when Holyfield fought Michael Moorer and suffered heart problems, the medical arm of the Commission questioned Holyfield about possible HGH use. "There were questions [because] the abnormalities Evander had with his heart were findings that could have been consistent with growth hormone use. The problem was there was no test and Evander denied any use of growth hormone."
Goodman went on to say that she believes that use of HGH is widespread in the sport. "I think it's readily available and used in boxing," she says. "I think we should have adopted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards years ago. Boxing continues to hide its head in the sand that there's a problem with anabolic steroids and drugs like growth hormone -- and also substances like clenbuterol that guys are using in combination with growth hormone and anabolic steroids to give them an unfair advantage."
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/more/02/28/holyfield/index.html
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