RE: The indictment of Bonds is just plain wrong ESPN.com Article

To Jemelle Hill,

I completely disagree with your point of view in the article on ESPN.com that you expressed about Barry Bonds.

And despite the fact that you are saying that you do not advocate telling lies to the federal government you are in fact saying that Bonds should not be punished for doing just that.

To me the difference between Conte, McGwire, Palmeiro and then Bonds is that the other three chose to plead the 5th amendment right to freedom from self incrimination. Had Bonds done the same he would have been treated in a similiar manner. Instead he chose to defy the authorities at the highest level. A lie is not a lie in Federal Court....it is a crime. In terms of the "obstruction to justice" charge, Bonds deserves that as well. Conte, Palmeiro, McGwire did not obstruct justice because they did not lie. They instead refused to speak about it and that would force the authorities to prove it. As far as Palmeiro and McGwire are concerned, the federal governments is not spending money investigating them because THEY HAVE NOT BEEN LINKED TO BALCO. Bonds caused the federal government to spend more money, time, and effort by not telling what he knows about a federal case because he wanted to protect his own interests just like the others. THE ONE EXCEPTION is that instead of keeping quiet and refusing to self-incriminate...he LIED. His lies are what caused the obstruction. Additionally, his choices to preserve the self caused the the federal government time, money and effort by forcing them go without his testimoney in order to build a case against BALCO and Conte. Yes...Bonds would have caused them to spend these same resources had he pleaded the fifth but it is not up to Barry Bonds to dictate when the federal government should spend that money. By telling lies he FORCED them to spend more.

In short, EVERY American has the right to the 5th Amendment, black, white, hispanic(like myself) or any other race. NO American of any race has the right to lie about his or her involvement in a federal investigation.

Justice is being served at all levels.

Correction...Only MLB Has Lost It's Mind

There is no more polarizing topic or question in sports right now than steroids in the Major Leagues. From my recent rant about Sutcliffe to the ever present fact that Barry Bonds will soon pass Hank Aaron for the greatest record in all of sports, Major League Baseball is the center of the sports world. But it is not baseball that has lost its mind here folks...it's just the professionals.

Growing up in an urban area with a backyard the size of a mini-cooper my brother and I had very little room in the backyard to practice sports. My father put up a basketball hoop which consisted of plywood attached to a 4x4 with a rim on it. That soon gave way to the old school metal beam and synthetic backboard. But the true prized possession of the yard was what gave us the best bonding experience kids can have...the game of baseball. With a rule book and a ruler in hand we measured out the yard to see how much space we had....45 ft...on the diagonal. Sensing our excitement, my father, once again putting himself to work for the betterment of us, built a little league pitchers mound and made a plywood plate (probably from the old backboard) and we were in heaven.

From that day forward, at the age of 7, I completely forgot that we were surrounded by condemned homes and daily drug deals. Instead, we were surrounded by baseball and the world was good. Everyday two things happened in my home after homework until the age of 14 when my brother went off to college...foul shots and pitching. Once we got older the old 41' head/torso game replaced pitching in the World Series for the Red Sox EVERYDAY (and we never lost). I learned more about baseball in that tiny backyard than I did anywhere else but I also learned so much more about morality, honesty, and dedication. What I certainly wasn't concerned about was bettering myself artificially.

Currently, I have the privilege of helping out with my soon to be step-sons farm league team (7-8 year olds). Every day that I see these little guys and gals eat up the game that I myself have loved to play for decades, I am inspired. I see the simple joy in catching a ball, joining a team, striking out swinging instead of getting called out on strikes OR just getting the ball to first base IF a play is made in the field regardless of if first was where I should have thrown the ball. Today I volunteered to umpire and the picture threw A strike and turned and smiled at his mother. In short, I get to see baseball.

There are times when I get wrapped up in the rivalry, sports talk shows or whatever else in the sporting world seems to be the hottest item. But I sleep better tonight because I can rest assured that baseball in its truest form exists all throughout America. The basics haven't changed in a century and chances are they never will. So while we watch Barry Bonds on television break the most hallowed record in sports, do not be saddened, depressed or even the slightest bit angered. Instead, rejoice...because all you have to do to see baseball at its best is take a quick drive to your local farm league park or take a look out of your back window and watch what baseball was, is, and always will be.