Barry Will Need A Bond After This One

I felt I had to post on this one, although I don't have that much to add yet because I haven't read the full indictment. I promise to do that over the weekend and give a more "expert" take (ha!) on each charge.

In the meantime, the news is that after 4 years of togetherness, a federal grand jury in California finally decided on Thursday that there is enough evidence to issue an indictment against the MLB home run record-breaking San Francisco Giants player Barry Lamar Bonds.

The indictment is for four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice. Several people have inquired as to what obstruction of justice means. The best way I can describe it is that it is what it is - you are being accused of obstructing justice. Yes, it is that broad. I'd call it the catch-all crime. It can involve any number of acts, typically getting in the way of some official investigation by lying, omitting, destroying evidence. Just generally getting in the way of "justice" being served.

The circumstances of Mr. Bonds indictment involve his alleged lies, omissions, etc. to federal investigators when he was under oath (perjury) and during the course of the federal investigation (obstruction) about his relationship with the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (better known as BALCO) and several people connected to it (most notably, trainer Greg Anderson), involving Bonds usage of and hooking up of others with steroids. Anderson was just released today after serving time for his refusal to snitch on Bonds when subpoenaed to do so (called being held in "contempt of court"). Was that a coincidence? Not clear just yet.

So now Bonds is looking at a maximum of 30 years for these four offenses. I am sure he will get nothing close to that, if any time at all, but again, let me read the indictment.

If these charges stick, expect him to be stripped of his home run record, among other things. They're saying his career is virtually over.

I tell ya. It's not the drugs that get you in trouble. It's the lying about them. Every time. Ricky Williams didn't lie about it, and now he's back playing with the Miami Dolphins.

When will they learn?