By David Heiller

I could hardly believe what I was reading in the sports section last week.

Barry Bonds, the famous baseball player for the San Francisco Giants, told reporters that he was tired.

ìYou wanted me to jump off the bridge. I finally have jumped,î he said. ìYou wanted to bring me down, youíve finally brought me and my family down. Finally done it. From everybody, all of you. So now pick a different person. Iím done.î

I guess it isnít just politicians who blame the media.

Bonds is being questioned about his alleged use of steroids, and he is being questioned about his sore knee, and how it will fare this year.

Thereís a lot at stake with both of those issues, because he has 703 home runs, which is just 11 shy of Babe Ruthís record, and 52 from Hank Aaronís.

So baseball fans are asking themselves how his knee is, and they are asking a much bigger question of how his alleged steroid use affected his home run production in the past.

Notice I said alleged. I normally only use that work in my police stories. But sports and crime are not that far apart sometimes.

Maybe thatís what set Barry on his tantrum. Heís being questioned and viewed as a criminal of sorts by many in the baseball world, at a time when he feels he should be lauded for approaching one of the most sacred of baseball records.

My disgust with his comments last week stem from two things. One, he got himself into this mess. He admitted using products obtained by a known steroids dealer (my police story would use the words ìknown drug dealerî). He thought he was rubbing on flaxseed oil and arthritic balm. Um, sure, Barry, Right. Did the dog eat your homework too?

Two, Barry Bonds is a very wealthy man. His two-year contract with the Giants is for $36 million. Think about that. A grown man plays a game for a living, he makes $112,500 per game, and he is complaining about how he is being treated? He is complaining about a sore knee? Iíll take a sore knee for that salary!

Our news is dominated by real tragedies. Soldiers are dying at war. Students are dying in school shootings. Kids are kidnapped and killed. The list is literally endless. And Barry Bonds is saying that he canít take it anymore, that heís finally been ìbrought down.î

Unbelievable.

Itís enough to make a person dislike sports. But that wonít happen for me. Iíll follow the Twins, who are a very good team, with good leadership and not a Barry Bonds in sight. Baseball is a great sport, and itís bigger than one person. It needs to get its steroid policy is place, and that is finally happening.

But Iíd still like to give Mr Bonds some advice. Hereís how you answer those nagging reporters, Barry:

ìIíve got nothing to complain about. Iíve been blessed to be able to do what I have done. I make a very good living at it. My goal is to give the fans their moneyís worth. Baseball is a pastime, recreation, entertainment. Iím going to do the best I can. And Iím going to do it without cheating.î

Words weíll never hear.

Go Twins!

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