We've read through this script before. Pro Athlete X fails drug test because of lame reason Y. Of course, it is never the fault of the cheater. Whether it's a teammate, a substance the player thought followed regulations, or a vindictive masseuse (my personal favorite), athlete X is the victim. Suspensions are dolled out, excuses mocked but accepted, and X usually returns to the field. It all disintegrates due to lack of interest in the protagonist. Today the lead role got some star power. Reporter TJ Quinn of the New York Daily News has revealed that Barry Bonds failed a drug test for amphetamines in the latter half of the 2006 MLB season. Due to a labor agreement, the first failed drug test for amphetamines is supposed to be kept confidential. The players are enlisted in awareness classes, but are not subject to fines or suspensions. A second positive results in a 25 game suspension. However, Quinn unearthed Bonds' results and undoubtedly raised suspicions of his alleged steroid use.
Let's revisit the scenario above with Barry's gem. Barry Bonds fails drug test because he took the substances out of Mark Sweeney's locker. What a class act. What's with Giants and throwing teammates under the bus this year? However, there is no evidence that Sweeney failed any tests and he vehemently denied any foul play. This story comes at a critical time. The baseball world has its attention on Mark McGwire's failure to make the Hall of Fame due to the steroid cloud. Bonds is being investigated on possible perjury charges and MLB has been court-ordered to hand over drug tests from the 2003 season. It also brings to light MLB's varying policies on drug use. A first time steroid offender gets a 50 game suspension whereas amphetamine use warrants a slap in the wrist. Unfortunately, it's a not so surprising double standard.
Anabolic steroids increase muscle mass, which is why many people attribute the power surge of the late 1990s to players abuse of the substance. Amphetamines give a boost of energy and possibly additional focus. It's extremely helpful in withstanding the drain of a 162 game schedule. One reason you might think baseball would be more lenient on steroid use is the simple fact that long balls saved the sport. Officials turned a blind eye in 1998 while McGwire and Sosa salvaged the league. But now that teams are generating high revenues again, they're trying to retro-actively police the game. By enacting harsher penalties, Bud Selig is giving a "mea culpa" ten years too late.
Hidden underneath this big mess is Bonds' somewhat unclear future. Many believed he signed with the Giants, but the two sides have been hung up on the language of the contract. There is some speculation that the failed test could have huge repercussions on getting the deal finalized. Bonds currently sits 22 homeruns shy of Hank Aaron's all-time record so it would be surprising if the Giants don't break him back. Stranger things have happened. Just ask anyone who has failed a drug test.
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Reminds me of the one time I failed a drug test. In college, I borrowed the peanut butter of my roommate, Colonel Stepan. Turns out Stepan had laced his peanut butter with anobolic steroids. While I thought I was just having a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I was really enjoying a cream 'n clear cocktail which would add about 20 pounds to my bench, and find me suspended for the latter half of the Syracuse intramural seasons.
It shows that you really can't trust anyone in the arena of sports. I certainly had no reason to doubt Colonel Stepan, as I suspect Mr. Bonds had no reason to doubt Sweeney. Bonds and myself simply fell into the all-too-common pitfall of trusting those you think are trustworthy. May G-d bless Mr. Bonds in his pursuit of the record; he certainly deserves as much after Sweeney's actions.
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