Is the Media Vilifying Black Athletes?

Bonds was investigated because his name came up in an investigation of illegal distribution of steroids, just like Giambi, Bill Romanowski, Marion Jones and many others. All were granted immunity. Unlike the others, Bonds apparently lied to the grand jury. Assuming it's proven true, that's a crime. The rest admitted to steroid use and/or their connection to BALCO and were not prosecuted.

McGwire, Sosa and Palmeiro weren't connected with BALCO, hence they didn't come under the same sort of invesitgation and are not subject to prosecution. However, McGwire has become such a pariah that he was kept out of the Hall of Fame even though he clearly has Hall numbers. Palmeiro was drummed out of baseball after testing positive. And Sosa ... OK, I'll give you that one, though clearly he has a cloud over his legacy and is no longer considered the happy hero he was in the '90.

Let's review:
Testifying and helping an investigation = no prosecution
Lying to a grand jury = feds come after you

So how exactly was Bonds unfairly targeted?

 

damn you and your logic ... joe king.

 

How exactly was Bonds unfairly targeted?

In the early 1990’s, the FBI led an investigation into anabolic steroids distribution that resulted in over 70 arrests. Several high-profile players (McGwire, Canseco, and Mandarich) were implicated. However, the FBI CHOSE NOT to pursue the players.

“In hindsight, we could have gotten the big names, the problem is, where do you draw the line?” says Bill Randall, who was the FBI undercover agent during Operation Equine. “We wanted to get to the root of the problem, that’s all we were after. If we had started going after MLB players, we’d never get up to these big-time dealers.”

http://www.ergogenics.org/fbi2.html

A decade later, the BALCO investigation began with one single IRS agent digging through the trash.

Assigned to the case after a tip, Mr. Novitzky started going through the Balco trash in September 2002. The reasons for the investigation are unclear. Collecting drug samples and financial records weekly, Mr. Novitzky identified more than a dozen famous clients.
“Most federal investigations are built on cooperating witnesses,” said Nanci L. Clarence, a San Francisco defense lawyer for athletes summoned to the grand jury. “More rarely do you see Dumpster diving.”

According to several fellow agents, his motives were less than pure.

In early 2003, Mr. Novitzky had a state narcotics agent go undercover in a gym to try to befriend Mr. Anderson. The agent, Iran White, later told Playboy magazine that Mr. Novitzky was obsessed with Mr. Bonds and talked about writing a book. One of the task force agents corroborated Mr. White’s account.
To White, Novitzky -- who did not participate in this article -- seemed to have an unusual interest in the ballplayer. He mentioned Bonds frequently after a sighting or a Giants game. One day at court Novitzky struck up a conversation with White that went beyond the usual talk-radio banter.
"That Bonds. He's a great athlete," White says Novitzky told him. "You think he's on steroids?"
White took a moment before replying, in his bourbon-and-cotton voice, "I think they're all on steroids. All of our top major leaguers."
Novitzky seemed to care only about Bonds. "He's such an asshole to the press," he said. "I'd sure like to prove it."

http://www.baseballmusings.com/archives/006260.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/sports/baseball/18agent.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&ref=sports&pagewanted=all

So on one hand the feds HAD McGwire dead to rights in the early 90’s but chose not to pursue the matter (Incidentally, had they done so, one wonders how that would have changed baseball history). On the other, they spun an investigation out of NOTHING to go after Bonds. After 5 years, they may finally have him.

I’m not going to tell you Bonds is innocent. But let’s not act like everything’s above board here either.

 

thanks for stopping by creamy. hope you had a shitty thanksgiving.

 

Based on his career body of work, that last line was -- and is -- laughable.

 

What a load of crap this thread is.

 

I'm sorry but, it doesn't matter who brought it into the thread, this story...
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/sports/baseball/18agent.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&ref=sports&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin

...is a description of Captain Ahab.

 

Jeff Novitzky and Dick Pound would make a great duo.

 

Ummm.... The BALCO investigation didn't go after the players either. They were all granted immunity -- including Bonds.

Bonds didn't get into hot water legally until he allegedly lied to the grand jury.

Nice try, though.