Nov 18th, 2007
Will Barry Bonds Ever Play Again?
So Chip and I were in NoCal this past Thursday to visit with new SOAR Communications’ client, Ritchey Design, whose sales and marketing offices are in San Carlos, California.
After our meeting, we headed east to Sacramento to attend a hotel grand opening with project client, Rim Hospitality.
On the way, we heard the breaking news on San Francisco sports talk show leader, KNBR-AM, that a federal grand jury had issued five indictments against home run king, Barry Bonds, accusing him of lying under oath.
By now, sports fanatics and non-fans alike probably know most of the details of the alleged crimes –
- four counts of perjury, and
- one count of obstruction of justice.
If convicted on all five counts, Bonds could spend as much as 30 years in prison.
As we drove east on I-80, we heard one of Bonds’ attorneys proclaim Barry’s innocence and predict that Bonds would not spend a day in jail.
The home run king is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in San Francisco on December 7 to answer the charges.
Nevertheless, as a player without a team, Bonds may have played his last inning of professional baseball.
Why? First off, Bonds needs to focus his efforts on preparing his defense so he can stay out of jail and not worry about preparing for the 2008 Major League Baseball season.
Secondly, name me a team that would risk the distraction of signing an indicted Barry Bonds to its roster?
The Athletics? The Angels? The Royals? Any team in the American League?
I mean, think of the media firestorm that will follow Barry’s every move — at training camp, at every park his team visits, at every airport when Barry and his entourage fly into town — no way, no how.
And seriously, is there any possibility this trial will actually start (let alone finish) before April 2008, the start of next year’s campaign? Nope.
Nope, the respective owners of the various MLB teams didn’t get there by being naive or stupid, and signing Bonds to the 2008 season would be both naive and stupid.
Yup, I think Bonds’ career is over.
