Peer Pressure

Another day, another court appearance for LiLo

The East coast is covered in snow, Lindsay Lohan is in court, Chris Brown is angry and college students are partying. All of these seem to be year long occurrences, so unless you own a sun dial or an iPhone, good luck deciphering the month and date...But before you head to your nearest Apple Store, lets take one more look at the headlines...

Brackets, bubbles, TIElighters, Jayhawks, Blue Devils, Golden Bears and Eagles, Spiders and Huskies, Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery yelling about something...sounds like March Madness......
AND
Barry Bonds is on trial.

Ah, March 2011 is finally upon us.

Bonds of course holds the single season (73) and career (762)  home run records, but many believe he did so on steroids..a BIG no no..

Bonds claimed during the notorious BALCO trial that he, "Never knowingly took steroids." He thought he was being given a "flaxseed oil." Knowingly or unknowingly, Bonds admitted he took steroids. But, the federal government believes Bonds perjured himself and seeks "justice." 

And anyone that watches Law and Order (SVU, LA, Criminal Intent, Trial by Jury Conviction, UK) and I thought there were too many Survivors.....realizes a trial needs a jury.

688 times during his career, the former Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants left fielder had his fate decided for him via an intentional walk...now his fate rests in the hands of 12 jurors.



Flaxseed Oil worked?

But how does the government plan to find 12 peers to Bonds ("a jury of his peers")..

For starters, I've never met anyone with a size 9 hat....

Here are a few of the questions asked of potential jurors. And remember, the ideal juror knows as little as possible about the case, probably is not a sports fan, hasn't really heard of Bonds and can deal with the issue of steroids in a fair and impartial manner....

"Have you previously served on a jury?"
This is like a 1 vs. 16 matchup...very simple..Yes or No

"Have you ever followed trials closely on TV, radio or in the news?"
  Of course! What else was there to watch on a Thursday? Jersey Shore?..

"Do you write your own blog or post comments to another blog?"
  Unless you're familiar with Vlahos' Voice..then no.

"Have you attended a professional baseball game in the last five years?"
  I didn't realize my love of cracker jacks was admissible.....Hey, who's on trial here!?

"Should government agencies be involved with pro sports and governing the use of steroids?"
  The government should get rid of the BCS, and stop filling out brackets!

"Do you have a favorable opinion of Barry Bonds?"
   bahahahah, LOL...oh you're serious?

"Can you think of any reason that would prevent you from being a fair and impartial juror in this case?"

The last question gets at the heart of the problem.  If you've heard of Barry Bonds, it's virtually impossible not to have an opinion about him. One way or another. The man is a polarizing figure.  If you've attended a baseball game and didn't drink ten $8 beers, you have some opinion on steroids in baseball. 
During his 22-year career, Bonds had virtually no peers, so how exactly do you plan to find 12...?

By no means am I saying this trial is unfair. Ridiculous? Yes. Karma? Yes.

Nobody seemed to mind when Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire looked like professional wrestlers hitting baseballs 700 feet, but when baseball's "bad guy and malcontent" did it...Things stopped being fun..it was time to get moral. Those in support of this trial say, "We will know the truth about the Steroid Era and Barry Bonds."

What else is there to know? The players (pitchers and hitters) were on steroids, ballparks were smaller, the baseballs may have been juiced, and the bats were harder. And Bonds "admitted" he was on steroids. What else could we possibly want or need to know?

So enjoy watching the government spend our money prosecuting a BASEBALL PLAYER because he hit too many home runs on drugs....

And I thought gas prices were a waste of money.

"I am not a crook."