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November 17, 2007

Indictment Pleases Bonds Biographer

With Barry Bonds indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice, Gelf turned to Jeff Pearlman for some insight. Pearlman, Bonds's biographer, spoke to Gelf last year about the controversial slugger. He explains why the indictment brings him pleasure, and predicts the end of Bonds's career, in the following interview, conducted by email and edited for clarity.

Gelf Magazine: Were you surprised by the indictment?

Jeff Pearlman: I was only surprised in the way one is surprised when a bird poops on your windshield. You know this sort of thing happens, but you don't know when it's gonna drop. Bonds has lied repeatedly about his history with performance enhancers, and everybody knew it. So the fact that he lied to a grand jury, and that eventually he was called on it…not surprising.

GM: Do the feds have a good case?

JP: Hard for me to say, to be honest, because I'm not a legal guy. What I do know is he undeniably took steroids and HGH. So if that's half the battle, it's half a wrap.

GM: You've said Bonds is evil. Does this indictment bring you pleasure?

JP: I know it shouldn't, but to some degree, yes. I truly believe he's contributed to the temporary downfall of the game. The record book is in shambles, and it starts with Bonds cheating to break Hank Aaron's mark. Cheaters are everywhere, and it starts with Bonds serving as a poster for what juicing can to do prolong a career. He's been the face of baseball, and the face is rotten.

GM: Will this end his career?

JP: Absolutely. It's over. Who was gonna sign a one-kneed, 40-something, pain-in-the-ass whiner before an indictment? Now, he's lucky if the Toledo Mud Hens make him the A-Rod offer.

GM: When big Bonds stories like this break, do you go check your Amazon ranking? Does it get a bump?

JP: Wait. Do you mean the Amazon ranking that appears when people go to Amazon.com and enter Love Me, Hate Me, then press enter, then selected Paperback? That Amazon? The one where I'm friggin' ranked 133,000 as we speak? Uh, never.

GM: How's your Delino Deshields book going?

JP: I'm up to Chapter 17: The Burger King Years.







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Comments

- Sports
- posted on Nov 19, 07
CGomez

I guess no one has the guts to stand up and say the obvious that McGwire and Sosa cheated the game too. It's obvious no one has hit 61 homeruns in a season since Roger Maris... not legitimately at least.

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