Steroid Nation

Superstar steroid investigator Jeff Novitzky traded from the IRS to the FDA

Superstar steroid investigator Jeff Novitzky, the investigative heavyweight behind the BALCO probe, appears to be traded from the IRS team to Team FDA.   The New York Times covers this story:

Jeff Novitzky, the federal agent whose investigation into performance-enhancing substances has exposed cheating in professional sports, left the Internal Revenue Service recently and joined the Food and Drug Administration to focus on the distribution of illegal drugs, according to an F.D.A. official and two lawyers who were briefed on the change.

Novitzky has joined the F.D.A. Office of Criminal Investigations as a special agent with all the same investigative powers he had during his 15 years with the I.R.S., the lawyers said.

Novitzky will remain based in the Bay Area and continue to work closely with the United States attorney’s office in the Northern District of California, the lawyers said. One of the lawyers said the F.D.A., which has fewer agents than the I.R.S., had been courting Novitzky for some time because of his work as the lead investigator on the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative case. So far, eight people have pleaded guilty in connection with the Balco investigation, including the track star Marion Jones.

Despite the trade, Novitzky will remain in the Bay Area.  Already in the FDA lineup, Novitzky was swatting at Jose Canseco:

Novitzky and two other federal agents were in Los Angeles on Tuesday to interview José Canseco in connection with their investigation into Miguel Tejada and Clemens, who are suspected of making false statements as part of separate Congressional investigations into the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Canseco was questioned for three hours, his lawyer, Greg S. Emerson, said in a telephone interview. He said Canseco was questioned about “the things we expected.”

Why did Novitzky jump teams from IRS to FDA.  Appears that a career advancement might be one issue, as well as joining a team with more talent, and better hitters in the lineup.

“I think it would give him more exposure to just doing that type of work,” Sparlin said by telephone Tuesday. He added: “For Jeff to go as far as he did in Balco was a stretch for the I.R.S., too. I think he was allowed to go a lot further than he would otherwise because of the impact.”

F.D.A. investigators work with grand juries and use subpoenas. False statements to an F.D.A. agent are no different under federal law from false statements to an I.R.S. agent; the track coach Trevor Graham, who is charged with three counts of making false statements to Novitzky, goes on trial May 19.

The F.D.A. office was involved in Operation Raw Deal, which resulted in 124 arrests in September. That case focused on human growth hormone and steroids coming from China to underground labs in the United States.

There are no reports about salaries, arbitration, trade details, or contracts.  We expect Novitzky to hit cleanup for the FDA.  There were some rumblings that Novitzky was using HGH to increase his power, however these should be quickly dismissed...

 

Daily Steroid Briefing

1.  Questions about David Ortiz's huge increase in production when he came to Boston (Staten Island Advance)

2.  Barry Bonds legal woes not so bad (Times Herald-Record)

3. Iowa coach Mike Zadick responds to reprimand (Great Falls Tribune)

4.  Ex-TCU sprinter, Olympia, and Jamaican coach Raymond Jackson denies steroid rumors. (Jamaican Observer)

Daily Steroid Briefing

1.  Marion Jones's teammates to lose Sydney medals; whose crying now.  (AFP)  (How about the San Francisco Giants?)

2.  Michigan's Mario Manningham played 'high'.  The state of NCAA drug testing.  (Freep)

3.  It's all about winning in the USJCA  (US Jock Culture of America)(USA Today)

4.  Scientists admit to cerebral bench-presses and brain PEDs.  (Breitbart)

5.  Cockfighters bribed lawmaker.  [post your own pun here].  (Knoxnews)

6.  New York City cops to submit to steroid tests.  Start boning up on those Tyler Hamilton excuses.  (NY Daily News)

7.  Which celebrities juice? (Cracked.com)

Daily Steroid Briefing

1.  Topps predicted baseball's steroid era with 'Big Head' Bonds, Clemens, Palmeiro...  (Fan IQ)

2.  Victor Conte again says Shane Mosley took 'roids.  (LA Times)

3.  Plano TX man says Saints lineman Matt Lehr distributed steroids.  (KFAA-TV)

4.  University of San Diego reporter considered steroids to improve softball home run swing (Volante Online)

Barry Bonds: Willie Mays the 'honorary' Godfather

We came across a Forbes story from San Francisco, again about the absence of slugger Barry Bonds from the Giant's lineup.  The story carried this line:

Willie Mays, the Giants' greatest player, has streets and statues dedicated to him across the city of San Francisco, but he was already an MVP and World Series winner with the New York Giants before he came to the Bay area. Barry Bonds, Mays' godson, who came up in San Francisco, was our great hope--that explains our unconditional support through the steroids scandal.

How many times have you read that Barry Bonds's godfather is Willie Mays?   Well, does anyone check references on this.

From the Encyclopedia of Fun and Trivia:

Who is Barry Bonds' godfather?

Barry Bonds Bonanza (areidcowell)

Willie Mays. Mays, Banks, and Paige are all in the Hall of Fame.  Bobby is Barry's father.

 

Typical.  Do a Google search on "Barry Bonds" and "Godfather"  You will find over and over again that Willie Mays is the 'godfather' of Barry Bonds.  Check the facts.

Barry Bonds was born on 24-July-1964 in Riverside, CA.  His father Bobby Bonds (to the left) just graduated from Riverside Polytech High School (with Dusty Baker) where he was an 1964 All-American in track, and an All-State baseball player and All-State football player (drafted in 1965 by the NFL).  Bonds spent the summer of 1964 in the Carolina League where he was player of the year.

Bobby Bonds first MLB game with the San Francisco Gaints was June 26, 1968, in which he hit a grand slam home run.  Bonds probably became closer to Willie Mays in the 1969 season, when he consistently played left field next to Willie, who was in center.

According to Jeff Pearlman in "Love Me Hate Me, Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero" (on Page 26), Willie Mays was not actually Barry Bonds's godfather, but his "honorary" godfather.

Barry Bonds was born to a freshly graduated Riverside CA athlete.  Bobby Bonds -- Barry's father -- didn't break into the major leagues until 1968 when Barry was almost 4; Bobby was in the minor leagues when Barry was born.  Likely Bobby Bonds didn't meet Willie May until he spent some time in San Francisco with the major league team.  However, it is universally written that Willie Mays is Barry Bonds 'godfather'.  Willie Mays would be Barry Bonds 'honorary godfather' and from what we can tell, not the man who 'stood' for Bonds at his baptism (unless he was baptized at age 4 or later).

This might be like the Italian 'godfather' and 'cousin' in the Mafia sense.

Late Daily Steroid Briefing

1.  The San Francisco Giants take stock of loss of Bonds  (NY Times)

2. Interview with ex-Senator George Mitchell, of the infamous Mitchell Report.  He delayed treatment for prostrate cancer until after the MLB steroid report was published (Trading Markets)

3. New Jersey pumps up steroid testing for kids (1010 WINS)

4. A Utah station says high school use of steroids is epidemic (CDC disagrees) (ABC 4)

5.  Duke newspaper says good riddance to old athletic director Joe Alleva, who resigned to take the position at LSU.  Sites failure to be honest about steroid abuse on Duke baseball team.  (Duke Chronicle)

6.  Ibuprofen and Tylenol as PEDs?  Study says yes. (Physorg)

Daily Steroid Briefing

1.  New York City cops get lecture on steroids.  (NY1 News)

2.  Gilbert Arenas does not have freedom of speech about Roger Clemens and steroids (AOL Sports)

3.  Barry Bonds might still be swatting at balls this year.  (Trading Markets)

4.  WADA plans on testing for HGH during the Olympics in China.  (ESPN)

5. Rafael Nadal, looking really buff for a tennis player in Florida tournament.  (Palm Beach Post)(Go out and hit)

Tammy Thomas trial goes to jury

The Tammy Thomas trial goes to jury in San Francisco.  (Bloomberg)

``This case is about holding Ms. Thomas responsible for those false statements,'' Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Nedrow told a San Francisco federal jury today. ``This prosecution is not about steroids, it's not about sports. You cannot go into the grand jury and make false statements.''    

Thomas is also charged with obstructing the federal probe. Prosecutors said Thomas was the link between Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative, a lab known as Balco, and Patrick Arnold, an Illinois chemist who made drugs for the lab.    

Her lawyers say she testified truthfully, any substances she took were legal at the time she took them and her testimony wasn't material to the grand jury probe.

To convict her, jurors have to agree that her testimony was material, or could have influenced the grand jury, according to the judge's instructions.    

``The government has miscast this case. They told you that the Balco grand jury was investing Patrick Arnold,'' Thomas lawyer Ethan Balogh told the jury. ``We know the Balco grand jury wasn't investigating Patrick Arnold'' because prosecutors already had evidence against him...

Thomas faces as much as three years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the false statement charges and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for obstruction of justice.

Interesting the burden of proof placed on prosecutors.

Also interesting that the prosecutors argued the drugs were legal.  THG was nowhere near legal at that time.  Patrick Arnold -- who synthesized the steroid -- never went through a single phase of testing from basic animal studies, to animal and human toxicology, to pharmacokinetics, to human clinical trials.  Not one phase.  That is ludicrous to say this drug was legal.   It irritates this writer that a lawyer would argue that point in court without his tongue turning black and his eyes bleeding out.  As ludicrous as a woman shaving every morning, not thinking she is taking an anabolic androgenic steroid.

However, juries do not hinge deliberations on the issue of ludicrous statements.  We await the verdict.  So does Barry Bonds.

Lawyers press IRS agent Novitzky in Tammy Thomas trial

So you can lie to investigators if there exists other evidence, right?

So the government should not concern itself with the integrity of professional sports?

Those are the hind-sight arguments of Tammy Thomas's legal team in the BALCO-perjury trial ongoing in San Francisco.  The San Jose Mercury-News and the New York Daily News cover the case.

Internal Revenue Service agent Jeff Novitzky, for the past five years on the hunt for steroids in sports, faced his first hostile questioning for his role in BALCO as he testified in the perjury trial of former world-class cyclist Tammy Thomas. Novitzky has put the squeeze on superstars ranging from former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds to Olympic track and field star Marion Jones, but he spent the second day of his testimony in Thomas' trial fending off suggestions that he abused his power as a criminal investigator to clean up doping in sports.

Ethan Balogh, Thomas' lawyer, cross-examined Novitzky on whether he improperly transformed his investigation into BALCO's steroids ring into a crusade against steroid use in sports. The San Jose-based agent repeatedly was questioned about the federal government's motivation for hauling athletes before the BALCO grand jury in 2003, and why an IRS agent who ordinarily focuses on financial investigations would be cut loose to probe the sports world's doping problems.

The agent did not budge from his earlier assertions that investigators needed the testimony of Thomas and other athletes to determine BALCO's reach.

"Your goal was not to investigate violations of the rules of sport, correct?" Balogh asked.

"Correct," Novitzky replied.

"Your goal was not to clean up the record books?" Balogh

"That's correct," the agent said

Incredible how arguments can be pulled in from ethical outer space that appear to be pushing a point -- but a  ridiculous point -- that  the government 's inquiry was a witch-hunt (except in this case there are real witches), and that there was enough evidence to convict BALCO of drug charges without Thomas's truthful testimony.  Thus, Thomas's truthful answers were superfluous.

In other words the US government, elected by the people and governing for the benefit of the electorate should never concern itself with drug abuse, sports fraud, money laundering, integrity in sports, cheating, and lying.  That concept is laughable, and frankly dangerous...however far too common.

Further, the attorneys posit that lying to investigators constitutes no crime if in the lawyer's opinion the evidence (in hindsight) was already sufficient.  Again, ridiculous.

Thomas -- an obvious anabolic steroid abuser who cheated competitors to win medals by abusing  hormones -- could have avoided this entire episode by simply telling investigators the embarrassing truth.  Damn, that truth is so inconvenient.  Thomas dishonored her sport and herself by taking so many hormones that she needed to shave in the morning, pluck hairs from her chest, and take voice lessons as a baritone before beating her competitors.

That anyone defends cheating, or suggests fans don't really care about integrity of games, seems inexplicably illogical unless one understands there is a segment of the public, whose moral compass simply spins bizarrely out of control.  Anything goes if money and fame are on the line.  Is this the 'Tonya Harding' defense of PED use?

Any fan attending a MLB game last year to hear the boos for Barry Bonds -- many coming from kids -- will understand that even young fans understand concepts like cheating and lying.  It appears it takes the adults to mount a disingenuous theory on why lying and cheating and scheming are acceptable among intelligent people.  (more after the jump)
 

IRS Agent Jeff Novitzky testifies in Tammy Thomas BALCO perjury trial

BALCO superstar investigator Jeff Novitzky be testifying at the San Francisco perjury case of Tammy Thomas yesterday (links here and here).  Notable for several reasons, Novitzky will be busy this year laying down the truth about the BALCO investigation.  Novitzky's determination brought down Victor Conte's BALCO steroid and HGH distribution center.  He will also be talking Barry Bonds sometime later this year when the ex-Giant slugger goes on trial for similar perjury trials related to the BALCO investigation.  To the AP:

The federal agent whose hunches helped spark the government's probe of Barry Bonds and the BALCO steroids-distribution ring testified publicly for the first time Thursday about his detective work — from picking through trash to analyzing bank databases.

Jeff Novitzky, an IRS special agent, dangled hints about sports figures touched by the federal government's investigation of performance-enhancing drugs in sports, but at the direction of prosecutors, identified none. On eight occasions, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Nedrow directed Novitzky to describe his investigation without naming names.

The testimony came on the fourth day of the perjury and obstruction of justice trial of cyclist Tammy Thomas, who's charged with lying to a grand jury, thereby hampering the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative investigation.

Barry Bonds' legal team is expected to monitor the trial closely, because the home run king faces nearly identical charges.

Novitzky described surveillance in 2003 of elite athletes coming and going from BALCO, the Burlingame business at the scandal's center. One unidentified person went from BALCO "directly to Pacific Bell Park, I think it was called at the time," referring to the stadium where the San Francisco Giants play, now called AT&T Park.

"The majority of the athletes were from the sport of track and field, but there were athletes from baseball, football," ranging from well-known to obscure athletes, Novitzky said. Some of their jerseys hung on the wall of BALCO's gym, he said.

Why did the IRS become interested in BALCO?

Novitzky, testifying as part of the prosecution's case, looked directly at the jury of San Francisco Bay area residents and told them he, too, is from this region. He said he became aware of BALCO founder Victor Conte in the late 1980s as Conte's nutritional supplements gained visibility.

Years later, Novitzky noted Conte defended track star C.J. Hunter after Hunter tested positive for doping. "It sparked my interest," Novitzky said.

Large financial transactions then solidified the IRS interest (money laundering drug money; and more on dirty laundry after the jump)

Good steroids, bad business, big Barry Bonds: Tammy Thomas trial touches on THG

Testimony in the Tammy Thomas-BALCO perjury trial turned to basic business yesterday.  And talked your basic Barry Bonds too.  Bonds, Marion Jones, and Jason Giambi received huge bang for their bucks according to testimony.

Patrick Arnold -- who has to know about as much about anabolic steroids as anyone on the planet -- and his ex-girlfriend talked to the jury.  Kelcey Dalton confided that Arnold gave his then-undetectable AAS -- the Clear -- to athletes including Marion Jones, CJ Hunter and Barry Bonds.  However as adroit as Arnold appeared in synthesizing steroids, he appeared clumsy in business acumen.

"Here's the thing: the stuff was so strong, man," said Kelcey Dalton, who helped market the substances developed and manufactured by Patrick Arnold, her then-boyfriend.

Arnold, a chemist, invented some of the steroids at the heart of a drugs and sports scandal in which Thomas is the first person being tried.

Dalton, testifying on the third day of Thomas' trial, said Arnold told her that athletes and trainers were reporting in the early 2000s they would use "really minute doses" of the steroids because doing so would minimize side effects, and "because they were so strong."

Holding her thumb and forefinger three inches apart to represent a small vial, Dalton said such a container would fetch $10-$20. "Marion Jones split it with C.J. Hunter and it lasted six months," Dalton said, referring to the track and field stars later disgraced for doping.

The sums of money Arnold was making were "very low," she said. "I think we should have charged more."

Considering the results that THG produced -- world records in the 100M dash, many Olympic gold medals, single season and career MLB home run records -- these were bargain basement prices.

Previous reports indicated Arnold re-discovered norbolethone (Genabol), a previously Wyeth synthesized AAS.  When this drug became detectable he synthesized Tetrahydrogestrinone, or THG

...chemical modification of gestrinone, a drug used in Europe to treat a gynecologic condition. THG also is very closely related to trenbolone, a controlled substance used to bulk up cattle.

Many of the finest people allegedly used THG: Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, Jason Giambi, Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery, CJ Hunter, & Kelli White.

Dalton suggested as much:

During her testimony, Dalton also said she heard Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative founder Victor Conte say he had provided steroids to Jones, imprisoned earlier this month for lying to investigators about doping and her role in a check-fraud scheme; and to home run king Barry Bonds.

(more after the jump)

See you in steroid court

Maybe the USA should open steroid courts -- like small claims court or divorce court, only hearings on steroids and PED legal issues.  Today's docket:

1.  The federal prosecutor did not dismiss perjury charges against Tammy Thomas, former elite cyclist involved in BALCO,  Thomas is charged with being less than truthful. 

2.  The Binghamton University student newspaper says Congressional hearings are justified.

I’ve heard a lot of people complaining about the congressional hearings held last month regarding the use of steroids in Major League Baseball, and I’m very disappointed with the views being expressed by many of the people I’ve spoken to.

There is a widely held sentiment that the hearings were a waste of valuable time and resources which Congress could have diverted to more worthy causes, such as the war in Iraq and the faltering economy at home. To propose that Congress should focus only on the major campaign issues such as war and the economy is simply irresponsible.

I understand the desire to focus on big-picture issues. There are certainly millions of average Americans wondering whether or not they will be employed next month and how many more troops are going to die today. But Congress can only do so much to affect either of these issues on a given day. Members of Congress can’t physically bring peace to Iraq — they can’t just pack their bags and ship off to strengthen the surge.

Hear-hear!

3.  The Tampa Bay Fox outlet is wondering if local deputies are juicing?

The investigation will begin Monday where the controversy began: inside the Orient Road Jail, in the same booking area where all but one of seven inmate abuse complaints against deputies came from.

Dr. James Sewell, one of Florida's best known lawmen, will lead the top to bottom review, and he says no punches will be pulled.

"I think throughout the profession right now - and again not speaking before we get in and look at this - I think there is a professional concern in all agencies right now about the use of steroids and the impact of those steroids and its use on the way they do business. So as we look at it, that will be a logical - one of the questions we will ask," said Sewell.

4.  Brain McNamee's lawyers file to throw out Roger Clemens's defamation suit in Houston.  Based on all the investigations pursuing Clemens, we would guess that he should focus on his own defense rather than defamation suits.

Superhuman Barry Bonds sets single season testosterone record in 2001

Supermale Barry Bonds's testosterone level knows no bounds according to the federal indictment information released in San Francisco yesterday.  Bonds's testosterone levels -- like his single season mark of 73, or his career home run tally of 762 -- soared off the charts in 2001.  The Vancouver Sun carries the story:

It had previously been revealed by the U.S. Attorney's Office that Bonds tested positive for testosterone in November 2000.

But the 2003 transcript shows that Bonds was asked about test results for a sample labelled with the initials "B.B." and with date of birth 7-24-64 -- Bonds' birthday -- from January 2001.

The sample was from Specialty Laboratories and signed by a physician named Brian Goldman.

Dated Jan. 19, 2001, the sample found levels of free testosterone that could not be accurately measured as they were higher than 5.00. A normal free testosterone level for a male aged between 20 and 49 ranges between 0.95 and 4.30, the record stated.

Holy Moley.  In plain words, if the average male's testosterone level were between say 0 and 61, Bonds's level sat at 73.  An incredibly new high for season home runs testosterone.  As much as 73 home runs boggled the mind of the baseball fan, Bonds's T number caused a stroke with the lab boss:

"The percentage of total testosterone in unbound state, per cent free testosterone, cannot be calculated since the free testosterone level is greater than the highest detectable concentration," it read.

Incredible you say?  Bonds sets a single season HR mark of 73 and a single season testosterone level off the charts in 2001.  Bonds too didn't understand this new unbelievable testosterone record:

...asked specifically why his testosterone level would be abnormally high, Bonds said he did not comprehend.

"I don't understand this piece of paper. I've never seen it before, once again," he said. "So, I would not be able to answer that question because I don't understand how that works.

"And I don't understand if some people may have more testosterone levels than others. And I just -- I can't honestly believe that just because this piece of paper says something that there's a problem. Everyone is different." Bonds said he had never been made aware of the test results and that his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, had said "Okay, everything's fine," after taking a blood sample.

"I trusted him, I believed him," Bonds said. "I didn't think about it." Bonds specifically was asked if he had been taking any substances in January 2001, and denied doing so.

"In January 2001, were you taking either the flaxseed oil or the cream?" Bonds was asked.

"No," he replied.

"And were you taking any other steroids?"

"No."

We might predict with a good steroid testing program, MLB will never see a season home run total of 73, or the record testosterone level reached by the Giant slugger.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays thinking of Bonding with Bonds

Once again proving Dave Krieger right (that we are in a post-ethics era), the Tampa Bay Devil Rays ponder giving Barry Bonds a contract.

Bonds, indicted for perjury, and highly suspected of juicing on any number of PEDs (anabolic steroids, HGH, insulin, Clomid, and others), flaps in the wind following his 'release' by the Giants last year.  Embroiled in several steroids flaps one would think a MLB team might avoid steroid flap numero uno.  But no.

On the other hand, it could be argued that any citizen should be given the right to earn a living, if his skills can be utilized.  Difficult moral arguments.  Should a MLB club sign a player under indictment, or strongly suspected of PED use?

TampaBay.com brings us closer to Bonds:

There has been no formal offer, actual wooing or even public displays of affection. But the Rays seem to have at least an eye on Barry Bonds, and team officials have recently talked internally about the all-time home run king who has been at the center of the steroids controversy.

The Rays have weighed the merits of other remaining free agents, such as Mike Piazza and Kenny Lofton, and may not have decided whether to proceed on any of them. In Bonds' case, there would be a lot to think about in balancing what good he could do at the plate and the gate vs. the disruption he could cause in the clubhouse. (Unlike some teams, they also haven't said publicly they wouldn't consider Bonds, either.)

"Our policy is to not comment on any players outside the organization except to say generally that we're committed to improving our roster for 2008 and beyond," executive vice president Andrew Friedman said.

Bonds, 43, is seeking a chance to play and, adding to the potential plot, his agent, Jeff Borris, is in Tampa this week. But he wouldn't say Sunday night if, or how much, the Rays were interested.

"I talk to Tampa Bay all the time for a variety of reasons," Borris said.

 

Barry Bonds not out of juice, wants to play in 2008

He's under indictment for perjury, he made the Mitchell Report, and he's America's greatest home-run hitter.  And now he wants to play ball again in 2008.  Yes, Barry Bonds wants to lace them up again this year, if someone needs a designated hitter who may be taking long AWOLs during the season.  The New York Daily News:

"Barry is not retiring. He's not considering retiring," Jeff Borris, the agent for slugger Barry Bonds, told the Daily News on Wednesday. "If Barry's skills had eroded and he wasn't able to compete at the major league level, he would take off his own jersey."

After the San Francisco Giants - his team for the previous 15 years - finally severed ties with Bonds this winter, the face of the BALCO steroids scandal found himself without work for the first time since 1985, the year before his rookie season in Pittsburgh.

 

Perhaps Barry's legal team will obtain a dismissal of the perjury charges.  Perhaps Barry can latch to an MLB with a need for a DH.  Whatever, Barry has more juice left.

Bonds Bombshell Busts: Not positive for steroids after record setting 2001 season

Shocking (oh really) news delivered from San Francisco.  Barry Bonds failed a steroids urine test in 2000 only one month after hitting the single season record 73rd home run.  That may be inculpatory evidence that Bonds used the juice before he testified he didn't 'knowingly' dope in the BALCO trial.  Thus Bonds perjured himself under oath.  This is old, but a typo turned it into new news for a couple hours.

The Govt would need to prove Bonds knowingly juiced up on steroids supplied by 'trainer' Greg Anderson. From ATP:

"At trial, the government's evidence will show that Bonds received steroids from Anderson in the period before the November 2001 positive drug test, and that evidence raises the inference that Anderson gave Bonds the steroids that caused him to test positive in November 2001," US Attorney Joseph Russoniello wrote.

Barry Bonds, the all-time career home run leader, and single-season home run record holder flunked the 'riods test in 2001 one month after blasting #73. (Well, that was a mistake; it was 2000). ABC News:

Federal prosecutors in San Francisco say Barry Bonds tested positive for steroids just one month after hitting his record 73rd home run of the 2001 season. 

Federal prosecutors in San Francisco say Barry Bonds tested positive for steroids just one month after hitting his record 73-rd home run of the 2001 season.

This new allegation came to light on Thursday, in a legal filing in his perjury case connected to the BALCO steroids investigation.

Prosecutors contend they have evidence bonds tested positive for steroids in November of 2007, just two months after he set the single-season home run record. (Note: that's type #2)

Bonds has maintained he never 'knowingly' took performance-enhancing drugs.

Let's go to the expert, Victor Conte, for a comment:

On Thursday night, Victor Conte told ABC7 News: "It's my opinion, that there are no such positive steroid test results for Barry Bonds in November of 2001 as alleged by the government."

We recant what we said earlier about Conte.  Victor Conte was correct....Bonds did not fail a 2001 test.

 

Dana Stubblefield stubs toe in federal court

Some weeks we feel like "Law and Order".  We expect that music between scenes to start playing in the background da-da.  Considering the surprise from San Francisco federal court today, da-da.

Dana Stubblefield (remember him?) found himself in court charged with lying to BALCO investigators about steroid use.  Who would have thought?  The AP goes with the story.

Former NFL defensive lineman Dana Stubblefield pleaded guilty Friday to lying to investigators in the BALCO steroids case, making him the first football player charged in the long-running federal investigation.

Stubblefield, a three-time Pro Bowl player who testified before the BALCO grand jury in November 2003, was charged with making false statements to federal agents about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The charges were unsealed Friday in federal court in San Francisco. They allege Stubblefield made false statements to an IRS agent when he said he had not used steroids linked to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative and denied receiving performance enhancers from BALCO founder Victor Conte.

The 37-year-old Stubblefield pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. He returned to court later Friday to enter his plea to the false statements charge. The deal calls for him to spend zero to six months in prison.

Stubblefield and his attorney, Mike Armstong, declined to comment as they left court.

Apparently the BALCO prosecutors continue to clean up that action.  Another hangover from BALCO, Marion Jones, was sentenced last week to 6 months, the same as Stubblefield.

Others involved in the BALCO investigation included Tammy Thomas (cyclist), Trevor Graham (track coach), and Barry Bonds (baseball).  Bonds will stand trial for perjury and obstruction.

The Feds appear to be putting out a message about lying to them in investigations.  Advise: don't lie to the Feds. da-da