As I posted back in June of 2003 to a topic regarding Sammy Sosa's corked bat incident:
* * * * * *
Sammy (Sosa) has certainly bulked up since 1998. What amazes me, however, is how so few sports journalists are willing to marvel at how Barry Bonds could add 40 pounds of muscle in two years.
There was lots of talk about McGwire, but it seemed a forbidden subject to point out that the entire shape of Barry's head changed (usually a sign of the use of human growth hormone) over two years.
I saw a documentary on PBS recently regarding "natural" bodybuilders. One man (certainly much younger than Bonds) was eating a dozen skinless chicken breasts and two dozen egg yolks a day, supplemented with powdered protein, in an attempt to gain weight and muscle while working out hours each day. He was only able to add 20-25 pounds of muscle in two years.
Bonds is and has always been an extraordinary all-around ball player. However, I'm stunned at the Emperor's New Clothes approach that everyone has taken regarding his last three or four years. The man seems to be a poster child for steroids and HGH.
"There was lots of talk about McGwire, but it seemed a forbidden subject to point out that the entire shape of Barry's head changed (usually a sign of the use of human growth hormone) over two years."