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How Barry Bonds Was Put On Trial For Being An Asshole

Yesterday, the Barry Bonds trial ended with a whimper. Jurors found Bonds guilty of obstruction of justice, but were deadlocked on three counts of perjury. And although obstruction of justice is still a felony, it’s unlikely that that alone will send Bonds to jail.

The lack of any sort of real outcome comes at the tail end of weeks of legal wrangling, detailed testimony about the correct way to take a urine sample, and people on ESPN speaking legalese but not really saying anything.

In short, the most boring sports story so far in 2011 had a boring ending. There was no resolution, no catharsis.

The funniest thing about this trial is that Bonds was being prosecuted under the guise of committing perjury. In March, Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post rightfully questioned this, and wondered if Bonds being “hounded by prosecutors for almost a decade” was less about any crime he may have committed, and more about Bonds’ personality.

In other words: Barry Bonds was the target of a four-year federal probe because he was an asshole.

Today on ESPN’s Outside the Lines, Art Spander, a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner, summed it up best.

“I thought the whole trial was ridiculous,” said Spander. “The government spent $10 million, $11 million, $12 million because it was out to get Barry Bonds and basically because Barry Bonds has been a jerk over the years.”

Now, millions of dollars later, the only thing the Bonds trial really resolved, up to this point, was whether or not he took steroids. He did. Now though, instead of being over, this thing will drag on for a few more months: a May 20th hearing is next, with more appeals and maneuvering likely to follow. Can’t wait.