Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports

Reading this book in September of 2022, and it filled a lot of gaps in my knowledge on BALCO and all the people involved, including but not limited to Barry Bonds. In particular, the track and field athletes who receive a significant focus in this book, as BALCO’s involvement in PEDs in sport primarily began and continued in Track and Field. Barry Bonds is the biggest focus on the book however. The authors lay out the evidence they collected surrounding BALCO to tell the story, and that is how it reads; a “just the facts” true crime story that (mostly) avoids conjecture. This is the style of reporting I appreciate, but it is less common and popular today so I doubt the book would have done so well, nor the related Chronicle reporting, had it occurred today. When I was shopping and saw the book, I thought of what I knew about the BALCO scandal. I mostly remembered that Bonds was primarily implicated and it was pretty damning, and that the Giambi’s and lesser ball players were also involved, and some track stars including Marion Jones, which seemed unbelievable to me. I didn’t follow the story as I was deployed during much of those years and other later scandals involving baseball took its place. The evidence laid out by the authors which the government had at its disposal was certainly overwhelming. Its no surprise Bonds was not elected to the hall of fame, and should the veterans committee consider it, they should probably give his book a read or re-read to remind them why he wasn’t elected originally. Its no surprise Bond continues to deny his PED use, he has more to lose than the other’s covered in the book. Very similar to Lance Armstrong, and they also seem to have similar personalities. Though not covered in the book, even the later copy I bought, is the result of Bond’s perjury and obstruction trials where he was initially convicted of obstruction, but had his conviction vacated by the 9th Circuit. I would have liked to have learned more about what happened to his friend/trainier Greg Anderson, who likely is most at fault for Bonds getting involved in BALCO and I guess made up for that but refusing to testify and going to prison for contempt twice, after serving his initial sentence for selling steroids. But I like how accountibility is expected and doled out here. PEDs are (mostly) illegal drugs, so it makes sense the cops and prosecutors go after the dealers and not the users, as users are often seen as victims (more so now that 2003 era). But PED are different. These users aren’t addicted to a drug high, they want to be more successful at their sport than their peers and are cheating to win. They want the adulation and money that brings. The only victims here are the public who gives them their money in buying tickets, products they are selling, and so forth. They are defrauding us and stealing from their non PED using fellow athletes.One point I note is that the BALCO scandal, along with the Canseco then McGuire revelations, Biogenesis, Alex Rodriguez, and all the individual steroids “busts” (Justin Gatlin, Floyd Landis, Lance Armstrong, up to Tatis recently, has me suspicious of any significant feat in sports. When you read here about Bonds having his best years, and not only his best, but the best in the history of baseball for all players before and since; in his twilight years… of course at the time, just like with Mark and Sammy we all joked they were probably doping. Well, they were and once you know that it seems so obvious in retrospect. But now I see Tom Brady performing like a 20 year old in his mid-40’s… and it makes me think his TB12 stuff is just his cover for doping like Bonds used BALCO’s mineral supplementation storyline. When I see Aaron Judge tying Maris’s record, and just looking at his build… is he really clean? How can he keep that build during the season? When I think of Sydney McLaughlin DESTROYING her competition at the world champs this year, now I wonder, was she clean? Am I naive for thinking she was just an amazing athlete and her hard work paid off and she is one in a billion athlete? So many records in track and field this year… are we going to be reading about how all these athletes were cheats in a year or two? If not, were they cheats and we will never know? Its very disheartening. Brady, Judge, McLaughlin, personality wise they got it and exude trust (Brady maybe less so with his deflategate nonsense) but I felt the same about Marion Jones and the revelations in this book cleared that up for me. Its clear she was doping for a long time. PED’s need more attention from our government investigative agencies, the threat to teens and young adults who grow up and think that is that is the only way to make it and be siccessful, and that everyone is doing it, not to mention defrauding those of us to follow sports and put money into their pockets. Agressive research, testing, investigations, and consequences, that is what we need.

As Barry gets closer and closer to breaking the incomparable record that Hank Aaron set, Game of Shadows becomes even more relevant. The authors go into great clinical detail of Bond's drug regimen that was obtained thru leaked grand jury testimony. I find it extremely ironic that the lawyer who leaked the information is going to jail for two years while Barry (as well as Scooter Libby) remains free.Page after page, all the dates, dosages and drugs are listed. No, this isn't a Tom Clancy novel. It reads more like a medical textbook. Those who proclaim Bonds "innocent until proven guilty" status should read those chapters and then look at the physical changes Bonds went thru in that time frame. His personal trainer is still in jail for dealing steroids and Victor Conte, Bonds "nutritional advisor," just got out of jail. Sorry, but flaxseed oil and pumping iron won't transform a human into the grotesque being Barry has become. And they won't make your hat size increase, either. Anybody who thinks Bonds gained all that muscle "naturally" probably also believe O.J. continues to search every golf course in the country for his wife's killer.How can a man who never hit more than 46 home runs in a season (when he was 28) suddenly average over 51 home runs a year between the ages of 35 and 40? What, did Ponce de Leon spike the water cooler? What other player in history has shown that remarkable improvement in the tail end of his career?Does Barry get a bad rap from the press? Is he being picked on? Bonds is a baseball player of remarkable ability, a rare combination of speed and power that were easily enough to get him into the Hall of Fame without drug abuse. His ego, and his arrogance, however, far exceeds his natural talents. As described in the book, jealousy over Mark McGwire's adulation drove him to take performance enhancing drugs. Bonds figured he would level the playing field by juicing like Mark. Then we'll see who's the best. Breaking the single season home run record was not enough for his grandiose personality. Now he has to break the record set by one of the most dignified and honest people in sports. As Rick Reilly puts it, when Barry breaks the record, it will be "like a man robbing a bank and then having a giant party to watch him count the money."The book isn't just a beat down on Barry. Many other athletes are exposed, particularly in track and field where undetectable doping is so vital to cheating the system. Unlike baseball, track and field takes doping very seriously. Sure, Barry has never tested positive for steroids, but when was he tested? Baseball did not even start testing until 2002. For two years, the tests were anonymous and results were not released. Only in 2004 were penalties invoked for testing positive. What a joke. Let's not forget, there is no test for human growth hormone, which is likely what Bonds continues to use to maintain his bloated musculature.It is July 26, 2007. I will make a few predictions. Bonds breaks the record in mid-August. The hapless Giants have no post season and Barry fades into anonymity for a few weeks. After the World Series in which the Mets beat the Red Sox (sorry Boston fans), Bonds gets indicted for perjury, obstruction of justice and tax evasion.The tax evasion charges will stick, they always do. Anytime you have an outflow of cash to a mistress or drug dealer, the source of that cash can be traced. It will be baseball card and autograph show cash that was never reported as taxable income. Barry will get convicted and do a little time, just like the other talented egoist, Pete Rose.And maybe like Pete, Barry will get into the Hall of Fame, posthumously.

Sports drug-testing really was a mess at the turn of the century and this book shows how easily a chancer like Victor Conte could subvert the system and assist athletes like Marian Jones, Dwain Chambers and most famously (allegedly, of course, should his solicitors be reading this) Barry Bonds to cheat their way to success.Aside from his general unpleasantness, this fantastic book (written by two good old-fashioned investigative journalists) strips Bonds down to the insecure, bullying thug who will forever have an asterisk against his name. Hall-of-famer? Please, no. Anyone who thinks otherwise should read this great book.

Book had some interesting facts and stories but I did not like author's naive and prejudiced attitude toward PED users. Is it really a huge shock to us that professional athletes use PEDs?! Come on!

A very interesting read. Lots of detail on Balco and Victor Conte. It's fascinating how it all fits together and the different athletes get involved in doping and PED's. Marion Jones, Barry Bonds, Dwain Chambers and plenty more household names. Particularly relevant with the current headlines involving Paula Radcliffe, Monday Farah etc. Highly recommended!

A great book for those interested in the darker side of sports and for any budding sports journalists.

A tremendously interesting book about the dark side of professional sports.