Barry Bonds Has Very Rich Friends

There's an interesting story in this weekend's edition of the USA Today, one well worth a full read. Barry Bonds, everyone's favorite soon-to-be Home Run King, has three incredibly rich friends (combined worth: $750 million) who he has revealed tiny bits and pieces of his famously enigmatic private life to. For example:

•Want to see Bonds on skis at his Aspen home?

Peek at the photos, but because skiing is a violation of his baseball contract, please don't tell. ("It's OK," Bonds says. "I ski. The Giants know it. If I break a leg, I break it.")

•Want to learn the secret club Bonds nearly signed with during the winter before recommitting to the San Francisco Giants?

Psst: the Texas Rangers.

•Want to know just how close Bonds was to retiring last winter?

If he didn't get a contract of at least $10 million, he was calling it quits.

These friends, all presidents or CEO's of their various companies, appear to be fiercely loyal to Bonds. But I also sense a bit of admittance in the way they talk about Barry's steroids rumors:

Rosenthal has photos of Bonds at his house with former California governor Pete Wilson at a fundraising dinner; he won't permit them to be published. Bonds appears to be much lighter in build in the photos.

"I'd rather keep those pictures to myself. That was a long time ago. It might be misunderstood," Rosenthal says. "I just don't understand all of this media scrutiny. Who could live up to the scrutiny?

"It's all about trying to find out whether Barry Bonds did anything. But Barry has never been convicted of anything or ever been arrested. ... Wilt Chamberlain bragged about sleeping with 20,000 women. Mickey Mantle was an alcoholic. But with Barry, it's not a level playing field. I'm embarrassed with the way he's treated. We should be celebrating, not condemning, this unbelievable accomplishment."

This is a tired argument, one people make all the time about Bonds, but it's obviously no real surprise that one of Barry's friends would be defending his legacy. But I find it surprising that these three were so willing to go on the record with this stuff about Bonds; he can't be too happy at some of the private stuff these guys revealed. (Seriously, the Texas Rangers?) If he values his privacy, it might be time to find some new millionaire friends.

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