SAN FRANCISCO - For years, Barry Bonds insisted to anyone who would listen that this day would never come. Deep down he truly believed it.

Acknowledging reality has never been his strong point.

The home run king publicly said again and again he had no fear of the feds digging up enough evidence to indict him. That’s exactly what makes great athletes great: an attitude of invincibility.

“Let them investigate. Let them, they’ve been doing it this long,” Bonds said after his first spring training workout back in February. “It doesn’t weigh on me at all — at all. It’s just you guys talking. It’s just media conversation.”

On Thursday, prosecutors caught up with him. They charged the slugger with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction of justice, stemming from a four-year investigation into steroids.

Bonds may have thought he was home free. His personal trainer, Greg Anderson, had kept quiet for so long and was serving a prison term for refusing to testify against his 43-year-old friend.

“That’s just the competitor in him,” former Giants teammate Steve Kline said Thursday night. “That’s how he’s dealt with everything in his life: the competition. If in his mind he thinks he’s not guilty, he figures they have to find something first. I guarantee he’ll probably fight this until he dies.”

The Giants knew this was a reality, writing into his contract language that protected them from an indictment. It took months of negotiating for the sides to reach agreement.

Bonds faces federal charges Bonds pleads not guilty to 5 federal charges Ventre: HR king isn't so fearsome anymore Bonds wants to play somewhere in 2008 Robinson's widow: Don't condemn Bonds yet Opinion: Blame Bonds’ ego for this mess TODAY: 756 ball buyer to put asterisk on it Ex-trainer Anderson 'never going to testify' Ventre: Bonds targeted by witch hunt? Please   Opinion: Goodbye . . . and good riddance

Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s home run record in August. The next month, San Francisco told Bonds he would not be brought back next year.

“This is a very sad day,” the Giants said in a statement. “For many years, Barry Bonds was an important member of our team and is one of the most talented baseball players of his era. These are serious charges. Now that the judicial process has begun, we look forward to this matter being resolved in a court of law.”

Bonds’ arrogance and prickly personality have kept him from becoming a beloved fan favorite such as 49ers great Joe Montana or Giants Hall of Famer Willie McCovey.

In my five years covering Bonds, he played the victim and the race card, saying he’s the black man taking the brunt of blame for every major leaguer who might have used performance-enhancers.

Bonds was so used to special treatment and calling his own shots that he became spoiled. He told managers when he would play and when he needed off to rest his tired legs or achy knees. He rarely stretched with his teammates before games or stood for team photos. He did so more at the end, apparently trying to improve his image before becoming a free agent.