Bonds has received reams of positive press during his career, but viewed all reporters with suspicion from the get-go. He invokes the "you guys" offense constantly, is sarcastic and abrupt whenever possible, then tries to tell the world he is misunderstood.

"'I feel like I've been misrepresented my whole career, (as) a bad guy, a bad person,'' he said after winning the 2003 MVP award. ''I'm not a difficult person to deal with. I'm not a difficult person with the fans. I never get a (writer) to write the true story. I want the public to see who I really am.''

That is jaw-droppingly at odds with the facts of the matter. Bonds is understood perfectly by those who spend any length of time around him. He may be a devoted father and a good friend to those in his inner circle. But if he doesn't know you, he makes it pointedly clear that he doesn't want to know you.

For him to attempt to invoke pity is as impressive a feat as his low-orbit home run off Troy Percival in the 2002 World Series. Because, when you get right down to it:

• Nobody told him to associate with trainer (and childhood friend) Greg Anderson, and nutritionist Victor Conte, two of the four targets in the BALCO case.
• Nobody told him, when questioned by the BALCO grand jury in November, 2003, to give the literally unbelievable testimony (later leaked to the San Francisco Chronicle) that he used cream and clear substances thinking they were flaxseed oil and arthritis balm.
• Nobody told him to keep a mistress for 10 years, an arrangement that is currently biting him in the hinder as she rats him out as a potential felon.
• Nobody told him to sneer and scowl his way through the summer of 2001, when he set the single season home run record.
• Nobody told him to loaf on ground ball outs to the point that local radio broadcasters were criticizing him on the air.

These are choices Bonds made, as is his right. The shocking thing is, he can't see how those choices have led to his stature as the least-loved player in the game.

But there he was on Tuesday, strapping on his pity party hat above sad, boo-hoo eyes. That's just another reason why, should this be the beginning of the end for Bonds, should he fail to hit the 53 home runs he needs to become baseball's all-time leader, a lot of people will be partying for another reason.

And they won't all be at Hank Aaron's house.

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