The following are excerpts from a 45-minute, in-depth, one-on-one interview that Fox Sports Net's Lisa Guerrero did with BARRY BONDS for the BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW PERIOD. The interview airs in two parts, one on Thursday, April 18 at 8:00PM and the second part on Friday, April 19 at 10:00PM.
Guerrero:
Barry, you grew up in the clubhouse as the son of a baseball player where you saw the interaction between players and the media. How do you think that's affected you as an adult, now as a baseball player and your relationship with the media?
Bonds:
"That's a good question because I think that people that don't understand that my father was a professional baseball player to a lot of other people. But, it was my dad at work to us and we saw both ends of that. We saw the rewards and then we saw the positive and the negative. You remember those things as a kid, when you see things written about your father that were negative. People just trying to scrutinize your family a little bit. You kind of like to conserve yourself, or you put yourself…"
Guerrero:
You're guarded a little bit.
Bonds:
"Yeah, a lot. You guard a lot, because I'm not going to go through the same thing he did. I'm not going to let them manipulate me the way that they did. But, they have a way to do it anyway. They have the freedom to write, the freedom of speech. I think that is unfair. To exploit or insult another person, I don't think that's right. I think that's unfair."
Guerrero:
When you look back at your accomplishments in 2001, are you in awe of it?
Bonds:
"I don't understand what happened in 2001. I'm in awe of my 500th home run. But if I'm in awe of it, I might as well retire. If I'm like, 'wow.' I want to win a World Series ring. You want to ask me what awe is, let me win a World Series ring. That's when I'm in awe of something. I want that ring bad."
Guerrero:
Because of what you went through last year, does that make your particular goals change?
Bonds:
"I don't try to be better than anyone else. I just play with the ability God gave me. That's it. I don't care to be better than anyone. I don't want to have no crown on my head. I just want to play baseball and everyone just get along because this is ridiculous at times. We're striving to do the best we can. I think us, as American people, regardless of athletes, we're striving to do good."
Guerrero:
There were death threats made against you last year. The FBI notified you. What was your initial reaction to that?
Bonds:
"I was laughing at first because I thought it was a joke. But, then I knew they couldn't be joking because they wouldn't be in my room. I don't care what anyone says, I was scared as hell. That was the first time playing baseball I was scared. I sat there and I thought about it. They don't have metal detectors coming into this baseball game. Somebody could actually, you know, I'm looking at this person. This person can actually shoot me. Or this person could jump onto the field and cut me. You know, all these things. I don't care what anyone says, when you think about it and it's happening to you, it's scary. You know you kind of play it off like it's not scary, but it's scary. Dusty [Baker] kind of told me that's what Hank [Aaron] when through and then Dusty refreshed my memory on what just happened in New York City and then, right there, I wasn't afraid anymore. I wasn't scared anymore. I just wanted to do it for them and that was just it. If it was time to go, it was time to go. I was going to do it for them and that was just the bottom line. That's how I felt. Everything changed and I could hit again. I could see that ball as though it was this big (spreads his arms apart). If we had anymore games left, I would have kept hitting home runs because that ball was this big."
Guerrero:
If you had to name one misconception that you'd like to clarify, what is it?
Bonds:
"Probably that I'm cocky or arrogant, that's the misconception."
Guerrero:
What's the difference between being cocky and being confident?
Bonds:
"Cocky is somebody trying to prove to everyone he's good. Confident is someone that's already good. There's a difference. You know when I look at Muhammad Ali or I look at Michael Jordan, I don't have to look twice, they're good. I don't have to say the way he struts on the field is cocky, on the basketball court or anything. So it doesn't matter how they walk. They have a different walk because they're good."
"There's going to be so many other people in this game that are going to do so many wonderful things, historical as well. I'm rooting for them all. Go ahead guys. Do whatever you need to do. This is what baseball is about. This is what America is about. To have fun. You know the thing is that, you know I was asked, 'Barry, what if, what if someone gets that close?' (to the home run record) I hope I'm on the same field as them because I want to shake his hand."
Guerrero:
A lot has been made with your relationship with Jeff Kent. You guys are teammates. Is it imperative that you hang out outside of baseball?
Bonds:
"No. Jeff Kent loves to go hunting. I think the only thing we really have in common is our motorcycles. We like to enjoy riding motorcycles. We haven't had an opportunity to ride together yet, because our schedules just haven't permitted it."
Guerrero:
You're not going to break your wrist either.
Bonds:
"No, but we have brought it up to go riding together. We're grown men, we're not children. I have two parents. I'm not anyone else's child. I'm a grown man. If I choose to sit in my locker and be quiet, then that's by my choice as an adult. I don't have to justify that to anybody. That's my preparation for me preparing myself for a game. Does it separate me from my teammates? No it doesn't. We're a team when we get on that field. Right now, we're a bunch of guys trying to get ready for a game to become a team. Anything you do before or after, you're individuals just around. When we become a team, it's when that 7:15 PM starts, now this team concept is what we do performing together."
Guerrero:
Do you think that one of your goals right now is to align yourself with Corporate America, get endorsement opportunities now?
Bonds:
"No, they don't like me, so it doesn't matter."
Guerrero:
Why don't they like you?
Bonds:
"I don't know, the stamp of my attitude has lingered on for so long. The opportunities have never come my way. I have never been mad at it. It's never been my main focus anyway. I play baseball and make millions of dollars. That's icing on the cake if someone wants me to say, 'Hi, I like Chevrolet' for more money. I never really cared."
Guerrero:
Your friend Gary Sheffield has struggled in terms of relating to the media.
Bonds:
"With Gary and myself, we love God more than the press. We are going to speak the truth. We are men. We are adults. I'm 37 years old, Gary is 33 years old. We are grown men. We both have responsibilities. We take care of our families. You don't have to like what I say. It's the truth. We need to face up to that as people in America. You know what I don't like? When you have snot in your nose and nobody tells you. I can't do it. You're fake. Gary and I are going to tell you. That's real."
Guerrero:
You can't tell me that type of relationship with Gary Sheffield isn't going to create a rivalry and help you out as far as performance throughout the season?
Bonds:
"You kidding. The rivalry has started since Day 1 this season. He hit a home run opening day. I hit two. I had to call him up and say, 'How many home runs did you hit today?' He said, 'One." I said, 'Oh, sorry, I hit two.' The next day he hit one, his games are before ours. He called me up and said he had two. I then had to call him back and say, 'Oops, I'm sorry, I have four.' I can't let my prot