2006 Jazzy Awards – Best sportswriting, the Barry Bonds Expose

The “Bunker Mulligan Award” for this year’s best sportswriting goes to Game of Shadows authors Mark Fainara-Wada and Lance Williams. The famed excerpt which appeared in Sports Illustrated is here. 

Not only does it read like a confession and detail to perfection Bonds’ alleged steroid use, it debunks the myth that performance enhancers like Human Growth Hormone and other performance enhancers make you look like King Kong.  Some increase muscles mass, but some slow the heart rate making it easier to cope under pressure, some increase stamina while those not cheating get tired.  In short, after reading Game of Shadows, it is impossible to come away not believing that steroids can be used by golfers as well as any other athlete.  New Jersey – recognizing an epidemic that filtered down to high school girls turning to steroids not just for lacrosse or field hockey, but for weight loss and body streamlining became the first state to pass mandatory testing for all student-athletes for over 80 different performance enhancers.

While cycling and ESPN pay lip service to the issue – even rolling out cycling sponsors to denfend the junk science of Floyd Landis who was stripped of his Tour de France title – LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens even trumped the PGA Tour by moving to testing by 2008.  The article is here. 

Sadly, few people are rallying around the noble decision by Williams and Fainaru-Wada to protect the identity of their sources.  I am a lawyer…but I am also a journalist and while I deeply respect the law, I also respect that in this case silence is not only integrity, but self-preservation.  Not only did they do the greatest public good to a moral and health epidemic (cheating and expirimental, unapproved and potentially dangerous drugs), but if they tuck tail and turn over names, they will never work again.  The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals – so quick to ban the pledge of allegiance – has balked so far at granting writers a privilege against having to reveal sources who should be protected.

One person did speak out - my Golf Observer colleague Art Spander of the Oakland Tribune.  Art opined in a Sports Media Guide interview, “I just looked at things and said this is wrong. It’s the First Amendment – not the Ninth or the Fourteenth. You’re supposed to be able to talk and write and say things in this country. Obviously some people don’t like you to do that. I don’t like to get too political in sports because you turn people off and they’re trying to escape the real world in sports. I don’t blame them but in the last 20 years the real world has invaded sports.Roger Cossack, the attorney who advises ESPN – we spent a lot of time outside the courthouse talking. I said ‘what’s going on here?’ and he made me realize a few things. Not long ago Bush praised Fainaru-Wada and Williams for bringing attention to steroids. All of a sudden nobody wants to step in and help them.”

Art is another quintessential sportswriter – a man’s man.  Brilliant, prickly, courageous, colorful, he was a favorite read of mine as a kid and it’s an honor to be on the same masthead as him.

It’s also an honor to work in the age of Fainaru-Wada and Williams.  I wish them both God Speed for their courage in taking on the establishment and doing a service to the ethics of the game.

One colleague of mine said he thought ALL steroids and performance enhancers should be leaglized.  “So what if it becomes who has the best drugs.  More broken records equals more money.  Don’t you want to be filthy rich?”

No.  I want to be clean and noble.  The money will take care of itself.  Keep the power worshipping, money-grubbing nonsense to the bottom feeders.  Don’t feed the beat, slay the beast – one arrow at a time.

Some people say “thast’s the way things are now, you can’t go back.”  WRONG!  Yes you can.  Anything learned can be unlearned with practice and vigilence.  Thats Mark and Lance.  Sadly, as Thomas Jefferson noted, the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.  Saldy both may die in this balltle, but there is a law in Congress now for consideration offering journalists a privilege and every writer, broadcaster and blogger should support it.

The “Bunker Mulligan” Jazzy award for excellence in sports journalism is named after sports and politics blogger Mike Reed who died of a heart attack in June of 2005. 

Past Winners:

2005 Robert Thompson