When Stephen A. Smith defended Barry Bonds while slamming Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa for ushering a new steroid age in MLB

In March 2020, sports radio host and sports journalist Stephen A. Smith defended Barry Bonds. He did this while slamming Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa for introducing a steroid era in MLB. Bonds, McGwire and Sosa were some of the biggest names who were embroiled in baseball's steroid mess.

In a two-year-old interview with ESPN, Stephen A. Smith spoke about the steroid era and stood up for Bonds, mentioning:

"I thought he [Barry] was en route to the Hall of Fame before he started using the steroids. I also don't condemn him the way that a lot of people do."

He also took a dig at former MLB player Sammy Sosa for showing up with an interpreter to testify before Congress despite conducting interviews in English for years. Sosa apparently received a call to testify about steroid use before the committee in 2005. Smith continued:

"It wasn't Barry Bonds that went on Capitol Hill and forgot how to plead the fifth... Sammy Sosa speaking English, all these years but when it's time to show up on Capitol Hill, he got a damn interpreter for crying out loud. Just embarrassing."

Stephen A. Smith also mentioned the iconic home-run chase between Mark McGwire and Sosa in the 1998 MLB season. The sportscaster believes that the duo helped usher in a new steroid age in baseball and that Bonds followed suit:

According to Sports Illustrated, Bonds started using steroids after the legendary home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in 1998. Sosa concluded the season with 66 home runs, compared to 70 for McGwire.

Many people argue that Bonds should be admitted into Cooperstown due to his performance before the PED scandal. Bonds is without a doubt one of the most contentious athletes in sports history.

Barry Bonds' repeated snubs in the Hall Of Fame

Hitting coach Barry Bonds of the Miami Marlins looks on during 2016 Opening Day against the Detroit Tigers at Marlins Park - April 5, 2016 (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Former San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds' past appears to have blocked his path to the Hall of Fame. In December 2022, Bonds was once again denied admission after appearing on the Hall of Fame ballot by the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee.

"Cue up another round of ‘roid rage among San Francisco Giants fans, as Barry Bonds and a handful of other notorious steroids-era players were again denied Hall of Fame induction in a Sunday vote." - SFist

The next time Bonds could be considered would be by a contemporary committee for the 2026 Hall of Fame class.