Greg Anderson, long-time childhood friend of Barry Bonds and convicted BALCO steroid dealer, is an assistant coach for a youth baseball team in the Burlingame Youth Baseball Association (BYBA) according to the New York Times. Anderson passed the BYBA screening process in spite of his association with the largest steroid scandal in sports history.
The parents of the 11- and 12-year old baseball players had mixed feelings about Anderson’s involvement with their children. Some felt his steroid past should keep him from associating with young baseball players while other parents were happy to have such a knowledgeable coach teaching their children.
“I wouldn’t want that person coaching my child because of his association with steroids,” said Dave Cauchi, a real estate lawyer who coaches a team in the league and who manned the scoreboard Friday.
“Just like I wouldn’t want someone associated with the distribution of marijuana or cocaine, or any controlled substance, coaching my child. I find that to be a little incongruent with what you’re trying to teach your children.” […]
“Oh, he gets the players in shape and is the most knowledgeable coach my son ever had,” Tim Gannon, a real estate broker, said. “Some parents have a problem with him being a coach, but it’s not like he was caught stealing or did some bad things with children. But, yes, it’s still bad, and I explained that to my son.” […]
Stacy Rusley, a mother of one of the players, said it was fine to have Anderson coach because the boys were never alone with him.
“The kids like him, and he’s a really friendly guy, so my husband and I don’t question it,” Rusley said. “Really, it’s kind of fun to have a celebrity coaching the team.”
Greg Anderson is probably best known for his steadfast refusal to cooperate with the federal government in the BALCO steroid investigation. Anderson had repeatedly defied subpoenas compelling him to testify against Bonds. He was subpoenaed twice to testify before a grand jury investigating Bonds and subpoenaed once to testify at Bonds’ steroid-perjury trial; each time Anderson refused and was sent to prison.
Anderson’s lack of cooperation caused significant problems for federal prosecutors who had considered Anderson a key witness in their case to prove that Barry Bonds knowingly used anabolic steroids and received injections of human growth hormone from Anderson. The government consequently failed to convict Bonds on the perjury charges related to his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.
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