San Francisco Giants Nation: Enough About Barry Bonds, It's Time To Move On

Barry Bonds is still in the news.  For Giants fans and for the Bay Area in general, he's been in the news seemingly non-stop for the last 18 years, since he first donned the orange and black in 1993.

Back in '93, the headlines were about how the Giants landed the the best all-around player in the game.  A couple of days ago, the headlines have been about how Bonds was convicted of obstruction of justice during the federal steroids investigation into BALCO.

It's time to move on.

Whether you believe Bonds should still be inducted into the Hall of Fame since he was worthy of induction before he allegedly began using steroids or you believe he should never be let in because his records are tainted, it would be wise to enjoy the here-and-now with the ball club and not dwell on its past.  After all, there's never been a better time to be a Giants fan.

The Giants are defending world champions and their 2010 triumph marked the first time in San Francisco Giants history that they won the title.  Giants fans are, as they should be, basking in the light of this victory.

But the celebration of what the Giants accomplished last year, as well as the amazing individual performances that contributed to the victory, shouldn't be overshadowed by the controversy surrounding a former player.

Barry Bonds was a Giant for 15 seasons and the team could not bring home a title. Just three seasons after he left, the Giants were world champions.  While it's true you can't put success or failure of a club all on the shoulders of one man, one man can certainly derail a team if he isn't team-focused.

What the Giants have today is a team.  It's a team with great chemistry, with guys who genuinely have a good time playing baseball together.  That was never the case when Bonds walked through the clubhouse.  And that, I would argue, is a huge reason why the Giants from 1993-2007 could never quite get to the top.

Bonds gave Giants fans some great memories.  But his playing days are over now.  He does not bring anything to the 2011 Giants, and Giants Nation should be looking forward to what this team could accomplish again this year.

Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey should occupy our thoughts, rather than Bonds, who, no matter how you look at it, casts a dark cloud over the great things that are being accomplished at 3rd and King streets.

Let's shift our focus from the federal courthouse in San Francisco to another location two miles down the road: AT&T Park, where our champions take the field to give us new memories to cherish.