Yesterday's blog came with help from www.futureangels.com operator Stephen C. Smith and after Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron for the all-time home run mark last night, I decided to run this little story about Riverside native Barry Bonds.

See, as a member of the media and a knowledgeable sort who read "Game of Shadows," there is no way I could turn a blind eye to Bonds. Several of my friends are Giants fans and I would get into debates with them - "How could you cheer for this guy? He (allegedly) used steroids, he could be busted for perjury, he cheats on his wife ..." and on and on and on.

Even last night, I was eating dinner in San Francisco with two of my friends and Bonds homered. People cheered, people stopped and stared and soaked it in. I continued eating. I didn't want to give my attention to this guy.

Well, the following story, hopefully, will help people understand why Bonds is so loved in the Bay Area and nowhere else. Per request from my friend, he'd like to remain anonymous - maybe because it's pretty well written and he might take my job! - so, hopefully you enjoy this and it lends some light into Giants' fans worlds.

We are on an island.

We are the ones who cheer the heel.

We are the ones who love Barry Bonds.

In fact, we love him so much, a lot of us have made excuses for the guy.

"Hey, he hasn't been found guilty of anything."

"It was legal at the time..."

You see, you have to go back to 1992, when the Giants were packing their bags permanently for Tampa Bay. It wasn't until an eleventh-hour ownership group managed to save our beloved Giants from leaving the greatest city in the world. After four failed ballot measures (2 in Santa Clara county) asking for public funds to support a new stadium for the Giants, owner Bob Lurie sold the franchise to Tampa Bay.

I was there at Candlestick Park when manager Roger Craig led his Giants out of the dugout on the final home game of the season in 1992. He tipped his cap to the crowd along with many of the Giants' players. They knew the story. As did the fan, who cheered and cried all at the same time. This was the last game ever for the San Francisco Giants.

So along comes this ownership group, led by Safeway CEO Peter McGowan, who managed to buy the team at the last minute, promising to keep the Giants at home. We were saved. We didn't care if this team lost 100 games every year for the next 20 years. They were home. They were our kids. And they weren't leaving home.

But a funny thing happened before the 1993 season. There was a free agent by the name of Barry Lamar Bonds available on the market. A 2-time MVP with Pittsburgh and perhaps the best player in the game. We were so happy about keeping the team in the city, that a thought never crossed our minds that we would even be in the running for the best player in baseball. Reports were trickling in. The Giants, yes THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS, were going to sign Bonds.

This was too good to be true. The Giants never had an imported superstar. At least not since I started watching this team in 1977. And Barry instantly became a favorite son, leading the 1993 Giants with another MVP year hitting .336, 46 HRs, and 123 RBI. It was a grueling, emotional season, and the Giants won an amazing 103 games, yet lost the division. By ONE game to Atlanta. (The last year for 2 divisions in each league) It was a heartbreak season, maybe the worst in franchise history, because that team was really good and fun to watch. But considering that the team wasn't even planning on playing in San Francisco at the end of the prior season, I'd say it put everything in perspective.

Barry would go on to post amazing numbers over next years. He was the man. The one who sold the merchandise. The one you waited to watch before going to buy that beer. The one who you turned up the radio volume in your car when he batted. The one who would be the face of a team for the next 14 seasons. Barry Bonds sold tickets. Barry Bonds gave us fans something to cheer for. Barry Bonds kept this team in contention because he was a superstar. In essence, Barry Bonds helped build a new ballpark.

Ah, the crown jewel of baseball stadiums. On the shores of the Bay, Pacific Bell Park was carved into the landscape with the novelty of a Barry Bonds home run into the Bay. And boy, was this what were all waiting for. We had suffered for decades in the frigid wind of Candlestick dump. Now, it was our turn to have a nice home.

Yeah, we heard he was surly, unkind to the media. But hey, that's not our problem. The media was always tough on him, right? Besides, he looks pretty nice to me on the field. He's out there smiling, playing catch, hitting home runs. And that's what we cared about.

You see, despite it all, Bonds came at the right time. When we were in our darkest minute, he was the icon of hope that brought us up. He provided us with too many memories over the years, to let any allegations cloud our feelings.

It isn't easy turning your back on your favorite child. You'll always hold a special place in your heart for him. And despite any possible bad behavior, you're always going to love him, because he is yours.

And if you can find it in your heart, that's why you might be able to understand why we love Barry Bonds.