Jamie Mottram's Sports Blog - www.misterirrelevant.com

This is a treat for me as Jeff Pearlman is the author of two of the most entertaining books I've read in some time: Love Me, Hate Me and The Bad Guys Won! He's also a former senior writer at Sports Illustrated, current columnist at ESPN.com and long-time John Rocker slayer. So he's kind of a big deal, but you would have never known it based on the promptness of his responses to my interview request and subsequent line of questioning. I thank him for the time and hope you enjoy the Q & A ...

1. Some of my favorite parts from the book take place during the Pittsburgh years. Considering Bonds' bad reputation and the Pirates' lack of a winning season since '92, is any player more hated anywhere than he is in Steel City?

Well, I date back to when Reggie Jackson returned to Baltimore as a Yankee, and the fans just killed him. That was pretty rough. And Mets fans always hated George Foster. But it really is hard to think of someone as despised  by a city as Bonds is by Pittsburgh. It's a combination of factors—left as a free agent for more money, not a nice person, cheater, went on to terrific career while Pirate fans were left with Al Martin. You'd be angry, too.

2. If you were Giants owner Peter Magowan and possessed a time machine, would you go back to '93 and pull Bonds' offer sheet off the table?

No way. When Magowan purchased the Giants the franchise was a complete mess. Remember, they were all but gone for St. Pete. Signing Bonds and hiring Dusty Baker completely reinvigorated the franchise, resulted in a new stadium and made Magowan a ton of money. Sure, Bonds has been a pain of late. But it'll go down as one of the best business decisions the man has ever made. Love him or despise him, Bonds is a gate draw whether the Giants are 10 games up or 20 out. That's priceless.

3. Aside from Bonds, which other athletes have you encountered that play by a totally different set of rules than the everymen (i.e. the Mark Carreons and Jose Linds of the world)?

Hmmm—there aren't that many. Back in the day Ken Griffey, Jr. had something of an attitude and sort of separated himself from Seattle teammates. But that was immaturity, and now he's really beloved in the clubhouse. Frank Thomas is another guy who matured with age and learned it's better to be one of the guys than one of one. Barry just has an ego that forces him to maintain a distance; to want people to notice.

4. Bonds' first wife was a strip club bartender. That marriage ended with a relationship he had with a porn star. His second wife was an exotic dancer. What is it with Barry Lamar and classy ladies?

Let's be honest—he's not alone in pro sports. Athletes love strip clubs, strip club bouncers, strip club buffets, strip club phone booths, strip club bartenders and—of course—strip club strippers. Anything less would be civilized.

5. What was your favorite Barry Bonds fashion statement over the years? The 'Just Say No' wristband? The '40/40' pendant? Other?

I actually liked the multi-colored cockatoo sweaters of the Cosby Show Era. Not that I can't make too much fun—my wife still hasn't forgiven mefor the vest I wore on our first date.

6. The book states, "Bonds four favorite performers are Barbra Streisand, Kenny G., Michael Bolton and Celine Dion." Dude, WTF?

Rumor has it Air Supply just missed the cut.

7. Last year in an interview with Deadspin, you said, "Bonds doesn't want Aaron's record. I'm convinced of this. He certainly wants to pass Ruth, the ultimate icon in the game of baseball. But I think Barry's take on Aaron is different." Now that Bonds has long since passed the Bam and is just 17 short of the Hammer, is that still the case?

Obviously, I'm a moron. I truly, truly thought Bonds had more decency than to cheat and pass Aaron. I know, in hindsight, that sounds moronic. But I believe some things are sacred, and that to Bonds, Aaron's record was too much. Pass Ruth? Great. Pass Aaron? Maybe not. I just wrote a column about this on ESPN.com—I think it's incredibly sinful for Bonds to come along, load up on the HGH and surpass a record as important as 755. It shows a true lack of humanity and humility.

8. What's more important to Bonds at this point: breaking Aaron's record or winning the World Series?

Well, if you talk to enough teammates and ex-teammates, it's always been records first, winning second. How else do you explain a veteran ballplayer who goes out of his way not to offer tips to teammates; who selfishly stays to himself as those around him fail. It doesn't make Bonds unique—lots of guys are me-first. But it doesn't make you think he's dreaming of the World Series every night.

9. The prologue shares a hilarious -- and failed -- attempt to interview Bonds for this book. Have you crossed paths with him since? If so, how'd that go?

Nope.

10. How will history remember Barry Bonds? Or is to too early to say?

Brilliant talent, horrible person, overtaken by greed. Could have gone down as a legend, instead will go down as a cheater. Sad but true: Barry Bonds retires after the 1998 season and never touches a performance enhancer, he's a first ballot Hall of Famer and one of the game's, oh, 20 greatest players. Now he's dust.

Previous Mr. Irrelevant author interview:

Michael Litos, 'Cinderella: Inside the Rise of Mid-Major College Basketball'

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