At this time last year, a federal grand jury was told what the rest of us had been wondering since home-run records began shattering seven seasons ago: Who in baseball is using performance enhancing drugs.

In December 2003, some Major League Baseball players were subpoenaed to testify about their involvement with the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative - known as BALCO, but better known for being to baseball what Enron Corp. is to fiscal responsibility. BALCO has been suspected of supplying personal trainer Greg Anderson with steroids and other performance enhancers, and Anderson has been suspected of supplying such drugs to professional baseball players. Most notably, Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees and Barry Bonds of the San Francisco Giants.

The entire investigation into BALCO, Anderson, Bonds and their interweaving personal connections finally threw some factual chin music at the reputation of Major League Baseball. During last year's testimony - revealed Wednesday - Giambi admitted to using steroids throughout his professional career and fingered his supplier: Anderson and BALCO.

We'd all like to believe that professional sports are being played on the level. We'd like to believe that what we see from our stadium seats and from our couches in front of the television is being represented as competition at its highest level of athleticism. Unfortunately, it's people such as Giambi who continue to tarnish sports and prevent those hopes from becoming reality and putting athletes who are clean under the same veil of suspicion.

The most damning aspect of the Giambi revelations, though, is what we can legitimately assume, even if we're incorrect. If a player looks like they're on steroids, walks like they're on steroids and talks like they're on steroids, we shouldn't feel guilty for thinking they are.