Aside from suspensions, Harrison and Merriman get passes

Barry Bonds has never tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.

But you know who has? Rodney Harrison, the New England Patriots safety whose clutch defensive plays in the playoffs helped the team win two consecutive Super Bowls a few seasons ago.

You know who else? Shawne Merriman, a linebacker who accumulated 17 sacks in 2006, despite a four game suspension for doping.

Here are two cheaters, whose teams are far more relevant in their sport than the San Francisco Giants in baseball, not getting nearly as much negative attention as they most definitely deserve.

Sure, they’ve both been suspended, but Harrison was praised by many because he took immediate responsibility for his actions. Immediately after he was caught, of course.

Maybe coming clean has its merits, but it also has its holes.

Are we really supposed to believe this was the very first time he was using a banned substance?

Then there’s Merriman, who instead of admitting his “mistake” freely like Harrison, played the “someone must have slipped something into my drink” card when it came time for his excuse.

Of course, pretty much all was forgotten when he forced two fumbles and recorded two sacks in his first game back from suspension.

The same will go for this season, when both Harrison’s Patriots and Merriman’s Chargers head in to the AFC playoffs. I mean really, who cares about steroids and HGH when you’re winning games?

Jason Giambi knows about that.

More than ever, Bonds must wish he actually had a team behind him.