Stuck in a Slump, Barry's Bringing Back the Earring

Back in the early days of his career, Barry Bonds was a different player. He was skinny, he stole bases, he donned the hideous yellow and black of the Pirates, and he adorned an ornament in his ear. In fact, the diamond cross hanging from his earlobe was a Bonds trademark for many years. Then all-of-a-sudden, it disappeared; Bonds stopped wearing the flair. That is, until now. The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that Barry Bonds has brought back the earring.

For the first time in recent memory, Bonds had his diamond-cross earring dangling from his left ear. There was no explanation for its return, but it's worth noting that the jewelry has symbolic meaning. This is how Barry's father, the late Bobby Bonds, put it in a 2001 interview: "When his grandfather died, that's when he put the earring in. People thought it was a fashion statement, or that he was arrogant. What it comes from is the day he said, `Dad, I'm going to keep Grandpa with me.' It's a memorial thing."

I have no idea what to make of this. Is Bonds remembering his Grandfather? Is he memorializing someone else? Is he hoping to return to his form of many years ago? What's the reason for bringing back the nostalgia? I must turn it over to you at this points -- enlighten me with your comments -- why has Bonds elected to bring back the earring?