This is a column that I haven't been looking forward to writing.
Ever since Roger Clemens' name appeared in the Mitchell Report, I knew I would have to address the topic at some point. I loved Roger when he came to the Yankees in '99, but just because I have nostalgia for his high-powered pitching and World Series wins doesn't mean I believe him - it just makes this whole thing more painful. His case isn't like that of a Brian Roberts; it wasn't like a random player remembered one conversation in which Clemens mentioned he tried steroids. Clemens' longtime friend and personal trainer, Brian McNamee, claimed he injected the Rocket with steroids in 1998, 2000 and 2001.
In denying these allegations, Roger Clemens has proven himself to be nothing short of a sleazeball. He's done everything - recorded personal telephone calls, thrown his best friend and wife under the bus, released bogus statistical analysis and very likely lied to Congress.
Clemens has always been an aggressive guy. With the bases loaded and a full count, he would never be afraid to blow someone away with the high fastball. But this country isn't stupid, Roger. You're not sneaking this fastball by anybody.
Let's review the list of Clemens' actions post-Mitchell Report. He released public statements. He went on 60 Minutes. He's covered the whole "I didn't do it" circuit. But the point where things went overboard was when Clemens recorded a long, private conversation with McNamee and played it for the media at a press conference.
McNamee came off as pathetic, and while Clemens made several demands of "I want the truth," McNamee never said anything that would prove Roger to be innocent or guilty. In all honesty, all the recording really did was to prove how low and cheap Clemens really was. The fact that Clemens and Linda Tripp can be written about in the same sentence is not a good thing.
After that was my favorite part of the whole episode: when Clemens released statistical information supposedly proving that he never could have taken steroids in the years that McNamee claimed. In '98, his supposed first year of 'roids, Rog had a 2.65 ERA at the age of 35. Hmm. In '99, without an advantage, his ERA jumped to 4.60. Hmm. The next two years of 'roids, his ERA went back down to 3.70 and 3.51. Hmm.
After his statistical analysis was thoroughly rejected by anyone with a brain, Clemens moved on to testify in front of Congress. There, he would truly prove his innocence! Except when they testified, McNamee was simple and clear while Roger fumbled with his words and was dripping with nerves. He came off no better in front of Congress than Mark McGwire, who was not there to talk about the past, or Sammy Sosa, who speaks perfect English but felt the need for a translator.
But Clemens wasn't done. When asked about the alleged HGH use of his best friend, Andy Pettitte, Roger said he was shocked and had no idea that his friend had done this - even though it was supposedly McNamee that injected Pettitte. And what of his wife, whom McNamee said he injected with HGH before the couple posed for Sports Illustrated in 2003? Nope, he had no idea. The best part is, the thing Roger probably lied about - and could be charged with perjury for - is when he said he never went to a pool party at Jose Canseco's house, where the wives of Canseco and Clemens compared... um... recent operations. Now there could be photo evidence proving that Clemens was there.
Well done, Rog. If you had just come clean when the Mitchell Report came out, this country probably would've found a way to forgive you. But now you're headed the way of Barry Bonds: disrespected, out of baseball and maybe even behind bars.
David Heck is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached at David.Heck@tufts.edu.
