No it is not insane because the committee told him he didn't have to do the meeting. Roger is the one that has escalated this....he was the one that taped the phone conversation, he was the one parading around the country spouting off his innocence. Roger is making this about Roger.....and he just got burned by his own ego. And, the fact that he talked to his lawyers and assembled a team after the Mitchell report was out before starting his denials tells a lot about his credibility. I have little doubt in my mind that Roger is guilty, but I would NEVER convict him because I think you could show reasonable doubt to a jury. DD
If he hadn't been adamant about his innocence, you'd be telling us it pointed towards him being guilty.
Well that is because Clemens brought it on himself by pushing this thing to where we are today. I agree with MadMax and emjohn, though, that he was in a no-win situation. Yet, you would think there comes a point where someone would explain to Clemens what "damage control" means and how to achieve it. I have read some good articles about this, on ESPN and Yahoo, and they all say the same thing - either Roger is completely innocent or incredibly stupid and arrogant. One reason why this is so important, according to one of the articles, is that if Clemens is indeed innocent, then it pretty much makes the Mitchell report null and void and a complete joke (which I know some people already feel that way but you know what I mean). Honestly, I think Clemens is like Bonds - a great player who was going to be in the Hall of Fame but got greedy and arrogant and decided that what he had accomplished wasn't enough. So, he looked for ways to get an advantage and an edge on his opponents. Now, he may be looking at possible jail time and at the worse - public doubt about his accomplishments. Just ask Mark McGwire - who hasn't even come close to sniffing the Hall of Fame in his first 2 years of eligibility. I also think another reason why there is so much interest in this is because of Clemens' attitude - not only has he been arrogant (his lawyer threatening a Government agent) but one of haughtiness as well. The American public, for the most part or at least me, don't care for people like that. They like to see people like that take a fall because it is spectacular to see a crash and burn like that.
I would have believed it if he was adament BEFORE talking to his attornies..... Max, I get where you are coming from, you think it is a waste of time, yet you are defending him in your posts. Clearly you WANT to believe Clemens. So, what do you think now, do you believe he took steroids/HGH, or not? DD
So what was it for Mac, Palmiro and Bonds…or are you saying it is different because they didn’t drag one player up there in that case? If that is what you are saying, then I don’t think Clemens would be before Congress either if he weren’t so intent to clear his name. Again, not saying that he shouldn’t be... I don’t know. I understand your point that it’s not fair for a man to go to trial when there is no real evidence against him. I still think this happened with the other players and no one seemed to care at that time. And as I asked earlier, has any of this really changed anyone’s opinion? When there is no proof you just go with the story you want to believe….
I don't know. But I don't PRESUME guilt. If he's indicted by the Feds, with their 95% conviction rate, then I'll be pretty sure there's something there. It's not that I want to believe Clemens...I'd learn a helluva lot more in a trial, though...where statements are subject to cross-examination. I don't know how you could watch that today and feel like you had a better understanding of what happened, really.
That proceeding was about baseball's problem. They didn't spend hour after hour inquiring into this statement and that. There was testimony taken from baseball executives in that proceeding. I got that proceeding. That one made sense to me. This was a little "mini-trial" of one guy.
Before today, I believed that Roger took steroids, and that beleif was strengthened by the depositions from 3 different people. Andy, Chuck and Brian. Also, the fact that Jose Conseco's ex wife said they were at his house, and the nanny confirmed it sure gave a heck of a lot of stock to McNamee's testimony and the Mitchell report overall. Especially when Clemens back tracked and said that he could not remember going to his house but he might have dropped his wife and kids off......huh? I think McNamee story about lying to the press to protect his clients and friends is completely believable, he was protecting his own paycheck, but when put under threat of prosecution he had to start singing, just like the other witnesses in the Michael Vick case. I think after watching this today that Roger's arrogance is the problem, and that he escalated this thing to the level it is at now. He likes the attention and is worried stiff about his reputation.... The only thing that will make me change my mind, is if the physical evidence comes back and it has Roger's blood, and B-12 or Lidocaine mixed in with it...... Otherwise, I am convinced that Clemens is lying through his teeth. DD
The only thing I know for certain is Roger Clements doesn't have enough integrity to distance himself from McNamee. Again I am appalled that McNamee shot his wife with HGH. If Clements thought McNamee was a boy scout, that alone would have sent shivers up my spine. I cannot possibly imagine someone sticking something into my wife that I didn't know anything about. Just beyond comprehension. If I was at the highest level of the Nation's Pastime Sport - ML Baseball and my trainer was pulling that kind of behind my back move, I would do more than call him for an explanation. With all the steroid use in the news everyday, barry bonds, sosa and the rest... I think I would get a new trainer right then and there. Clements hopefully never took steroids, but he really disappoints me because he definately covered McNamee shooting it into his wife. He should have turned McNamee in for using HGH in his home. His character is tarnished to me for covering for the sleazy trainer.
Mark Souder is on ESPN right now and I really wish he had more time during the hearing. He clearly was the most prepared and most knowledgeable on the subject.
You'd be great at ducking a question. What do you believe, did Roger get Steroids and/or HGH injected into him? DD
Some people don't really make up their minds based on "attention w**** said/rapist said" testimony. I would vote I don't know if that was an option and if I had "the stones".
I've come to the conclusion that Clemens is a liar as well. I understand deep down why he's doing it, though, because it changes the man as far as what he was supposed to represent. He's the role model, the best pitcher in the game, the HOF player, the respected Dad, the charitable guy, the nice guy, and the guy who could do no wrong before this came out. Unfortunately, it seems apparent that he's not that guy we all thought he was. Somewhere along the way, he messed up and made the mistakes of a mere mortal human. That isn't to say him taking these drugs means his whole baseball career is tainted. Most of what he did as far as baseball achievements had nothing to do with the drugs. I think he did what he did to remain at the top of his game. It's unfortunate that...as we know...Roger works to remain in shape as hard as he does but still broke down at some point and used these drugs. He's gone through his whole life supposedly taking the high road. He wants us to view him as that guy who did it all naturally and respectably. Unfortunately, that cannot be believed now. There will always be doubt. Roger has everything to lose if he came out and said he did do the drugs. Primarily, he loses the pedestal. I can't say the same thing about McNamee. I would have to believe that McNamee had it in for Roger the whole time and this is his way of taking Roger down...by lying to a committee under threat of perjury and going to jail. That's a lot to risk just to take down Roger. I just don't buy that McNamee is trying to set Roger up at any cost. As bad as I wanted to believe Roger, I see that isn't possible unless I put my blindfold on.
