The Mitchell Report Out Today

[west20th]

It's not moot in the sense that being a criminal is not the same thing as being a cheat in the eyes of sport.

But they are being seen as cheats in the eyes of their sport. Palermo will never see the Hall of Fame because (even though he has the numbers) he tested positive for steroids. If Roger Clemons can't convince people he didn't use steroids he probably won't see the hall of fame unless he buys a ticket.

Just because baseball was late on it's ban doesn't make them any less of a cheat. Since, as Clemons said, you can't prove a negative do you think it would be wise for him to take a lie detector test? If he is telling the truth I don't see how else he would prove it.

I guess these guys just think they're invincible.

....side effect of the roids?

[KinkaidAlum]

It always seems like when they're lying, they never do the obvious. Is it a simple as cuz they don't think about it?

If he really is lying, he's got huge balls if he follows through and says the same thing in front of congress. I guess these guys just think they're invincible.

Actually, if he is lying, he has SMALL BALLS. A common side effect.

The man is a douchebag. This just confirms it.

[lockmat]

Actually, if he is lying, he has SMALL BALLS. A common side effect.

That's pretty funny.

But what gives you the idea he's a douche? Seen it in action? He seemed pretty, errr, nice in that phone convo.

[sifuwong]

There was a part in the audio where McNamee says, "the truth is the truth it is what it is", which Roger doesn't respond at all to it. Interesting...

[musicman]

Pettitte tells Congress that Clemens revealed HGH use

Rocket faces tough test today after former teammate's allegations surface

As he prepares to face accuser Brian McNamee in today's hearing into the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, Roger Clemens' biggest challenge could be the words of friend and former teammate Andy Pettitte.

According to last week's sworn affidavit from Pettitte, Clemens told Pettitte in either 1999 or 2000 that he used human growth hormone, the Associated Press reported Tuesday, citing a person who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

full article

[Mark F. Barnes]

Roger is toast....he's changed his story too many times. Now he said he misunderstood what Pettitte was asking when he asked about HGH, and said he thought Andy was asking about his wife Debbie when he said yes about HGH usage. I am fixing to lose all respect whatsoever if he tries to scapegoat his wife to cover his own ass.

They may have both been using them. The wifey does looked a little pumped up. however that means nothing. But I firmly believe Roger is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt now, just because all of his story flip flopping.

[lockmat]

Pettitte said in the affidavit that he asked Clemens in 2005 what he would do if asked by the media about HGH, given his admission years earlier. According to the account told to the AP, the affidavit said Clemens responded by saying Pettitte misunderstood the exchange from five or six years earlier and that, in fact, Clemens had been talking about HGH use by his wife in the original conversation.

Maybe someone familiar or who can remember the timeline of steroids in baseball can answer this question.

According to this story, Clemens admitted to Pettite he used HGH in '99 or 2000, then retracted his statements in '05. Everyone knows the steroid problem was widely known by '05. But was it in '99 or '00? I'm wondering if Clemens admitted his use in '99 b/c it wasn't a big story yet, but then retracted it in '05 b/c now it was.

The McGwire/Sosa year was before '99 wasn't it? If so, my theory is out the window.

[CDeb]

The McGwire/Sosa year was before '99 wasn't it? If so, my theory is out the window.

The McGwire/Sosa home run race happened in 1998.

[lockmat]

The McGwire/Sosa home run race happened in 1998.

Of course I'm sure there were whispers of steroid use that year, but it wasn't full blown until a year or two later, right? More of the talk was about that Andro stuff McGwire was taking.

That's what I'm remembering, but I could be wrong.

[RedScare]

Pettitte said in the affidavit that he asked Clemens in 2005 what he would do if asked by the media about HGH, given his admission years earlier. According to the account told to the AP, the affidavit said Clemens responded by saying Pettitte misunderstood the exchange from five or six years earlier and that, in fact, Clemens had been talking about HGH use by his wife in the original conversation.

Does anyone recall that just LAST WEEK, Clemens' attorneys were screaming that McNamee's statements that he injected Clemens' wife with HGH PROVED he was a liar? Now, just a week later, it comes out that Clemens himself is telling Pettitte that his wife used HGH.

Anyone who even remotely believes Clemens' denials is delusional.

[lockmat]

Does anyone recall that just LAST WEEK, Clemens' attorneys were screaming that McNamee's statements that he injected Clemens' wife with HGH PROVED he was a liar? Now, just a week later, it comes out that Clemens himself is telling Pettitte that his wife used HGH.

Anyone who even remotely believes Clemens' denials is delusional.

How did the fact that he injected his wife conclude that he was a liar?

-----

Something that the newspapers haven't reported yet that I've seen, that they just showed on tv was...When Clemens told Andy that he misunderstood him, Andy replied and said, "Yeah, Ok," or something to that effect, but not b/c he believed, but because he didn't want to argue w/ him.

*OUCH*

[RedScare]

How did the fact that he injected his wife conclude that he was a liar?

-----

Something that the newspapers haven't reported yet that I've seen, that they just showed on tv was...When Clemens told Andy that he misunderstood him, Andy replied and said, "Yeah, Ok," or something to that effect, but not b/c he believed, but because he didn't want to argue w/ him.

*OUCH*

There are several reasons why the wife's hgh usage is bad, that I don't feel like taking the time to explain. However, Clemens has taken some very severe hits, including the party, the nanny, Pettitte, Pettitte's wife and the fact that Clemens says he discussed HGH about his wife in 1999, yet she took HGH in 2003.

If I were a federal investigator, I would have numerous potential crimes to investigate that do not require McNamee's testimony. Not a good day for Clemens. I find him to be wholly unbelievable in his denials.

[lockmat]

Clemens is cooked

[gwilson]

Am I the only one who is beyond pissed that FEDERAL dollars were spent on something like this?

Am I the only one who is pissed that a politician can levy accusations at people without any substantiation that can hold up to scrutiny in a court of law (this should be the standard).

Am I the only one who is pissed that someone like Clemens is forced to spend millions of his own dollars to battle allegations that should never have been brought in the manner that they were? I don't like the guy much, but come on. That is about as far from fair for him as what they are accusing him of doing.

Even playing fields don't exist. The best will always strive to get better by whatever means they have at their disposal. The fact that this is such a huge issue in a country who strives for the same with the same "no holds barred" attitude is absolutely ridiculous to me.

Three words.

GIVE ME A BREAK (damnit, ok, three words and a letter)

[sidegate]

I'm sure his denial stems partly from the fact that he feels he was justified in taking the performance-enhancing drugs, since plainly a lot of other people were as well at that time, and is aggrieved that he is now on Capitol Hill alone, and not with a bunch of other perps....

[RedScare]

Are you the only who is pissed that Clemens got nailed? No, there's a few others out there.

Roger Clemens = Dead Man Walking.

[lockmat]

You know what's funny is that it's all about HGH now. Steroids has hardly been mentioned.

[lockmat]

This is the kind of stuff that I'm a little upset about:

(From SI.com)

2:26 p.m. ET

From SI's Tom Verducci: "Finally. Elijah Cummings is the MVP of the hearing. Straightforward, with no grandstanding, Cummings stepped up and finally asked the most important question to Clemens: Why would McNamee tell the truth about Pettitte and Knoblauch but lie about Clemens, especially when Pettitte, by Clemens' own testimony a honest man, backed McNamee's story? Clemens whiffed. 'Congressman, I have no idea,' he said, before devolving into a rambling discourse on Pettitte's friendship with him. Cummings came back again. 'How do you explain that?' Clemens again stumbled, asking why Pettitte didn't tell him when he used HGH, which was not important to the question at hand. Finally, Cummings slammed the door on Clemens. 'It's hard to believe you, sir,' Cummings told Clemens. 'You're one of my heroes. But it's hard to believe you.'"

Why does that need to be said????

2:17 p.m. ET

From SI's David Epstein: "Souder just started talking about that tape that was played on national television. He told me previously that he thought it was in incredibly poor taste to play that tape. He was also perturbed by Clemens' conduct at that press conference. He did not like that reporters came to Houston and then Roger stormed off, answering questions only when he wanted. He also felt that Clemens was disingenuous when he said he didn't care at all about the writers' Hall of Fame votes. He agreed that it may not be primary to Clemens' motivation, but he thought it strange that a player who dedicated his life to a craft would not care at all about the Hall.

Why does this matter?

[The Great Hizzy!]

There are several reasons why the wife's hgh usage is bad, that I don't feel like taking the time to explain. However, Clemens has taken some very severe hits, including the party, the nanny, Pettitte, Pettitte's wife and the fact that Clemens says he discussed HGH about his wife in 1999, yet she took HGH in 2003.

If I were a federal investigator, I would have numerous potential crimes to investigate that do not require McNamee's testimony. Not a good day for Clemens. I find him to be wholly unbelievable in his denials.

I've tried not to jump too much into the speculation wave regarding this but here's what really makes it a bad deal for Roger in my book.

With regard to the HGH, Clemens just read a statement to the committee prepared by his wife that talks about how McNamee injected her but that she didn't know much about it (HGH) and that Roger didn't know much about it either including what kind of affect it would have on her.

This reeks.

Rogers knows enough about HGH to allegedly not use it for fear of being punished by baseball, which had outlawed it by then (IIRC) and yet he allows McNamee to inject his wife with it, despite "not knowing much" about it? Not good. Not good at all.

This and the fact that the attornies had said repeatedly leading up to today that McNamee had never injected Debbie makes his credibility less than McNamee's right now, which is horrible.

[lockmat]

I've tried not to jump too much into the speculation wave regarding this but here's what really makes it a bad deal for Roger in my book.

With regard to the HGH, Clemens just read a statement to the committee prepared by his wife that talks about how McNamee injected her but that she didn't know much about it (HGH) and that Roger didn't know much about it either including what kind of affect it would have on her.

This reeks.

Rogers knows enough about HGH to allegedly not use it for fear of being punished by baseball, which had outlawed it by then (IIRC) and yet he allows McNamee to inject his wife with it, despite "not knowing much" about it? Not good. Not good at all.

This and the fact that the attornies had said repeatedly leading up to today that McNamee had never injected Debbie makes his credibility less than McNamee's right now, which is horrible.

AND he also said that she did it without him knowing. Did he read that just a minute ago, after the hearing?

[KinkaidAlum]

Roger would do well to fess up now and come clean. He is digging a HUGE hole.

It makes me sick that he is so desperate to save his own face that he is bringing his trophy wife down with him! How long until he turns on his sons? Will he make it through the day without claiming his sons were using and not him?

[The Great Hizzy!]

AND he also said that she did it without him knowing. Did he read that just a minute ago, after the hearing?

What's worse is that he says that and yet he also said earlier in response to Andy Pettitte's testimony about them having a conversation about HGG back in about 1999/2000 that it was only about McNamee injecting his wife.

Well, Debbie Clemens was said to have first taken the injection in 2003 (and this is after Clemens' lawyers balked for week at the idea of Debbie Clemens even being accused of having taken injections). So you have a conversation three or four years earlier about your wife using HGH? Really? And after you supposedly found out about it, you still keep McNamee on as your trainer, even though you know that HGH and steriods were explicitly banned by baseball by then? Why would you keep a guy on as your trainer if you know that he's injecting people with HGH (including your wife)?

[lockmat]

What's worse is that he says that and yet he also said earlier in response to Andy Pettitte's testimony about them having a conversation about HGG back in about 1999/2000 that it was only about McNamee injecting his wife.

Well, Debbie Clemens was said to have first taken the injection in 2003 (and this is after Clemens' lawyers balked for week at the idea of Debbie Clemens even being accused of having taken injections). So you have a conversation three or four years earlier about your wife using HGH? Really? And after you supposedly found out about it, you still keep McNamee on as your trainer, even though you know that HGH and steriods were explicitly banned by baseball by then? Why would you keep a guy on as your trainer if you know that he's injecting people with HGH (including your wife)?

He would do it b/c he's lying. We should just close this thread b/c we know he is.

[Mark F. Barnes]

Listen closely Roger, I hope you read this thread. That noise you hear in the background is your career, endorsements, and place in baseball history going down the toilet.

[sifuwong]

If Andy and Knoblach's depositions are not enough 'evidence', then i don't know what is.

[CDeb]

This is a very forgiving nation. If these guys had just come clean right away and said, "Yup, I did it. Sorry, my bad," all would have been forgiven in a very short time. Does anyone criticize Jason Giambi anymore? Of course, Pettite did the same thing, but isn't going to come off looking as good since his story is changing.

But when you consider that the amount of steroids that Clemens used according to McNamee likely made little difference in his career as a whole. He probably would have still gotten into Cooperstown if he had just owned up to everything right away. Now it's just ugly and dude might go to jail.

[Mark F. Barnes]

You know everybody bashed Jose Conseco when he wrote his tell all book, on whether or not it was true, and really questioned his integrity and so forth. He's looking like a whistle blower and an outstanding citizen, after all he said has come to pass, and more and more of these cases come to life. And I will guarantee you that this is really just a drop in the bucket, concerning the real number of guilty players. These are just the ones that are getting named. Mainly because they are high profile players and they sell a lot of press. If Joe Blow the third string utility player did any, no one really cares. Baseball is taking another trip to the gutter. The HR race of '98 I honestly believe was manufactured by league leaders to pull baseball out of the hopper, following the last ugly strike, when attendance went to hell and people were just fed up with the crap.

[lockmat]

You know everybody bashed Jose Conseco when he wrote his tell all book, on whether or not it was true, and really questioned his integrity and so forth. He's looking like a whistle blower and an outstanding citizen, after all he said has come to pass, and more and more of these cases come to life. And I will guarantee you that this is really just a drop in the bucket, concerning the real number of guilty players. These are just the ones that are getting named. Mainly because they are high profile players and they sell a lot of press. If Joe Blow the third string utility player did any, no one really cares. Baseball is taking another trip to the gutter. The HR race of '98 I honestly believe was manufactured by league leaders to pull baseball out of the hopper, following the last ugly strike, when attendance went to hell and people were just fed up with the crap.

That's not really true. There were plenty of no-name or low-profile players in the Mithchell report.

[Mark F. Barnes]

Now this latest revelation with the Nanny! This gets more and more bizarre.

Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee, told a congressional committee he saw the nanny at a party in Miami 10 years ago.

"(She was) chasing after a young child and she was wearing a peach bikini with green in it with board shorts," McNamee said.

The woman said she cared for Clemens' children at a party at Jose Canseco's Miami home in June 1998, where McNamee claimed he first talked with Clemens about steroids.

The former nanny said she was at the party, but Clemens was not.

"No, he wasn't," the woman said. "He wasn't. I was there with his little ones and he wasn't and that's what I told. I told the truth. If I have to swear on the Bible or whatever, he wasn't in there."

WTF. His Nanny was there with his kids but he wasn't? Was Wifey there or what? Coincidently Jose Conseco's house, and Steroids in the same instance? Very very bizarre indeed. There is some real reaching going on here.

[lockmat]

Now this latest revelation with the Nanny! This gets more and more bizarre.

WTF. His Nanny was there with his kids but he wasn't? Was Wifey there or what? Coincidently Jose Conseco's house, and Steroids in the same instance? Very very bizarre indeed. There is some real reaching going on here.

Is that from channel two, this morning? I was sort of paying attention to that, but she also kept saying he's such a great man, so I figured that whatever truth she told, it was in favor of Roger.