I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in fact, my entire life. Those substances represent a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take.No wiggle room there, that's for sure. A cynic might note that "I did not take" could mean "It was my trainer that shot me up", but I don't think that parsing will fly at this point.
I am disappointed that my 25 years in public life have apparently not earned me the benefit of the doubt, but I understand that Senator Mitchell's report has raised many serious questions. I plan to publicly answer all of those questions at the appropriate time in the appropriate way. I only ask that in the meantime people not rush to judgment.
The denial did not impress the New York tabs.
Earl Ward (Brian McNamee's lawyer) has issued a challenge to Clemens. "It's one thing to issue a statement. It's another to testify under oath."Congress will hold two hearings on steroids and PEDs in mid-January.
CHB goes after FBfO today. He also writes:
ReplyDeleteHere's what a former Red Sox manager told me in 1999: "Everybody in the game knows why Clemens got so good again. He's on steroids. It's obvious."
ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski also rips the TCM.
I feel guilty deriving so much malicious pleasure from all this, but I effin' hate Roger Clemens, and have for at least a decade. So at least I'm not a bandwagon hater...
ReplyDeleteOkay, why can't they just ask the trainer to make a positive ID of Fatty's ass? Have a lineup.
ReplyDelete"I effin' hate Roger Clemens, and have for at least a decade. So at least I'm not a bandwagon hater..."
ReplyDeleteHaha. I'm in your boat. (except for the guilt, ha) But yeah, now that we're entering this utopian world where everyone hates Clemens, I do want to make sure everyone knows I've been living in it since the day he signed with the Yanks in '99.
It's kind of like with being a fan of NYC--since 9/11, whenever I mention how I love NYC, I feel like people could think it's just in an "I'm American, and we're all supposed to say that now" way.
How's that for an analogy?
'99
ReplyDeletePiker. I was fed up with the Con Man way back in 1990. The Fat and Underachieving Years (not to mention deciding to play closer to his Texas-based family in Toronto, using the illegal side deal to head to the Toilet, his chronic ducking of appearances against the Sox, and general assholery) were icing on the cake.
How's that for an analogy?
I think the country-wide love for NYC lasted only about six months after 9/11. Then everything went back to normal -- and people could freely express their disgust, contempt and hate for NYC again. As God intended.
I still stood up for the guy through his Toronto days, but I did have that "boyhood hero" thing goin' on, as I was ten years old when he got the 20 strikeouts*. You were a little wiser than I was in the early 90s.
ReplyDeleteRe 9/11: How come nobody went around saying "we're all District of Columbians" or wearing I Heart DC shirts? And we didn't have to hear any crap about, I don't know, Cowboys fans rooting for the Redskins?
*The first time, Allan & Laura, not the second time:)
I never hated him while he played for the Sox, but I didn't like him much, either-he always just seemed like such a prick. I admit I did like the winning and from '93-'96 kept hoping he'd return to form...but he never did, until he started injecting roids in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteSo my full-fledged malice didn't really take shape until '96. I hated Roger the Blue Jay just as much as I hated Roger the Yankee (and, Roger the Astro). Just the fact that he wasn't on the Red Sox anymore gave my hate ground upon which to flourish.
want a laugh? go to bostondirtdogs.com and find the aqua teen hunger force video about roid rage (about half way down the page). it's hilarious. i haven't laughed that hard in a while. i think we all know yankee fans like this.
ReplyDeleteThe Papelbon dog mystery deepens. It now appears Papelbon's dog is. . . a bulldog.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/12/21/case_of_pet_ty_theft/