January 6, 2008

Clemens, McNamee Have "Emotional" Phone Call

David Lennon, Newsday:
In a surprising twist to their public war of words, Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, spoke by telephone Friday night, Newsday has learned. It was their first contact since the Mitchell Report was released Dec. 13, and a person close to the situation described the hourlong conversation between the longtime friends as "emotional."

It is unclear whether Clemens or McNamee initiated the call, and attempts to reach representatives for both of them Saturday night were unsuccessful.
Coming on the heels of both men being requested to testify before a congressional committee in 10 days, does this phone call seem odd? The claims of both men are diametrically opposed to one another -- what could they have talked about for an hour?

I'm at work and the home VCR is set, but for anyone watching tonight -- 60 Minutes Game Thread? Or some post-segment comments?

35 comments:

s1c said...

Originally I wasn't going to watch the 60 minute love fest, but now it is must see tv. As for thread, hey, its your call.

allan said...

If I can, I'll try to get some real time info at SoSH, but if anyone wants to weigh in for those of us who cannot watch it "live", please do!

Zenslinger said...

Maybe this story of a phone conversation is trying to lay the ground for a face-saving change in the narrative.

"Oh, those WERE PED's you were injecting me with?"

"I'm sorry, Roger, I can see how you might not have known that."

"Oh, man. I've already told everyone I didn't do any PED's."

"Sorry, man. Maybe if you just come clean now...after all, that Congressional thing is coming up pretty soon."

"Yeah. Maybe my fans will understand."

allan said...

"Yeah. Maybe my fans will understand."

That might work, since Billy believes his 25 years in public life have earned him the benefit of the doubt in these matters.

Lord Lynch said...

Hi there. London Lord Lynch is currently in the US, so I'll get the chance to watch the 60 minutes programme tonight. I'll see what I can do. The beloved is a Yankee, but she hates the TCM more than me, so she'll fill me in more...

Amy said...

bad link, Allan?

I am watching the CNN replay of last night's debates while switching back and forth to CBS waiting for 60 Minutes. Hard to know which program is more of a waste of my time!

allan said...

Here we go: Early wire report

s1c said...

Ok, I have my mike's hard lemonade in hand and Mike Wallace has just said "those stories and Andy Rooney tonight" tick, tick, tick.

First up Musharraf, aaargh, want to bet that FB is the last story tonight?

allan said...

"It's hogwash for people to even assume this. Twenty-four, 25 years, Mike. You'd think I'd get an inch of respect. An inch."

:>)

s1c said...

Yep, FB is the last one as we are watching the Whitey Bulger hit man, Howie Carr is probably licking his chops right now (wrote one or two books on the bulger crimes).

Amy said...

PIG! Such an arrogant pig from the first word.

s1c said...

I hope he is watching

I treated him fairly

FB on McNamee.

Amy said...

Is Wallace going to ask one tough question? Is he just going to let Clemens deny, deny, deny? What kind of investigative reporter is he? I have seen him tougher on young kids.

Lord Lynch said...

This reminds me of the Shaggy song...

"It wasn't me..."

Lord Lynch said...

Why Would McNamee Lie?

Wasn't Me.....

This guy isn't impressing me as an interviewer. From an outsider.

Lord Lynch said...

Growing a third ear is a normal side effect of HGH?

I'm not in it for the awards / accolades. So why should he keep playing!

allan said...

Wallace probably doesn't want to risk losing any more invites to the owner's box at the Toilet.

allan said...

I taped this on another channel up here at 7 PM. It seems to be on at 8 PM where you guys are. Was it delayed because of football or something?

Amy said...

Football, Allan. It also was delayed here.

allan said...

Okay. The station I taped did not have sports this afternoon, so I think the show began when it was supposed to -- at 7 PM.

s1c said...

Yep the San Diego vs Tennessee game went till 7:37.

Amy said...

Well, that was a waste of time. Now I can go back and waste some more time with the debates.

Lord Lynch said...

Maybe I am biased but that was an own goal for Clemens.

Vioxx? Who cares what you think about that at this stage?

The ridiculous "probably" retired business. Why do that at all?

The unconvincing lie detector cobblers.

The portrait of McNamee as someone who owed his career to Clemens, and the ungrateful rogue couldn't button it.

Clemens could be innocent, and it would be horrendous if he was and these accusations are false. But how would he have "sorted it out" if he "knew what was in the report".

This last geek on 60 minutes is mad as a mongoose. Thought I'd add that.

s1c said...

via Shysterball a pretty good read at The Baseball Analysts on a profile done on FB.

As for the sixty minutes - What the frag happened to Mike Wallace. Soft ball, soft ball after soft ball!!!!

allan said...

I'm sure the producers and Billy's lawyers agreed on what Wallace could ask and not ask. If not, there would have been no interview.

At least it got a few of you into game thread mode -- gotta stay in shape!

allan said...

Thanks for that Pat Jordan link, s1c.

Reminds me that Clemens will have a press conference tomorrow. Maybe one of those writers will press him.

allan said...

From s1c's link:

"I had a chance to become friends with Mr. Clemens in 2001, when I interviewed him for a profile in the New York Times Sunday magazine. ... he called me up after the story appeared and berated me over the telephone. When I asked him what he didn't like about the story, he said, "I didn't read it." I responded, "Then how do you know you don't like it?" He said he was told by his [Peter Gammons] that he should hate it. In fact, Mr. Clemens hated my profile so fervently that he had me banned from the Yankees' clubhouse during the years he remained with the team."

and

"On the first day I interviewed Mr. Clemens in Houston I had dinner with him and Mr. McNamee at the most exclusive steak house in Houston. The bill was for over $400, which I paid. Mr. Clemens said, "I’ll get you tomorrow." The next day he bought me a taco at a Mexican Restaurant."

s1c said...

Redsock - don't those excerpts just fit the image of the man? Gawd, I hate the bastard (oops) this guy.

I want to see pictures of FB in 93 and now. Before and afters baby, that is what I want to see.

Hey look the Truman show is on!!!

allan said...

SoSH says he looked straight down at the floor every time he spewed his denials. True?

s1c said...

He looked down a lot, a lot more than I would have thought for the soft ball questions, but I wouldn't say every time.

allan said...

The Globe has the complete transcript.

allan said...

Reading the transcript, I'd say it's Lawsuit Time in McNameeland!!!

allan said...

I love Billy saying "why use roids -- they make your body break down".

Yeah, Bonds used some steroids and he was out of baseball after only a few months.

allan said...

Rusty Hardin, Clemens's attorney:
"Anyone not persuaded by that interview is not a well person."

Earl Ward, McNamee's attorney said Clemens was "disinegenuous and desperate ... I just didn't think it was a very hard-hitting interview."

Robert Emery, another of McNamee's lawyers, said they'll wait until after Clemens's Congressional appearance on January 16 to decide whether to sue.
"If Congress calls him, he pretty much has to take the Fifth, and if he takes the Fifth, nobody will ever believe him again and all this effort has gone down the drain. And if he doesn't take the Fifth, it's very hard to imagine that a prosecutor isn't going to pursue this. So I think he's put himself in a terrible corner."

Man, I love this!

s1c said...

According to WEEI Rahger is filing the first lawsuit against McNamee for defamation. Oh, this is going to be such a soap opera!!!!!!!

Lawsuit was filed Sunday night, electronically. Will not interfere with his congressional appointment, no fifth, no immunity expected to be asked or used. Lawsuit is going to prove that the feds pressured McNamee to give up Clemens. Yeah boy!!!