This comment alone scares me more than all the steroid using, coke snorting, alcohol consuming athletes in their entirety. For children to be enouraged to look at present sports figures as role models in this day and age is just asking for trouble. Gone is the day (as when I was a child in the 60′s and 70′s) where MOST athletes were role models in society that kids could look up to and aspiring to be like. Athletes now are no different than aged children that take, take take and give nothing in return. Granted, it’s not in their contracts to be role models for kids and young adults, but in my day, it was implied and expected. Now it’s all about the money and fame and no longer about the sport or the position the athlete holds in the public spot light. I go out of my way in my mentoring program to tell the young folks to NEVER look to athletes, hollywood celebrities or the like for their “idols” and stress it’s the everday people in thier community that are the true heroes that should be idolized. Professional sports in general has no honor and is nothing more than a money generating machine with blinders on.

Major League players almost unanimously took the Mafia oath of ‘omerta’ (silence) when they stonewalled on performance-enhancing drugs. Instead of contrition for massive cheating which has destroyed or, at least. distorted most Major League records and given them unfair advantage over honest ballplayers, we get snarling (and even threatening) defiance. Go to Hell, cheaters.

He’s been named by too many people, and if he’s truly innocent, he wouldn’t have been part of the allegations, and he would have IMMEDIATELY come out and said so.

How many people has Clemens been named by? One…two? Dozens?

I’ve been falsely accused of something before – you probably have been, too. Almost everyone I know has been wrongly accused at some time in their lives. Being accused is NOT an indication of guilt.

And FYI, Clemens DID release a statement immediately – the same day the report was released – denying the allegations and requesting time to put together a more complete defense.

I reacted with anger, disappointment and disgust when the Mitchell report was released. I hated how it impacted my son – he was really upset. But I’m impressed with both unequivocal statements Clemens has made so far and I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

Leave Roger Clemens alone….

Can’t do it. He’s been named by too many people, and if he’s truly innocent, he wouldn’t have been part of the allegations, and he would have IMMEDIATELY come out and said so. Instead, he said nothing, then releases a You Tube video, so he wouldn’t have to be questioned by the media.
Steroids and HGH would certainly explain his longevity in the game.

Dude, your neck is twice as thick as it was in 1986.

At least his head is the same size, unlike a certain pumpkin-headed* slugger.

*Asterisk indicates steroid use may have affected this outcome.

Redhead Infidel on December 23, 2007 at 8:08 PM

Could be right, this is what I had read.

They maintain Mitchell’s effort was more an internal investigation, given his lack of subpoena power, that would hold little weight in court.

“It does not have any earmarks of a full-blown criminal investigation,” said Thomas Anthony Durkin, a former federal prosecutor and noted criminal defense lawyer.

“If there is no subpoena power, you can do no meaningful investigation,” said Dan Purdom, a former assistant district attorney now with Hinshaw & Culbertson who represents players and agents.

“They had no way to do this right because they had no subpoena power,” said Chicago-based lawyer and sports agent George Andrews.

Bonds, Andrews added, has huge legal problems because he is accused of lying to a federal grand jury, not of taking steroids.

He hurt a hell of a lot of people in Houston when he stood there in front of that obnoxious Yankees home crowd and said he considered New York his home.

Mark V. on December 23, 2007 at 7:42 PM

True. Broke our hearts.

Texas Karma came back and bit you in the ass huh boys?

conservnut on December 23, 2007 at 7:48 PM

Never thought of it that way, but it sure as hell did!

Nobody was under threat of prosecution.

broker1 on December 23, 2007 at 7:15 PM

Hmm. Either your information is incorrect, broker1, or this article on MLB is incorrect:

An assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Yankees in 2000-01, the 40-year-old McNamee drew the interest of the Mitchell investigation when four checks written to Kirk Radomski, a former Mets clubhouse attendant and accused steroid dealer, were uncovered.

By agreeing to cooperate with the commission and provide testimony, McNamee is avoiding possible federal prosecution for drug distribution, according to the Mitchell Report.

By agreeing to cooperate with the commission and provide testimony, McNamee is avoiding possible federal prosecution for drug distribution, according to the Mitchell Report.

Through his agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s office, McNamee consented to three separate interviews with the Mitchell investigation, one in person and two by telephone. Federal prosecutors and agents from the FBI and IRS also participated, and according to the Report, McNamee was advised each time that he could face criminal charges if he made any false statements during the interviews.

Did he give them what they wanted in exchanged for not being prosecuted? Or was the advisement to not falsify charges enough?

That’s why I always question coerced testimony.

As far as I’m concerned, he can burn. He hurt a hell of a lot of people in Houston when he stood there in front of that obnoxious Yankees home crowd and said he considered New York his home.

Mark V. on December 23, 2007 at 7:42 PM

Yeah, I’m still smarting from that as well. That why in spite of my position on this subject, deep down inside I love the fact that he and Petite were named in this thing.

Texas Karma came back and bit you in the ass huh boys?

Consider this term and phrase the exclusive copyright property of the Doogie…..

T-Shirts on Cafepress within the hour…

:) He innocent…

But since we’re on a political board..was he “pandering” at the end?

Limerick on December 23, 2007 at 7:31 PM

Agreed, this is just bad for the game. A bunch of hype about nothing and best left alone. The commish needs to step up though and I doubt that pu$$y would without the pressure.

Having said that, now baseball just needs to clean up it’s own act and the politicians and media need to leave it alone.

Sadly though, they won’t.

I believe the fans would have been more then happy if he would have simply come out with this statement:

‘Beginning April 1, 2008, any player found to have used performance enhancing or recreational drugs will receive a suspension for life.’

Bunch of screaming and yelling for a year or two by a bunch of cheaters and lawyers. Screw them.

Broker1, I guess it’s because I always question testimony that is coerced in exchange for leniency of one’s own crimes. McNamee is avoiding federal prosecution for drug dealing – that’s a pretty coercive reason to shift the focus to bigger names than his. Meanwhile, he gets off scott-free. That’s why I think his testimony is questionable.

Redhead Infidel on December 23, 2007 at 7:07 PM

Nobody was under threat of prosecution. That is why Mitchell did not have subpeona power. Mitchell simply sent out letters asking for interviews and he was one that wanted to come forward. Clemens rejected the letter among many others.

I understand your feelings and thats fine, but why are his words questionable?

Broker1, I guess it’s because I always question testimony that is coerced in exchange for leniency of one’s own crimes. McNamee is avoiding federal prosecution for drug dealing – that’s a pretty coercive reason to shift the focus to bigger names than his. Meanwhile, he gets off scott-free. That’s why I think his testimony is questionable.

All in all I say, if they did, fine, fix it, outlaw it, test for it, and from this day forward anybody found to use it, KICK THEM OUT OF BASEBALL FOR LIFE! As for the past, forget it. And no **by any names in the record books.

I believe him. Until someone PROVES something against him (and it’s not just McNamee’s questionable word against his) – he’s innocent. That much is the standard of the law, at least. Clemens has earned the benefit of the doubt.

This is killin’ me, just because he’s my son’s sports hero. I cannot imagine how hard it’s been on his family.

Redhead Infidel on December 23, 2007 at 6:47 PM

I understand your feelings and thats fine, but why are his words questionable? He named Petitte and he was right about him. What motive could he have? Everyone called Canseco a liar too. I could see that because he was out of money and needed to write a book. This guy had no reason to lie.

And of course there will never be proof. The testing policy, warning players weeks in advance that a test was coming, made sure they wouldnt get caught. So barring a video tape you will get your wish, no REAL proof.

This is killin’ me, just because he’s my son’s sports hero. I cannot imagine how hard it’s been on his family.

Clemens to YouTubers: No ‘roids here, thanks

Michael Jackson to YouTubers: No plastic surgery here, thanks

John Kerry to YouTubers: No Botox here, thanks

Hillary Clinton to YouTubers: No Husy money here, thanks

Bill Clinton to YouTubers: No Monica sex here, thanks