Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Liar, Liar: McNamee v. Clemens, who would you trust?

In watching the first 3 hours plus of the House Oversight Congressional Hearings on the Mitchell Report with regards to Roger Clemens and former MLB trainer Brian McNamee, one has to understand that neither has budged much at all from their dichotomous assertions. That being said, it is obvious Brian McNamee is a liar and con artist. Roger Clemens is undoubtedly lying too.

If there is a scale or measure of creditability to use with regards to either man, Clemens would weigh more truthful on matters I would assert all of us would be able to give a good showing on. Things like who we believe in, people we would do right by, the ability to no harm to others in our care. Things that make most of us, normal human beings.

However, in matters that effect his remembrance as likely the greatest pitcher of the last 15-20 years, Roger Clemens would falter after 2 innings of batting practice in front of the 1976 Cincinnati Reds or 1927 Yankees. Roger has repeatedly offered little to refute his close teammate Andy Pettitte's affadavit/deposition claim that he used HGH in 1999 and likely on or before 2005. Roger saying, "he misremembers," but also saying, "he'll be my friend after this." Highly unlikely given the probable perjury investigation the FBI agents will see fit to pursue in light of this testimony by Clemens.

Meanwhile, (Dr.? )Brian McNamee has shown his imaginative ability to contort, confuse and obliterate facts whenever his interests lie in lying. His obtainment of a paper mache doctorate from Columbus University, a place well known to the U.S. Congress via Charles Abell, assistant secretary of Defense for force management. His recollections to implicate Clemens by loose association with Jose Canseco during a June 1998 party. His utilizing his connections to Clemens, Mike Stanton and Andy Pettitte to garner more business, ignoring the fact he injected them (all) with illegal/performance enhancers.

More to the point, McNamee is a player of the game of "snitching to save his ass." His assertions (paraphasing here), "that he only went so far in telling how many times he injected these players because he didn't want to hurt them too much," is utter and complete bullshit. His obvious anger at Clemens for secretly recording him, and thus, provoking the 'newly found evidence' of needles and other medical paraphernalia from 7 years ago used to implicate Clemens shows a desperate man willing to do, and all ready doing, anything to save his ass from a prison cell. (Which I can reflectively understand.)

Clemens is no saint. But I don't see a devil.

I see a man who likely projected a strong appearance for so long that Clemens may have fell victim to an Eve-like man named McNamee, that conned him down a road of no return in biting into the steroid-laced apple. It will improve you. You'll get your fastball back. You'll get better, I promise you.

McNamee's name will go down in Major League Baseball history as one of the dirtiest, sleaziest human beings to work with professional athletes. His word is never his bond. His concept of right is skewed to his own self-reward. And his loyalty is to whatever winds of cash flow fall in his hands.

"Roger 'Titan' Clemens... meet Barry 'Balco' Bonds, your new cellmate at Club Fed." A federal warden might have to say. Both will be far removed from the American Gladiators they were on the ball field.

"Brian McNamee you are hereby ordered to serve 2 1/2 years in prison for probation violation," A federal magistrate will eventually say.

Each side will lose more than they bargained for.



1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I watched some of this on TV yesterday and I do agree McNamee did seem like a slime ball (at least to me). Like you said they're probably both lying.

I also had to wonder if this is so damn important why isn't the committee going after the owners and commissioner? Or are they too afraid to question them in the same manner they did McNamee and Clemens. Where were they when all this was going on?? Shouldn't they feel some of the pain as well?