Roger Clemens heads the news on just about every baseball website or baseball blog on the interent today. Roger Clemens appeared before a congressional committee and was under oath answering questions regarding alleged conversations he had with Andy Pettitte about using Human Growth Hormones or HGH. Now I'm not going to comment about this other than to say it looked like politicians got involved in this if only to show-off their lawyering skills of old, before running for congress. And that I don't care if Roger Clemens is too stubborn to admit he tried the stuff, and that it kind of looks like both Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are victims of entrapment. Entrapment using their egos as the lure.
Now over at Sports Justice, Richie is defending Roger Clemens' record and the fact that he is alleged to have only used the substance a handful of times. That fact reminds us that Clemens' success can not be attributed to such limited use of HGH, if he lied and used it. So his worst case scenario is so what? Media Nation has a negative and sarcastic view of Roger Clemens as revealed in his Roger Clemens Crash Landing article. He says it's clear that Roger Clemens lied under oath and that McNamee had no reason to lie. I doubt that conclusion very much. Then there's a humorously titled Clemens And McNamee, Men of Substance article. Not sure of the author, but he sure can write. Here's an excerpt:
"Surely Clemens, with an ego so big that he had the gall to interrupt Rep. Henry Waxman’s closing statement, figured he’d come out of this thing on Wednesday and essentially be exonerated. And there were times on Wednesday when he performed well. He certainly looked the part, making eye contact with his interrogators, sitting upright and rigid and speaking forcefully."
"But he also fumbled horrendously at times, and frankly, showed that he’s not the most articulate guy in the world. He used a word no one has ever heard before — “misremembered” — to try to explain away Andy Pettitte’s damning claims, and at other times seemed befuddled by the questioning."
I like that guys style. Finally, you have 1000 Monkeys and a Camera, that's right, that's the name of the Blog, lol. You have them 1000 Monkeys in their Roger Clemens post saying that all of it, from the Mitchell Report to today's hearings, is all a colossal waste of our legislature's time. "It's baseball. Not foreign policy. Not the world economy. Not health care reform."
- My sentiments exactly.
You guessed it. Now one of the doctors testifying before the House Committee has brought in another celebrity, Rocky Balboa, better known as Sylvester Stallone. No it's not Roger Clemens vs. Rocky Balboa, but Yo, it's a bit intriguing. You see, one of the doctors in a hearing about the "Myths and Facts about Human Growth Hormone, B-12, and Other Substances." brought up Rocky. He ws critical of actor Sylvester Stallone who recently said he used human growth hormone to get buff for his new "Rambo" movie, and defended its use by saying: "Everyone over 40 years old would be wise to investigate it because it increases the quality of your life." The consensus from the four doctors who testified: Neither HGH nor vitamin B-12 appears to help athletic performance very much, although much more research is needed on HGH, which also has a litany of unappealing side effects.
"There is no credible scientific evidence that growth hormone substantively increases muscle strength or aerobic exercise capacity in normal individuals," said Dr. Thomas Perls, director of the New England Centenarian Study at the Boston University of Medicine. That should sum it all up completely! But hey yo! People love to incriminate. To raise suspicion. Let's look and see what the doc had to say after these statements by the four medical experts shall we? "You look at Sylvester Stallone and say 'That's a different body for a 61-year-old man,"' said Dr. Alan Rogol, a professor of clinical pediatrics at both the University of Virginia and Indiana University. "He may very well have been taking human growth hormone. None of us in this room know what else he was taking. And I think it's the 'what else' -- meaning the anabolic steroids -- that made him what he is."
Now just what evidence makes him conclude that? None! It's speculation which no doubt will draw political attention to actors like Stallone next. But first they have to deal with this Roger Clemens case. Now I say forget the Roger Clemens vs. Rocky Balboa title. I say let's make it Dr. Alan Rogol vs. Rambo! Hey Yo!
The Roger Clemens Report evaluates the Career of Roger Clemens and compares his career performance with other great pitchers who have pitched into their forties. This report is presented in lieu of the mentioning of Roger Clemens in "The Mitchell Report". From The Clemens Report: "Over the course of his career, Roger Clemens was able to maintain a high quality of pitching by continuing to work on his technique and adjusting his style of pitching to his physical abilities. Had he not mastered the split-finger fastball, it is unlikely that he would have maintained the high level of effectiveness that he displayed during his 24 years on the mound. If pitchers cannot adapt to changing circumstances and maintain the quality of their pitching, then they tend to retire or to be replaced. Therefore, one would expect that any pitcher who has a long career would continue to pitch well late in life, as Clemens, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and Nolan Ryan did."
"Clemens' ERA Margin and strikout rates were etremely good by any measure. But like all pitchers, Clemens had hot streaks and cold spells, as well as good seasons and bad seasons, over the course of his career. Some mistakenly view 1996 as a down season because of his 10-13 won-lost record, when in fact Clemens had an excellent season, leading the American League in strikeouts and posting an excellent ERA Margin of +1.37. In fact, 1996 began the best period of pitching in Clemens' career, a period that would continue until he suffered an injury in the beginning of 1999."
"While Clemens maintained high performance quality throughout his career, the quantity of his pitching declined as he aged. Reducing the amount that Clemens pitched through the use of pitch counts, and contractually shortening the 2006 and 2007 seasons, contributed to his ability to continue to pitch at a high level by pererving his stamina. The reduction of travel to avoid fatigue also helped Clemens continue to pitch well later in his career."
Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling is wrong about demanding that Roger Clemens give up the four Cy Young Awards he's won since 1997 if he can't clear his name from allegations that he used steroids to prolong and enhance his career. How's that for a lengthy sentence? Nonetheless, it is not Curt Schilling's role to make public statements like that about players who are alleged to have used substances. This is just alot of hot air to me. Especially since it's from a hot air balloon himself.
But Schilling not only played the policeman, he played the fan spokesman too. Quote: "If he doesn't do that then there aren't many options as a fan for me other than to believe his career 192 wins and three Cy Youngs he won prior to 1997 were the end," Unquote. Who the heck is Curt Schilling to speak for what fans would think about Roger Clemens' achievements in light of steroid use? I, as a fan and as one who has read up on what steroids do to the body, wouldn't think that Clemens' arm muscles would hold up until age 44. I also don't think that steroids puts the curve in the pitch, puts accuracy in the throw, enables perfect release point syncronocity between different pitches, coorindated follow-through motions and, of course, the longevity associated with Clemens' career. There's no chance that Clemens' success, any of it, nor career longevity can be accredited to the use of steroids. Notta.
Steroids may enhance performance, but it cannot equip the mind of a ballplayer with the knowhow and skill that experience can. Nor can it equip the mind with the better judgement and decision making which only a master of his craft can do. Well, steroids may make you more alert in which to put those experienced skills and knowlege to use, but then again, as we know with all other drugs, it's most probably works against you in that regard. It probably makes someone who is good, bad and someone who is bad, either lucky or just alters the lucky few enough so as to temporarily fit into the competitive equation. But no. Steroids doesn't make you hit homers nor does it make you win 4 Cy Young awards either. Shutup Curt!
Baseball Etc: Baseball News And Discussions. Feel Free To Respond
Through his agent Randy Hendricks, baseball legend Roger Clemens denied ever using human growth hormones, steroids or any other banned substances ever. His statement reads as follows:
"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. "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."
Roger Clemens is not the only one. Many players are either admitting a one time use or vehemently denying any use following the Mitchell Report which incriminated them. I feel we should give them the forgiveness they ask for when they admit usage, and the benefit of the doubt when they deny it. We should be satisfied that baseball is now officializing the fact of it's past mistakes in overlooking and allowing these "mistakes" to occur and looking ahead to reshape the way it handles such matters in the future.
Baseball Etc: Baseball News And Discussions. Feel Free To Respond
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