Needles, Nannies, and Bloody Pants

So, who was telling the truth and who was lying? It sure was hard to tell, altough the Rocket's body language sure did not look like he was very comfortable at any part during the proceeding. One thing is for sure, however, the highly antipicated congressional showdown between Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee resembled a soap opera more than an inquiry into the use of steroids and HGH.

First, the fact that Clemens' "good friend" Andy Pettitte was not present at the hearing shows what kind of guy Pettitte really is and essentially doomed Roger from the beginning. Is Andy going to be mentally ready for the upcoming baseball season? One thing is for sure, the Yankees desperately need the lefty to produce at the two spot in the rotation with huge question marks in Hughes, Kennedy, and Mussina.


We learned way too much about a certain "palpable mass" that appeared on the Rocket's bum. This lovely visual apparently led to a bloody pants display in question. According to Clemens, this occurred due to a bad B-12 shot. Yeah, sure.

Wait, there's more. Forget Spygate, that's old news. We are now witnesses to a brand new controversy, what journalists and other media types are calling Nannygate. When will the "gates" end? This aspect of the investigation, however, is certainly important and worth following. Along with Andy Backstabber, this can have serious implications on the investigation and potential negative ramifications for Clemens.

Finally, we learned that a number of the members on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform are complete morons and were way out of their element. I believe it was Rep. Darrell Issa of California that referred to the popular sports gear brand Under Armour as "Under Armour-All." Sounds like a great idea: stay warm while playing football and shine your tires afterwards.

When everything is all said and done, Rep. Dan Burton was correct in his stuttering tirade that ripped poor Brian McNamee to pieces and labeled Clemens a "baseball uh t-uh-t-titan." This whole thing was a circus. It really bothered me too.

Houston, We Have A Problem

The Rocket, Roger Clemens, and his former trainer Brian McNamee are scheduled to testify publicly Wednesday at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. In what will no doubt be a cotinuation of the same old story, the seven time Cy Young winner will vehemently deny ever using performace enhancing drugs. This is certainly something we've seen before.

Wednesday's session will be held in the same wood-paneled hearing room baseball fans have become so familiar with. In March of 2005, we painfully watched several big name players essentially ruin their careers and reputations. This list includes Sammy Sosa, who forgot how to speak English, Mark McGwire, who forgot how to speak period, and who can forget the finger-waving Rafael Palmeiro.

In a weird twist, McNamee recently turned over used needles and gauze as evidence. Why would he even keep those things lying around for that long? What's more, the former trainer is now claiming he even injected Clemens' wife with HGH. Wow. The plot has certainly thickened in the past several days.

With all this said, the future does not look bright for Roger Clemens. Appearing before congress did not exactly bode well for players like Palmeiro and McGwire. The once hallowed slugger Palmeiro tested positive for steroids five months after testifying in front of the committee and quickly slipped into oblivion. The former home run king McGwire also fell off the face of the earth following his testimony. These two have a questionable chance of gaining entry into the Hall of Fame, and saying questionable is being generous.

Wednesday, then, will be yet another chapter in the Steroid Era Saga. Will The Rocket follow suit and crash and burn like his predecesors, or will one of the greatest pitchers of all time keep fighting and clear his name for takeoff into the Hall?