Harry Colon's Sportscity Blog

Former New England Patriot, Detroit Lion and Jacksonville Jaguar Corner Back, Harry Colon, has joined the Sportscity.com team. Each week, Colon will bring his own perspective on all things NFL, from current games and news, to past NFL experiences.

Roger Clemens: Four Things That Make You Say, “Hmmmm….”

Written by Harry Colon on February, 16th 2008

I didn’t need a congressional hearing to determine if Roger Clemens was blatantly lying about his usage Human Growth Hormone (HGH). I thought it was far fetched that Clemens had never heard of HGH; when baseball is knowingly and admittedly contaminated. I assume there are some die hard Clemens fans who refuse to believe the obvious and will defend him until the bitter end. Well, the bitter end is here. It’s just a matter of time that his usage of HGH is revealed. Clemens made sure of that with his inconsistent testimony.

Four things that make you say, “Hmmmm...”

1. Injections by the trainer?
Let me get this straight, the trainer injected an athlete with something! I have never heard of an athlete allowing a trainer to inject them; unless they knowingly understood it was a violation of the rules. For the non athletes, this is the equivalent of a trainer, from 24 Hour Fitness, injecting their clients with “B12”….yeah right! What I am curious about, is how did McNamee approach Clemens? How did the alleged initial conversation go?

Clemens: “Boy, I ‘m feeling tired today…I ‘m getting old fast.”
McNamee: “Roger if you take this ‘B12’ shot it will make you stronger and younger.”
Clemens: “Really Brian…. ‘B12’ huh? Are you sure? Can I just drink it or take in a pill?”
McNamee: “No, I have to inject you but you will feel the difference, I promise.”
Clemens: “Should I tell the ball club or the team doctor first?”
McNamee: (Wink) “Why would you do that….You know that I attended medical school and I do know what I am doing. It’s only HGH….uhhh ‘B12’.”

Later……

Clemens: “Hey McNamee, I feel so much stronger! Thanks, I wish I had known about this earlier in my career.”
McNamee: “No problem…..just tell your friends.” (Pettitte)

Hmmmm...

2. Clemens supposed non-attendance at Canseco’s party.

Brian McNamee stated, in his desposition, Clemens first raised the subject of steroids not long after McNamee saw Canseco and Clemens meeting during the party. Clemens states that he was not at the party; Canseco confirms his statement by signing an affidavit. But, still yet Canseco contradicted his initial suspicions of Clemens. In his book, Juiced, it started with the Boston Red Sox claim that Roger was past his prime in the mid 90’s and continued when Jose Canseco stated in his book: "One of the benefits of steroids is that they're especially helpful in countering the effects of aging. So in Roger's case, around the time he was leaving the Boston Red Sox -- and Dan Duquette, the general manager there, was saying he was 'past his prime' -- Roger decided to make some changes. He started working out harder. And whatever else he may have been doing to get stronger, he saw results."

(Side Note: If you want to see the results of HGH go to Sports Illustrated and look at the picture of Clemens wife)

Why would Canseco mention Clemens, if he himself was not suspicious of Clemens? And Canseco is turning out to be the most credible of all sources; but let’s called it a “wash between the two parties” because of Canseco’s affidavit stating that Clemens was not in attendance at the party. But, what about the nanny…why would she lie? She stated that she stayed the night at Canseco’s house with the family. Although the nanny did not say that Clemens was at the party she clearly stated that Canseco and Clemens spent time together.

I got the feeling from Clemens that he and Canseco were never close friends. Something’s just not right here. Hmmmm...

3. Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch

Brian McNamee named Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch, Roger and Debbie Clemens in his deposition. All admitted to being injected by McNamee except Roger Clemens! Not only did Clemens say he did not received HGH injections but apparently he had never heard of it until recently. This is very hard to believe…very hard! Everyone around Clemens, not only knew about HGH, but took injections of it from McNamee.

It was reported, at one time, that Toronto Blue Jays took Clemens in to get a MRI to determine the nature of a mass located on his buttocks. Clemens stated that McNamee injected “B12” in his back; McNamee said that he injected him with HGH in the “ass”. Another discrepancy that makes you think….Hmmmm?

4. Andy Pettitte

Pettitte stated in a sworn deposition that Clemens said he took HGH; Pettitte’s wife corroborated his story. Weren’t Pettitte and Clemens close friends and long time work out buddies? Why would he support a complete liar (according to Clemens and his lawyers) and not his close friend? All I know is that my good friend would not lie on me under oath……ever! But then again, I might be in the minority or delusional. Hmmmm...

In 5 years the verdict will be in, when the media votes for the Hall of Fame. Undoubtedly, Roger Clemens will hire the best attorneys money can buy and they will work day and night to discredit Brian McNamee’s name and his claim. To what extent will Clemens go to protect his image and career? At the congressional hearing Clemens threw his mother, wife and agent “under the bus”. Is anyone safe here? Hmmmm...

(Note to self: Remember to write about the difference on how the press is reporting this situation and how they literally prosecuted Barry Bonds! And a possible pardon by President Bush)

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