Regardless of what your position is on the issue of the Mitchell Report and Congress’ involvement with the performance-enhancing drug scandal in baseball, there is no doubt that today’s congressional hearings is an event that will live in infamy. For all of the wrong reasons, this is one of the most notable days in the history of the sport that likes to call itself “The National Past Time.”
Roger Clemens, one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of baseball, faced a barrage of questions dealing with his involvement with ex-trainer Brian McNamee, and McNamee’s claims that Clemens used human growth hormones and steroids. And while some congressmen attempted to make nice with Clemens, the pitcher left the room Wednesday with a reputation that is tarnished beyond repair and a future that may include problems with perjury.
Without the ability to throw a high-hard one up underneath a batter's chin - or the shard of a broken bat - Clemens was overmatched and out-bullied.
To show you how bad Clemens’ day was, his biggest defender was Indiana Republican Dan Burton who attacked McNamee as if Burton was a member of Clemens’ legal team saying to Clemens’ former trainer, “You're here under oath, and yet we have lie after lie after lie after lie." Burton was also critical of the overall purpose and direction of the hearings.
It needs to be pointed out that Dan Burton was formerly the head of the House Oversight and Reform Committee when Bill Clinton was President. Burton single-handedly did more to damage the credibility of the House of Representatives than any single politician ever could do, when as chairman of this committee he was obsessed with trying to prove that Clinton did something illegal and should be removed from office. Burton’s irrational behavior included him trying to pin the suicide of Vince Foster (remember that scandal?) on the Clintons, to the point where he set up a pumpkin in his backyard and shot at it trying to disprove the theory that Foster off-ed himself.
Article comments
1 - Tan The Man
"As an aside, today’s hearings should mark the end of this charade that somehow athletes are role models."
They could be. The ones that truly are usually don't get the publicity, mostly because they don't want it and don't need it.
MLB doesn't do a good job promoting the community service it does (or if it does).
2 - The Haze
The game will never be the same,largely due to the fact that the fans want that "over-the-top" performance. The publics WWE mentality towards sports has turned a once proud staple of Americana into a farce! As long as the people keep wanting more(and willing to pay for it!,it will be provided.....at whatever the cost!!!!!!! WHERE HAVE YOU GONE JOE DIMAGGIO?
3 - sal m
i think you are right haze, the fans haven't shown that much of an interest in this issue, and there's been a lot of "who cares, i love home runs, it's entertainment" talk.
and by the way, the feds are involved and aren't going to go away now that they've had 3 hearings. there are trials, investigations and big names to catch. and somebody will get caught.
and with regard to role models, who cares if MLB has their players perform community service? this is a program that players take part in, and just because players write checks or make appearances at kids hospitals every so often doesn't make them role models.
just as titan of business shouldn't be roles models simply because they are successful and throw money at causes, athletes aren't worthy of role model status either.
4 - The Haze
Sports "entertainment" has morphed into some grotesque monster that our society has created and could care less the direction it takes, as long as the junkie gets his fix. The NBA was the first to go, then the NFL and now MLB. Curling and Table Tennis anyone?
5 - Tan The Man
To you or the kids they're visiting?
6 - The Haze
C'mon Tan,I think you know where Sal is going with that staement. Sure all kids are going to "worship" a visit from an athlete(whether in a hospital or not)and want to put them on a pedestal,but that shouldn't make them worthy of role model status. If that was the case then all those "Regular Joe" volunteers have a huge leg up on them. It's about the connection that youth has with their favorite athletes today. Almost like there's a price tag on it.....whether or not your the giver or the receiver and that is the shame in it.Some of these athletes crave the accolades,but not the responsibility of being a "modern day athlete".
7 - sal m
the fact that these leagues have to make a concerted effort to get their guys to give back illustrates their unworthiness - as a group - to be role models. certainly there are some guys who do great things without being prompted, but they are the exception.
even as an adult i can separate a guy who is a great player from a guy who is a dirt bag. as long as people keep this distinction in mind we can keep things in perspective.
and writing a check or showing up at a publicized charity event is a hollow, meaningless gesture, whether it's an athlete, movie star or a titan of wall street. i'm am sure michael vick participated in some of these feel good projects before he landed himself in jail, but this didn't make him a role model. it didn't even make him a better person.
8 - bliffle
Maybe this new scandal will help to de-emphasize sports in this poor beleagured nation. we have enough other projects to undertake. Crooks steal our treasure and politicians steal our liberties and our nation while we sit hypnotized in front of the latest super sports spectacular.
9 - Personal Trainer
Typical lawyer lies - saying premise statements and questions as if they are true. Even if they aren't true, it makes the person answering seem wrong. It plants seed in others heads, and if enough seeds are planted, the person being questioned is guilty by the people listening, even if they answered correctly every time.