Burton also allegedly referred to current-chairman Henry Waxman as “a little prick.” The Indiana Republican felt that his phone was bugged by the Clinton White House and brought his own scissors to the House barbershop so that he couldn’t contract AIDS.
Oh, and in a meeting with the editorial board of an Indianapolis newspaper Burton called Clinton a “scum-bag.”
This guy is on Clemens’ side.
Who isn’t on Clemens side is McNamee (obviously), his old workout buddy Andy Pettitte, Chuck Knoblauch and an ex-nanny who placed the Rocket at a Jose Canseco barbeque that Clemens has taken a lot of effort to convince people he wasn’t at. And he may have tampered with his ex-nanny/witness. All of these people backed up testimony given by McNamee and therefore contradicted the position held by Clemens.
Henry Waxman certainly isn’t on Clemens side, and it appeared that while many congressmen were polite towards Clemens, this keeping of decorum didn’t mean that they believed him, especially Representative Elijah Cummings – one of the most thoughtful members of the committee. Cummings said in response to the inconsistencies in Clemens’ story and in light of the testimony given by Pettitte, "It's hard to believe you, sir. I hate to say that. You're one of my heroes, but it's hard to believe."
Even before today’s hearings, Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News wrote that to believe Clemens is to believe that McNamee told the truth about everybody else but Clemens, made up stories about Clemens and then undertook the effort to provide phony evidence to back up his phony story. Clemens wants you to believe all of this and to believe that Senator Mitchell, his investigators, the federal investigators involved with Mitchell and McNamee’s lawyers all have been complicit it compelling McNamee to fabricate a story about Clemens.
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.