Clemens - Round 2

Round 1 came on 60 Minutes, where Clemens looked uncomfortable and shifty. Round 2 came at yesterday's news conference.

I don't know what Roger Clemens was trying to prove with the news conference, but I don't think it came out his way. Even the sports pundits are having a hard time getting behind him. The Globe and Mail's Stephen Brunt tries to kiss a player's ass no matter what, but on this one even he is stammering.

During the news conference, Clemens released a taped phone call that he had with former trainer Brian McNamee. It was meant to help exonerate Clemens from allegations of steroid use, but all it did was raise more questions. For his part, McNamee didn't know that the conversation was being taped, though he did mention during the call that he was on a cell phone and playing things close to the vest.

The phone call does nothing to persuade me that Clemens didn't get injected with steroids, as McNamee contends. During the almost twenty minute phone call, McNamee repeats over and over, "What do you want me to do?" Close to the end of the call, McNamee sounds close to tears. He tells Clemens that he tried to keep the Rocket's name out of things as long as he could. He goes on to say that he's lost his wife and kids, and that the cameras are all over him. And, again, he asks: "What do you want me to do?"

To which Clemens responds with a very long pause, and then says that he just needs someone to tell the truth.

The tape does not leave one feeling that Clemens is on the level. If someone defamed me and asked me repeatedly, "What do you want me to do?" I would reply, "Tell them you didn't shoot me up with 'roids. In fact, tell me right now: did you ever shoot me up with 'roids?"

After all, Clemens knew the call was being taped. He had every chance to trap McNamee into a confession, but he didn't do it. Instead, he keeps rambling about how upset his family is, and how he wants "truth." But what truth?

My hypothesis is this: McNamee is a man who adores Clemens, and the lifestyle that Clemens provided him. The money. The elbow-rubbing with All Stars. The chance to get on TV. But now it's all down the drain, and as McNamee said in the phone call, "I just didn't want to go to jail." So he gave up Clemens' name to prosecutors. And now he's truly sorry about it. But not sorry enough to say that he lied, because chances are, he didn't. He's simply sorry that he had to rat out a friend.

I'm not sure what Clemens' game is with the 'go on the offensive' routine. The media isn't buying any of his explanations thus far. The taped phone call was too vague, and in some way, shows Clemens to be an underhanded sneak. The phone call was taped without McNamee's knowledge, and aired on live TV 48 hours later. That would be fine, if the phone call provided evidence that McNamee lied.

It didn't, and so nothing is solved. The next round comes before Congress, where Clemens is due to testify next week. I hope he does a better job there than he has on the news programs, or the Hall of Fame and his legacy are down the drain.

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