Clemens' 60 Minutes interview

[Moose Milligan]

That Beaner was pointing out the obvious that Clemens/Bonds were goign to be the names remembered in all this over the nobodies.

well, yeah.

I'm just saying I'd like to see Clemens cleared for the greater good of the game.

Even if that were to happen, he'd still have the stigma attached to him.

[Migrant Redbird]

I'm just saying I'd like to see Clemens cleared for the greater good of the game.

Clearing Clemens does nothing for the greater good of the game; the reverse is more likely to be true.

What the baseball public and media have yet to fully acknowledge is the probable extent of amphetamine, steroids, and HGH usage, and the probability that many famous stars -- including some highly regarded current members of the HOF -- were probably steroids users.

We can't dwell upon the past. We have to recognize that many hundreds of players, perhaps even thousands, have used steroids over at least a portion of their careers. More important, we have to understand that most of those who did use steroids are never going to be exposed. We have to get over that and quit trying to figure out how to "fix" the record books or "punish" the guys we suspect or know used steroids or HGH and focus on how we can eliminate PEDs from the game in the future.

(1) Tighten up the testing. Make sure that "random" tests really are random, that they are taken throughout the year including the off season, that no one gets over 24 hours advance notice of a pending test, and that the labs which perform the testing are absolutely reliable.

(2) Go after the distributors and get them to expose their clients. That doesn't hold much promise, but it may well be what caused McGwire to not repeat his denials of steroid use once he had an opportunity to go on the record in sworn testimony. No one has come forward with credible evidence of having supplied McGwire with steroids, but he may have been afraid they could, thereby subjecting him to federal perjury charges.

(3) Add one or two random blood tests per year for each player and store the samples cryogenically, along with urine samples. While there is no reliable test for HGH now, that doesn't mean one couldn't be developed in the future and retroactively applied. Expand the annual briefing to players about the penalties for gambling to include a notification that any positive test for HGH in the future will result in any performance following the date of that sample being taken being stricken from the player's statistics in the record book. The HOF can also announce that they will review the membership of anyone elected to the HOF if it subsequently becomes evident that he used HGH.

This is a little harsh, but I don't see any other possible way to get across to players that they can't use HGH, even though it's currently possible to detect through testing. By notifying players in advance, they then have no alibis if they subsequently are shown to have been using HGH following 2007.

[PaulFolk]

Vatech, you mentioned that you can pick up on bluffs in poker and that Clemens was doing many things that showed he was lying. (My Quote feature isn't working, sorry.) I'd be interested in hearing what they were-- I'm terrible on picking up on things like that.

[NewMarketSean]

I noticed he was licking his lips and blinking a lot.

[66-70-83-??]

I noticed he was licking his lips and blinking a lot.

That, plus, FWIW- he also appeared on some answers not to make or hold eye contact when he gave an answer.

Also, instead of answering yes or no questions (lie detector question for ex) with a yes or no he first said something to the effect "they might not be reliable".

I know when my kids were younger- whenever they gave "qualifiers" first before answering the question that they likely were fibbing...

Roger didn't look good despite Wallace (admitted fan) not asking obvious follow-up questions or correcting Clemens when he stated some factual errors.

Oh, and his blaming the fans was really weak. That pathetic "this is how our country works now- guilty until you prove your innocence" made him look bad too. It isn't like this (steroid) talk just popped up out of the blue. The whole game has been deep in this controversy for years. He reminded me of Raffy.

Lets see if he sues his former trainer.

Maybe on the same day Raffy tells "his side of the story".

Let's see if Roger shows up to testify before Congress.

[Old#5fan]

That, plus, FWIW- he also appeared on some answers not to make or hold eye contact when he gave an answer.

Also, instead of answering yes or no questions (lie detector question for ex) with a yes or no he first said something to the effect "they might not be reliable".

I know when my kids were younger- whenever they gave "qualifiers" first before answering the question that they likely were fibbing...

Roger didn't look good despite Wallace (admitted fan) not asking obvious follow-up questions or correcting Clemens when he stated some factual errors.

I can assure you that he gave many tell-tale signs of lying during that interview . In one of my past occupations I had interrgation training and one of the classic signs of a person lying (for a right handed person) is to look to the left inmmediately before answering. Clemens did that a number of times. So much so, that I was kind of chuckling to myself and thinking, Lord, Clemens if you are going on 60 minutes and lying to Mike Wallace before a national audience you ought to at least know how to appear being truthful! It was so bad it was almost beyond belief.

I am certain that people with even better training than I (like FBI Agents, etc.) would probably pick up even more signs. I also loved it when Wallace mention taking a lie detector test and immediately he was on the defensive as to , "uh yeah, I will take one but are they reliable?" If someone is telling the truth they would have to reservations at all about taking a lie detector test. Only if you were lying would you worry about it.

Furthermore, there was no motive for his trainer not to tell the truth, and every motive not to lie as Wallace pointed out. Even Clemens response to that didn't make a whole lot of sense but was centered around him. Clemens just comes to mind as a person with such a giant ego he won't admit to being caught. He's also a terrible liar. He should have taken lessons from Bill Clinton who is the best liar I ever saw on national tv!

[NewMarketSean]

I also hated about how he was like "I'm probably retired. I've probably thrown my last pitch."

I immediately turned to my wife and said "That #@#% will be pitching for the Yankees starting in June."

[Moose Milligan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3184646

Clemens files a defamation suit.

[Dr. FLK]

IMO, Clemens is a Grade A sleezeball. I don't believe a single word that comes out of his mouth. I liked the part where he said that if he had taken this stuff, he'd have something growing out of his forehead. Really Rog, is that how it works? He's just such a scumbag it isn't funny. I didn't buy Bonds' BS explanation, and I don't buy Roger's.

[The Wedge]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3184646

Clemens files a defamation suit.

Oh, geez, I hope to hell he knows what he's doing. He could get himself in to some serious shiznit if he thinks he can "beat the system" here.

[Migrant Redbird]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3184646

Clemens files a defamation suit.

It's a good tactic for him. Clemens can afford a "dream team" of lawyers, while McNamee would have difficulty coming up with a retainer for the poorest lawyer out there. I hope that someone starts up a legal fund for McNamee; I usually don't contribute to those things, but I might make an exception in this case.

I have a niece whose husband is a masonry contractor, and a pretty good one to judge from the way he stays busy. He had one customer who lagged and lagged and lagged on payment, so he finally filed lawsuit for his money. The customer counter-sued, claiming shoddy workmanship, and with a good lawyer and a friendly court in the customer's home county, managed to get off scot free. In the hands of a villain, a good lawyer is a better weapon than a gun.

[Dr. FLK]

Oh, geez, I hope to hell he knows what he's doing. He could get himself in to some serious shiznit if he thinks he can "beat the system" here.

I hope he has no idea. I want to see him embarrassed.

[Objectivity]

I liked how Clemens said he deserved respect after 20-25 years in baseball - conveniently forgetting all the things he had done to lose respect, like intentionally throwing at batters' heads during that time frame when he didn't have great control.

And, remember the time he threw the bat at Piazza. His excuse then was "I thought it was the ball." Maybe what he should have said was, "I thought it was 'roid rage."

I don't like Clemens. I think he has repeatedly demonstrated that you can't show class unless you have an ass included to differentiate the best from the worst.

Still, you don't want to think he's guilty. It's just that he's doing everything in such a bizarre way. He all but dared Congress to call him to testify under oath. His lawsuit opens him to questioning about anything he may have done over his entire career and it will be difficult for him to win because the trainer's lawyers will bring in all of his other clients who were given PEDs and raise the question "He gave all these guys PEDs but not you? Is that credible?"

[Moose Milligan]

l.

And, remember the time he threw the bat at Piazza. His excuse then was "I thought it was the ball." Maybe what he should have said was, "I thought it was 'roid rage."

Even then, WTF kind of logic is that? Even if it was the ball, does it make it okay to throw at Piazza?

[Old#5fan]

Personally this interview just confirmed to me what I always thought of Clemens, and that is he is a "nut job." In other words, he has more than a few screws loose. Not playing with a full deck..... you get the picture!