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Clemens to go golfing after hearing
By Ken Gimblin & Joe Cronin August 30, 2010 |
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Former Yankees All-Star pitcher Roger Clemens showed up at the Congressional court house ready for testimony in D.C. on Monday some four hours before the hearings were to begin. Clemens who plans to go golfing this week at the golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship right after court was getting ready for testimony. Clemens reportedly showed up early so he could testify and catch a flight to the golf tournament in South Carolina. Asked for a comment by the AP Clemens denied comment as he sat down with a bowl of salad and a glass of water with his lawyer Rusty Hardin, Clemens said he had no comment when asked about how he would answer persistent questions regarding steroids by federal prosecutors. Hardin reminded the reporter that their is a gag order in place by U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton. Clemens has said he denied any steroid use and is prepared to fight the government with everything at his disposal. Clemens said in an earlier congressional hearing in 2008 regarding steroid use, "Let me be clear, I have never taken steroids or HGH." Clemens could face up to 30 years in prison for perjury and obstruction of justice but more than likely will face 15-21 months if convicted on all charges. Clemens also could face a fine up to $1.5 million and is fighting the government's charges to make them prove that he did use steroids. Clemens is facing charges of three counts of making false statements, two counts of perjury, and one of obstruction of justice. The government's main argument here is that the evidence they have is the testimony from Clemens former trainer Brian McNamee and former Yankee and Astro teammate pitcher Andy Pettitte. Pettitte claims that Clemens told him he used steroids and HGH. Clemens who still likes and respects Pettitte says that Pettitte misunderstood what he told him and Clemens had told congress that Pettitte "misunderstood" him. The prosecution may be bringing back Pettitte to testify to what he heard Clemens say. Talk has it that there might be enough circumstantial evidence to prove that Clemens was lying under oath as to his steroid use. McNamee has said he can provide the needles that he used on Clemens to inject him with HGH. Meanwhile the difference in the Clemens case and the Barry Bonds BALCO/steroids trial is that the key figure who did the injecting and administering of steroids was Brian McNamee the Clemens trainer who says he injected Clemens with steroids and is willing to testify and has. As oppose to Bonds personal trainer Greg Anderson who has refused to testify against Bonds and has been to jail at least three times for contempt of court. Anderson is expected to be called again in the March 2011 trial of Bonds in federal court but is expected to refuse to testify. Clemens like Bonds is regarded as the best at his position pitching for 23 years picking up 354 wins, with 4672 strikeouts, with an career ERA of 3.12. Clemens memory of a fine career might be forgotten in exchange of his performance at the Congressional hearings. Even if Clemens "owned up" he still would be tarnished and his chances to get to the Hall would all be up in smoke because people will remember him for steroids rather than his fine pitching performances likewise for these other MLB players who had a shot at the Hall, Rafael Palmerio, Sammy Sosa, Miguel Tejada, Pettitte, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, Bonds, and newly acquired White Sox Manny Ramirez. Ken Gimblin and Joe Cronin are covering the Roger Clemens Congressional hearings and the Barry Bonds BALCO/steroids case for Sportstalk radio |
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