When you posed for this photo on a sunny day in the spring of '85, you couldn't possibly have foreseen the string of events that would turn your life upside down more than 20 years later. The naive 22 year old Roger Clemens we see here must've had no idea that his poor decisions in life would lead to the destruction of his public persona, his friendships, and possibly even his chances at being inducted into the hall.
What happened Roger? Why did you inject yourself with steroids and other illegal performance enhancing drugs to resurrect your career? Why did you knowingly let your wife be injected as well? Why did you deny this and try to publicly embarrass Brian McNamee with your ridiculous recorded phone call? Why did you lie to Congress, to baseball fans and to all Americans? Why did you have an affair with a 15 year old when you were a married 28 year old with children? Please don't come out and declare that the relationship was platonic, we're just not that naive. Were you helping her prepare for her driving test? Both fans of New Kids on the Block maybe?
We have to ask these questions Roger because you've given us no choice but to ask. You could've concocted some easy out story like Andy Pettitte or Brian Roberts. You know the drill, admit that you used on a few occasions to get back in the game, then give a sincere heartfelt apology into the camera for SportsCenter and the American public at large. Maybe it wouldn't have been the absolute truth, but at least you could've been man enough to admit you did use steroids. At least then we'd have some answers.
But you have been obnoxious and arrogant in dealing with this since day one. So, in the absence of answers we have to ask questions. Maybe it's that same arrogance that's the real reason you turned to steroids in the first place. Maybe you thought, "I'm Roger Clemens, they'll never catch me. I can beat them". Whatever the case, you've given me the most clear example since I read Game of Shadows that athletes are human, fallible, and often times stupid just like everyone else. I certainly understand that everyone makes mistakes, everyone misremembers from time to time, and nobody is perfect. But I think you'll find that until you start being honest with your fans and yourself this is not going to go away. Everyone knows what you've done Roger, so drop the act, come clean, and maybe, just maybe, you can save the last shred of respect that I have for you.
No matter what happens, when I hear the name Roger Clemens from now on, the picture that forms in my head will no longer be the young kid from the '85 Topps card grinning in the sunshine...
What happened Roger? Why did you inject yourself with steroids and other illegal performance enhancing drugs to resurrect your career? Why did you knowingly let your wife be injected as well? Why did you deny this and try to publicly embarrass Brian McNamee with your ridiculous recorded phone call? Why did you lie to Congress, to baseball fans and to all Americans? Why did you have an affair with a 15 year old when you were a married 28 year old with children? Please don't come out and declare that the relationship was platonic, we're just not that naive. Were you helping her prepare for her driving test? Both fans of New Kids on the Block maybe?
We have to ask these questions Roger because you've given us no choice but to ask. You could've concocted some easy out story like Andy Pettitte or Brian Roberts. You know the drill, admit that you used on a few occasions to get back in the game, then give a sincere heartfelt apology into the camera for SportsCenter and the American public at large. Maybe it wouldn't have been the absolute truth, but at least you could've been man enough to admit you did use steroids. At least then we'd have some answers.
But you have been obnoxious and arrogant in dealing with this since day one. So, in the absence of answers we have to ask questions. Maybe it's that same arrogance that's the real reason you turned to steroids in the first place. Maybe you thought, "I'm Roger Clemens, they'll never catch me. I can beat them". Whatever the case, you've given me the most clear example since I read Game of Shadows that athletes are human, fallible, and often times stupid just like everyone else. I certainly understand that everyone makes mistakes, everyone misremembers from time to time, and nobody is perfect. But I think you'll find that until you start being honest with your fans and yourself this is not going to go away. Everyone knows what you've done Roger, so drop the act, come clean, and maybe, just maybe, you can save the last shred of respect that I have for you.
No matter what happens, when I hear the name Roger Clemens from now on, the picture that forms in my head will no longer be the young kid from the '85 Topps card grinning in the sunshine...
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