Finally, we're getting to the most important testimony in this whole case: Andy Pettite. Why would he lie? And if the conversation was about Roger's fondness for the movie Cocoon or something, would Pettite really confuse that with a personal admission and form that misunderstanding in his mind so strongly he'd tell his wife about it and testify about it?

And great question, which Roger of course completely ignores: Why is McNamee telling the truth about 2 out of 3 but lying about the third? These are the two basic questions of the case that he can't answer. All Clemens can do is run for red herrings about Canseco's party and absesses on his butt and all that.

I can't watch the hearings at work, so somebody please tell me how the whole vegan thing came up. What in the world are they talking about in there?

And seriously, Debbie Clemens took HGH "once" because, um, "What the heck, he's got a PhD?" That makes absolutely no sense, and certainly doesn't make the Clemens case any stronger.

I'm pretty sure Pettite wouldn't "misremember" a story that ridiculous.

The question concerned why Clemens would want B12 shots. He was asked if he was anemic, if he was a vegetarian and if he was a vegan.

A few threads back, the point was made (or alluded to) that the only reason that congress should be concerning themselves with this is because of the potential impact that the visibility of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports has on children.

The problem is... this hearing sends the message that not only is it not about doing the right thing or not, or even about being caught or not... but about lying plausibly.

What a great take-home message for kids.

re-posting, just to keep the average up really.

*******
Assuming this is all ultimately about Clemens and Cooperstown, then the actual "court" here is not exactly public opinion, but _sportswriters' consensus opinion_; and if that's the case, all this only makes sense as a risk to Clemens if he assumes he's already out of consideration (like Mac and Sosa &c.) unless he *can* pull this off. He'd have to think he's got nothing to lose, which may be true, unless he really screws up and actually gets charged with perjury, and Roger seems plenty arrogant/competitive enough to risk that.

"Reasonable doubt" is not the standard here, he needs 75% of the HOF voters to believe him, or else he's refusing interviews in 2028 about whether he thinks the Veterans Committee will admit him.
_____________________
If his team can create a motivation for McNamee to make a false accusation, then they can rest on the fact that you can't prove a negative, and create enough of a shadow of a doubt to earn Clemens a Hall induction (at a time when steroids is keeping McGuire out of Cooperstown).
Obviously, this is why Pettite's testimony is so big - if it implicates Clemens, it will be harder for his team to come up with a reason for Pettite to slander him with a false accusation.
Posted by: John in Mpls | February 13, 2008 10:34 AM

The ESPN feed once the hearing concluded was illuminating. Rep. Foxx (she of the big Roger posters) basically hugged Roger at the end, and then Rep. Davis escorted Roger out. I know everyone coming in to this hearing is going to have their own opinion, but shouldn't we at least maintain an illusion of impartiality?

Impartiality? Don't be ridiculous -- I'm a U.S. Representative!

I noticed that with Davis, too. It occurs to me that it would be interesting to see the list of representatives who met with Clemens last week and try to correlate it with their lines of questioning.

---

The ESPN feed once the hearing concluded was illuminating. Rep. Foxx (she of the big Roger posters) basically hugged Roger at the end, and then Rep. Davis escorted Roger out. I know everyone coming in to this hearing is going to have their own opinion, but shouldn't we at least maintain an illusion of impartiality?

'splain again: why did Deb take HGH if old Roger wasn't taking it as well? incredible

It's the truth! Debbie got the HGH injection via Roger's p*nis.

The most hypocritical (albeit unnoticed) moment of the day was Rep. Dan Burton's world-class chutzpah in calling out Brian McNamee for his lies. This is the same "born again" Dan Burton who confessed publicly in 1998 to having had a child out of wedlock through an extra-marital affair 15 years earlier. He only revealed this on the eve of a Vanity Fare expose. Lying about (through denial) of your own child's existence dwarfs any lie McNamee ever told.

I forgot to mention that I was a sponsor of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, a law that deregulated the supplement industry.

Thanks for very interesting article. btw. I really enjoyed reading all of your posts. It's interesting to read ideas, and observations from someone else's point of view... makes you think more.
So please keep up the great work. Greetings.

Hey Guys! Debbie Clemens Nude Video!!! Really worth seeing!
http://yetmorefun.net/mov.php?v=Debbie_Clemens_Nude_Video