Breaking the back of steroids

For those of you who live in a cave, but, oddly, have an internet connection that allows you to view this blog exclusively, earlier this week surefire Hall of Famer Roger Clemens appeared before a Congressional hearing investigating the Mitchell Report and his claims that he did not, in fact, use Human Growth Hormones or any other banned substances.

I think we can now call him simply "Roger Clemens" and drop the "surefire Hall of Famer" bit.

Mr. Clemens, as the Congressmen who were questioning him called him, has made himself look very very bad. So bad that I think he's done playing baseball and has hurt his chances at entering the Hall of Fame.

His former trainer, Brian McNamee, was the main source of the controversial Mitchell Report's list of steroid users. Of those accused in the Report, most admitted that they had, indeed, used steroids, HGH, or other performance enhancing drugs. Although many relied on the "I only tried it once" line of defense, practically everyone acknowledged that yes, they took drugs.

Andy Pettitte was one such player who owned up (manned up?) and admitted to his steroid use. So did Chuck Knoblauch. Both men have much in common. Both were former teammates of Roger Clemens. Both testified against him in sworn affadavits last Wednesday.

As Tom Verducci said shortly after Wednesday's hearing: "Two months later and even after nearly five hours of testimony Wednesday in front of Congress, the issue of whether or not Roger Clemens used steroids is left in a suspended state of dilemma: it's Clemens' word vs. Brian McNamee's word. Still."

I agree, by and large. But there is growing circumstantial evidence building against Clemens. McNamee was right in over fifty other cases. Two of the men who have admitted to steroid use have also backed up McNamee. This isn't hard evidence, but there's no evidence to support Clemens' claim of innocence.

I'll say this. I do think that Major League Baseball and its comissioner Bud Selig have turned a corner: I think they're now ready to really start laying some heavy lumber on the issue of steroids in baseball, and I think that starting with the 2008 season they'll be able to start re-building the public's trust.

Marion Jones' fall from grace is complete

It was announced today in a White Plains, New York court room that Olympic gold medal sprinter Marion Jones has been sentenced for sixth months for lying under oath about her steroid use and for her involvement in a cheque-fraud scheme.

This, despite her pleading with the judge to not separate her from her children, even for a short period of time.

"I ask you to be as merciful as a human being can be,"

While I am truly sorry for Marion Jones' kids, who will be without the proper love and affection of their mother for the next half-year, I am also really tired of watching, listening, reading, and writing about the legal entanglements of professional athletes, particularly in relation to steroids.

Obviously, I love sports. That's why I follow them on TV and the Internet and why I write this blog. But I love them because I love fair competition, seeing underdogs triumph over adversity, and seeing intelligence, hard work, and guts pay off.

I'm tired of surfing to SportsIllustrated.com and seeing picture galleries of baseball's greatest cheaters of all time. Or seeing TSN bring in a legal analyst to discuss Michael Vick's options for parole. Reading about Reggie Bush's illicit sponsorship deals while still in college. I want my athlete's to play and excel at their sports, but not through cheating.

During sentencing today, District Judge Kenneth Karras said "Athletes in society have an elevated status, they entertain, they inspire, and perhaps, most important, they serve as role models."

I want athletes to be heroes again. Not just role models for people, but good role models for people. Great role models.

But that's where it gets tough. It's so easy to destroy something as fragile as faith and respect, but it takes years to rebuild. The Olympics, Major League Baseball, National Football League, and any other major sporting organization have to start building their audiences trust again, and they need to start right now.

Enough is enough, and it's time for a change.

And Major League Baseball reaches a new low...

No, not just the Mitchell Report.

Pete Rose using the Mitchell Report as leverage to get into the Hall of Fame. That is an all time low.

It's bad enough that Andy Peittite, Miguel Tejada and surefire Hall of Famer Roger Clemens have either admitted to or been accused of taking steroids and/or Human Growth Hormones. We now have Charlie Hustle himself weighing in on the subject.

In an interview with Dennis Miller on the VERSUS network, Rose said:

"I've been suspended 18 years for betting on my own team to win," then he added "I was wrong ... but these guys today, if the allegations are true, they're making a mockery of the game."

I'm pretty sure that Pete Rose criticizing anyone, anywhere, for anything having to do with baseball should be dismissed out of hand. After all, when these guys supposedly took steroids, there were no rules against the use of performance enhancing drugs. When Rose bet on baseball, he was breaking a rule that had been in place since 1919. He has no right to cry foul.

But it gets better! He also complains about these players making a mockery of baseball. This from a man who has repeatedly dressed up as a chicken for World Wrestling Entertainment events, and been chased from the ring by a giant. Don't believe me? Check it out on YouTube and the WWE's own website.

So why is Pete speaking up now? "If you're going to put these guys that supposedly did steroids into the Hall of Fame, I mean I've got to get a shot somewhere," Ah. There you go. Self-promotion. Good job Mr. Rose.

Although Rose and his 4,256 hits have their place in history, more then just about anyone else, Pete Rose deserves to be kept out of the Hall of Fame.

The very best part is that when Miller asked Rose how the steroids would have affected his career hits record, he replied:

"I would have got 5,000 hits,"

To be absolutely clear on this:

Pete Rose (who definitely committed a cardinal sin) wants to be let into the Hall of Fame because people who did not break the rules might get in. He (the guy who dressed up as a chicken and acted like an oaf for Vince MacMahon) feels they made a mockery of the game. But if there were steroids available to him, he would have done the same thing.

Ladies and gentlemen: Pete Rose. Class act.