Clemens to be indicted

[Mark17]

He's not being indicted for doing steroids. He's being charged with lying to Congress about it.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...0,289897.story

-bscott

That's my point. So, where's the REAL crime? Lying about something while testifying about something that didn't involve a crime in the first place.....

Isn't this what the term "entrapment" refers to? They use the power of the government to drag him up there, they put him on the spot, where he's going to be humiliated publicly no matter what he says, and then they manufacture THAT into a crime.

Not liking Clemens or what he did doesn't mean it's okay for Congress to do this to him. Frankly, it's abuse of power. They could call any of us up there to testify regarding something embarrassing in our past, and we either publicly 'fess up, or we get indicted.

I'm not a Clemens fan but this government is starting to scare me.

[slambam]

They use the power of the government to drag him up there, they put him on the spot, where he's going to be humiliated publicly no matter what he says, and then they manufacture THAT into a crime.

Yea, the baseball public sure went crazy when Pettite admitted his PED use. If Clemens was smart, he would have done the same. Personally, I disagree with their PED use, but I have a ton of respect for Pettite by standing up like a man and admitting what he did. Unlike Bonds, Clemens, Palmerio, etc...

[kellsox]

Apparently Clemens brought this upon himself in several ways...

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/19/c...ndictment.html

[bscott]

Apparently Clemens brought this upon himself in several ways...

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/19/c...ndictment.html

This Newsweek article gives a brief overview of how the Congressional hearings came to be. Clemens actively sought the spotlight to defend his past.

Clemens wanted very badly to testify to Congress on as they say, "live, National TV". What kind of person wants to go on TV and deliberately lie to the United States Congress? Nobody put a gun to his head here. He did it to himself. He thought he was above the game. He thought he would get away with it.

At least McGwire eventually came (somewhat) clean on his past.


For all the talk of Pete Rose being baseball's biggest Gambler, Roger Clemens certainly deserves an honorable mention in that category. For it was Roger Clemens who took the enormous gamble to fight his steroid allegations by denying and lying. That is basically his defense: Deny, deny, lie, lie. Roger betted on the public swooping in to support him. It was a bad bet.

It appears that Roger Clemens is about to lose the bet he made with the public, and with Congress.


The whole mess is quite a shame, for many reasons. In 2004, I saw firsthand a really nice thing Clemens did with his Charity Foundation: he bought an apartment for a single father and his son who was having severe medical issues. It didn't make a huge splash in the Houston papers, but Clemens really did buy the man an apartment, and he showed up to surprise the father and son with the gift, who were, as you may imagine, overjoyed with happiness.

Even baseball cheaters do nice things.

[rj_lucas]

Even baseball cheaters do nice things.

Unlike the cheaters in Congress, who contribute nothing of value other than bringing down these Dangerous Enemies of the State.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

[Mark17]

Unlike the cheaters in Congress, who contribute nothing of value other than bringing down these Dangerous Enemies of the State.

Rick
rickjlucas@gmail.com

Rick,
Don't you understand? This guy LIED to the esteemed members of Congress!! Is there a worse crime than that?

I'm being sarcastic of course... Congress itself is one of the biggest collection of liars ever assebled.

[godwulf]

Addressing only the HOF question, let's not lose sight of who votes those so honored in: the sports writers. Are those guys likely to look the other way, and pretend that they never heard the confessions, the accusations, the rumors, when the time comes to vote on Bonds, Clemens, ARod, et al? I tend to believe that, as a group, they will not look the other way, and not even BB will find a home in the Hall. What you and I think or want to happen, ultimately, will not mean squat.

[Mark17]

Yea, the baseball public sure went crazy when Pettite admitted his PED use. If Clemens was smart, he would have done the same. Personally, I disagree with their PED use, but I have a ton of respect for Pettite by standing up like a man and admitting what he did. Unlike Bonds, Clemens, Palmerio, etc...

How can you respect Pettite for using PEDs? As far as admitting it, he was paying attention to what was happening to the other guys and made a calculated decision to admit it. I have more respect for the lawyer(s) advising him to confess than I do for him.

Pettite's strategy was better than Clemens', that's all.

[legaleagle92481]

As a great judge once said (I forget exactely who) you could indict a ham sandwich. As a veteran attorney I can tell you an indictment means nada. In front of the grand jury the defense cannot even present evidence or cross examine the prosecution's witnesses. The standard to indict is much lower than the standard to convict. To convict you need to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, which means no doubt for which you can give a reason. The government wastes our tax dollars on a case like this because it is a feather in the cap to those who bring the case. And if he goes to trial he probably walks he has enough fans left that he should be able to find at least one juror who will not vote to convict him and it will end in a hung jury every time they try the case until they give up.

[slambam]

How can you respect Pettite for using PEDs? As far as admitting it, he was paying attention to what was happening to the other guys and made a calculated decision to admit it. I have more respect for the lawyer(s) advising him to confess than I do for him.

Pettite's strategy was better than Clemens', that's all.

I never said I respected his use of PEDs. I said I respect the fact that he's the only athlete (that I can recall at least) who never denied it once his name came out. He didn't pull a Bonds or Clemens and deny everything, he didn't pull a Big Mac or A-Rod and deny it before admitting it, instead he stepped up and admitted it. People make mistakes, and at least he came out and told the truth. And sure it's a waste of tax dollars, but I think most of our tax dollars go to waste anyway.