Live Blog: Roger Clemens Testifies
February 13th, 2008 at 9:18 amBy Chris
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Today is Roger Clemens’ day in court and we are going to bring all the salaciousness as it happens.
Right now, we are being introduced to the proceedings by Representative Henry Waxman and he’s mainly just giving the listeners a run-down of what to expect and running down some of the previous testimony given by the parties involved. How thoughtful.
(all times are Central)
9:30 - According to Waxman’s opening statements, Pettitte also indicated Roger Clemens’ wife used HGH and Clemens was the one who told Pettitte.
9:35 - Oh, it’s all for the kids… MLB’s anti-trust exemption has nothing to do with these hearings…
9:40 - And now, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere’s Roger!
9:41 - Short cuts are not an option in professional sports and Roger has put himself in the best shape his body can be. Oh yeah, Roger reminds us he’s a human being.
9:43 - Roger thinks he’s guilty of being too trustworthy. Take that Pettitte and McNamee. People who make accusations should not be able to define another’s place in life… interesting philosophy, Roger. Reputation never plays a part whatsoever. Clemens vehemently denies using PHDs.
9:45 - Brian McNamee’s turn. He says he injected Pettitte, Clemens and Chuck Knoblauch with steroids and HGH. Awww, Brian isn’t proud of his actions… I guess self-preservation brings out the best - and worst - in people.
9:47 - McNamee believe Knoblauch and Pettitte support his testimony against Clemens and that he injected Clemens personally. McNamee says he NEVER injected the trio with lidocaine or vitamins. He also feels he injected Clemens more times than he admitted.
9:50 - McNamee indicates he saved his garbage/evidence because he never completely trusted Clemens and felt Roger would worry only about himself if anything ever came of their relationship. He again states Pettitte and Knoblauch confirmed his accusations against Clemens… oh look, another plea for the kids.
9:52 - Representative Elijah Cummings is firing salvos at Clemens, saying Clemens stated he felt Pettitte was an honest individual. So Cummings wants to know why Pettitte would be lying now about the use of HGH and steroids.
9:55 - “Mr. Clemens, I’d like to remind you, you are under oath.” Clemens believes Pettitte has “misheard” about the details he revealed to Congress recently. Roger then tells a tale of old men using HGH to rejuvenate their bodies… *SIGH*
9:56 - Did Roger just admit to using to ephedra?
9:58 - Rep Cummings wants to know why Pettitte would say these things about Clemens. Roger replies, “I think he mis-remembers” whatever the hell that means.
10:00 - Pettitte’s testimony is going to hang Clemens in the eyes of Congress, this much is clear.
10:02 - Laura Pettitte also confirms her husband’s story about Clemens telling Pettitte about HGH. Clemens still doesn’t vocally hold any ill will towards Pettitte. And Roger uses “mis-remembers” again; our new word of the day.
10:04 - Rep Cummings has absolutely put Clemens on blast. Now we are getting into Clemens’ wife and what Pettitte and his wife knew. Both reference a conversation where Clemens told them his wife used HGH. Cummings time has expired. Next up,
10:10 - McNamee indicates he kept no injection records and he’s coming up with his numbers based off of recollection and as he’s had time to think about what happened. That’s why his injection numbers increased.
10:11 - The phrase “it is what it is” now means “I’m telling the truth.”
10:12 - Concerning the details of the injection regimens, McNamee had a lot of “oh yeah” moments.
10:18 - What does it say about you when Jose Canseco is your best witness in a steroid investigation? Because that’s who is supplying the Clemens alibi at the Canseco BBQ. Fortunately for Roger, Canseco is not the only one who doesn’t remember Clemens being there and Congress is using this to question McNamee’s credibility.
Rightfully so, but it still seems like Pettitte will be Clemens’ hang man… at least in the eyes of some Congressional reps.
10:20 - Awesome, now we get to hear about Roger’s golfing habits. The time-stamp on his pro shop receipt does put him in a different place than the BBQ, but, he golfed fairly early in the morning and had the rest of the afternoon to stop in. But, no one except McNamee remembers him being there.
10:22 - McNamee again denies injecting Clemens with vitamins based on questions from Rep. Tom Davis. Again, why do vitamins need to be injected? (hat-tip to Sooze for that)
10:26 - Now we find out Clemens testified about his wife using HGH. So, Mrs. Clemens did use HGH and Clemens knew about it… but didn’t say anything about discussing HGH with McNamee.
Damn this web is tangled.
10:32 - Deborah was “wigged out” from taking HGH. I didn’t realize it had euphoric effects.
10:34 - More about McNamee’s recollection of the Cansucko party, courtesy of Rep. Dan Burton. Most. Important. BBQ. EVER.
10:40 - The theme of this portion is why did McNamee keep the “evidence” for five years. He sticks to his guns about not completely trusting Clemens but Rep Burton is absolutely not buying it. Rep Burton is not happy with McNamee for not admitting he had evidence earlier.
Obviously, Burton isn’t buying a damn thing McNamee is selling. But does he believe Clemens?
10:45 - To say Rep Burton doesn’t believe McNamee about anything he’s ever said ever, evidence or no, is like saying it’s cold on the Earth’s polar caps. However, I will say this about the Representative’s vitriol, while McNamee isn’t the most credible witness in the history of the world, it doesn’t explain away Pettitte’s testimony.
10:46 - Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Now we are discussing abscesses on the buttocks. Now that’s entertainment.
10:51 - Clemens’ lawyer tries to get a word in edgewise and gets absolutely struck down by the Chair.
10:53 - No B-12 shots have ever caused buttocks abscesses according to medical testimony offered. The committee wants Clemens to explain his ass issues.
10:57 - Time for Representative Stephen Lynch.
11:00 - Rep Lynch wants McNamee to reconcile his time-line about the faulty injection that may have led Clemens’ buttock abscess. Wow, too much male ass for my tastes. 
There’s a lot of gray with this area because McNamee isn’t clear with his dates, further bringing his credibility into question.
11:02 - A pop-able mass from a muscle tear?
11:06 - Rep Lynch wants to know why, as an ex-law enforcer, did McNamee do the things he allegedly claimed with steroids and HGH. McNamee’s answers lack the conviction of Clemens, this much is certain. McNamee didn’t give the obvious answer for his actions: $$$$
11:04 - I think this marks the first time the validity of the Mitchell Report itself has been called into question in such a forum.
11:11 - Rep. Kanjorski - NO PHILLIBUSTERING
11:13 - McNamee stands behind his statements that he never injected Clemens with vitamins. Instead, Winstrol, Testosterone and HGH is what he claims.
11:20 - “He injected me with vitamins!!!” “No, I didn’t. It was steroids.” is what this is coming down to. Who do you believe?
11:22 - Rep. Carolyn Maloney - “As a New Yorker, we are proud of you achievements…” is that the way to start a questioning session if you are trying to be impartial, but we’ll see if the questions follow that initial thought.
11:25 - So, Roger. Did you know Mitchell wanted to talk to you or not? You said one thing to us, but on 60 Minutes, you said you refused to speak w/the Mitchell report investigators. Which is it? Well, coming from the Clemens’ response, New York minute aside, things are about as clear as mud.
Now he’s saying his agents didn’t inform him about testifying for the Mitchell investigation.
11:30 - McNamee states David Cone told him directly that MLB didn’t want to test players but needed a valid excuse in order not to. Wow, this just gets deeper and deeper. Complicity is apparently a dirty business. (think about what John Rocker said the other night)
11:31 - The committee wants to know if McNamee pulled the evidence out because he was angry with Clemens for taping the phone conversation. And we are back to the why these hearings are going on: It’s all about the kids.
11:34 - Clemens is defending his career and rightfully so. I don’t think the early portion, especially in Boston, is what’s being scrutinized. It’s the later successes, Roger….
Again, Clemens is focusing on McNamee but I guess Pettitte and Knoblauch just mis-remembered.
Just heard: Hey Roger, what uniform are you wearing when you go to the Hall of Fame? Clemens: “can we say I didn’t hear the question?”
Priceless.
11:40 - Again, what does it say when Canseco is your best alibi?
11:43 - So Clemens hid his nanny from the Congressional committee until yesterday… But guess what, she REFUTES Cansucko’s testimony and says Clemens was in fact at the BBQ. That makes McNamee and the Clemens family nanny putting Clemens at the most famous BBQ in the world.
11:45 - Hmmm. Well isn’t that interesting. The Clemens team interviewed his nanny before the Congressional committee did and the Chair implies they could have coached her before she testified… or tried to coerce her.
Roger was “hurt” by this accusation… and his lawyer was PISSED the committee “went there.”
11:55 - Annnnnnnnnd Roger can give no concrete reason for dumping McNamee until the Mitchell Report came out… and with that, it’s a 15 minute recess. Enjoy this little great moment in history (slightly reminiscent of today’s testimony) in the meantime:
February 13th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
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February 13th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I want to hear more about the BBQ. Was this some lame burgers and hot dogs picnic? Were there ribs and chicken, or steak, or brisket? Inquiring cooks want to know: dry rub or wet rub?
February 13th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
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