Tym Glaser

I USED to be a huge fan of Roger Clemens, way back when he used to hurl his rockets for the Boston Red Sox.

Then, one day, he changed uniforms and joined the Toronto Blue Jays and I didn't like him so much.

Then, a little while later, he joined the Evil Empire, also known as the New York Yankees, and I disliked him a whole heap.

Now, after being linked to steroids in the Major League Baseball-commissioned Mitchell Report into drug use in the sport, I just don't know what to think about possibly the greatest pitcher the game has ever produced.

Clemens, the winner of a record seven Cy Young awards (which are given to the best pitcher in the game each year) and second all-time on baseball's strikeout list, has categorically denied allegations made against him by his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, that the latter jabbed the former in the butt with the steroid Winstrol in 1998.

High-steroid use

"I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone (HGH) or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in fact, my entire life," Clemens said. "Those substances represent a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take," he said days after former U.S. Senate Majority leader George Mitchell's 409-page report was released and implicated about 90 players in using or acquiring steroids or HGH.

However, McNamee's testimony about Clemens was the most specific supplied by a third party in the entire report into the whole tawdry business.

During his tenure in Toronto, McNamee told Mitchell that Clemens approached him and, "brought up the subject of using steroids. Clemens said that he was not able to inject himself, and he asked for help", the report quotes 'Mac the Spike'.

"Later that summer, Clemens asked McNamee to inject him with Winstrol, which Clemens supplied. McNamee knew the substance was Winstrol because the vials Clemens gave him were so labelled. McNamee injected Clemens approximately four times in the buttocks over a several-week period with needles that Clemens provided," the report continued.

Now to me, that's pretty clear testimony, not too much waffling at all.

You know, it's hard to believe Clemens was accidentally injected with the stuff.

Roger: Hey, what are you doing back there, buddy?

McNamee: Nothing, pal, nothing.

Roger: Ouch. What the %&# was that?

McNamee: Just a mosquito, Roger. Just a mossie.

Roger: Oh, okay. Same time tomorrow then?

McNamee: Sure, Roger, sure.

Credence to the story

What gives McNamee's testimony even greater credence is the fact that he claimed Clemens' teammate in New York, fellow pitcher Andy Pettitte, used HGH and 'Handy Andy' subsequently admitted he did use it - twice, to recover from an elbow injury.

Still, with no proof, one way or the other, it's simply a case of 'he said-he said' and barring the whole issue going before a judge, it is only going to be decided in the court of public opinion.

McNamee, who is facing his own charges of drug distribution, may just be a disgruntled former employee with a vendetta. And he may be sullying irredeemably a reputation Clemens took nearly a quarter of a century to establish.

If that's so, then I should probably feel sorry and sad for Roger.

However, in this sporting era which has been swamped by drug cheats, I can't feel sorry for 'Rocket' and I certainly don't feel sad.

Somebody is straight up lying and, fairly or unfairly, it will probably all end in tears one day ... Marion Jones-type tears.

Later.

tym.glaser@gleanerjm.com