Roger Clemens; Queen of Denial

[soupcan]

Frayed Knot wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Hey she had to prep for that SI swimsuit issue. I was kidding when I wrote this earlier but apparently that was exactly the timing of the whole thing. (as per Bill Madden on WFAN)

I had assumed you somehow got the news before it broke. Well done.

[metirish]

Incredible.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Test their kids!

[soupcan]

From the photo shoot in question...






Well, at least the drugs worked.

[nymr83]

Were there any other pictures of her inside? (don't lie, you know you subscribe)

[Guest AG/DC]

No they had to make room for other pharma-enhanced jocks and their trophy brides.



The best part about the McGwires is that the missus is a former pharameceutical rep.

[Guest themetfairy]

How does HGH help a person prepare for a photo shoot?

[Frayed Knot]

Nymr83 wrote: Were there any other pictures of her inside? (don't lie, you know you subscribe)

No, they just used that first one.

]How does HGH help a person prepare for a photo shoot?

A single, or even short-term, use certainly wouldn't do much if anything.
But some doctors are (illegally) prescribing the stuff as an anti-aging potion (for vain aging boomers largely) and enhanced body image is one of the benefits.

[soupcan]

themetfairy wrote: How does HGH help a person prepare for a photo shoot?

I think it also helps with muscle definition.

[Guest themetfairy]

Thanks guys.

Man - I can't see why someone would risk long-term health for that. Doing it for a competitive edge in baseball is at least understandable, considering the money at stake. But for a photo shoot?

It makes Botox seem reasonable by comparison. And toxic is part of its name!

[soupcan]

="themetfairy"]Thanks guys. Man - I can't see why someone would risk long-term health for that. Doing it for a competitive edge in baseball is at least understandable, considering the money at stake. But for a photo shoot? It makes Botox seem reasonable by comparison. And toxic is part of its name!

This article from today's New York Times makes it seem that she may have a financial interest in being and looking fit as well.

February 9, 2008
Clemens Campaigns as His Wife Is Named

By DUFF WILSON and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT
WASHINGTON � Roger Clemens met privately with seven more members of Congress on Friday, completing a two-day sweep of nearly half of the members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform who will hear his sworn testimony Wednesday.

One of the congressmen, Edolphus Towns, a Democrat who represents Brooklyn, gave the most complete account yet of what Clemens has been saying in the closed-door meetings. Towns said he came away believing that it was Clemens�s accuser, Brian McNamee, who might ultimately be charged with perjury.

The good tidings did not stop there. Denise Mixon, Towns�s deputy chief of staff, happily had her picture taken with one of the most decorated pitchers in baseball history, with Clemens placing his arm over her shoulder and flashing a big smile.

It was one of a number of souvenir moments involving Clemens in the last two days, although a Clemens spokesman said he did not know if any of the 19 members of Congress with whom Clemens had met had actually asked for an autograph.

But for Clemens and his lawyers, there was still plenty of turbulence in the Capitol. Information emerged that McNamee, Clemens�s former trainer, had stated in a sworn deposition Thursday that he not only injected Clemens with steroids and human-growth hormone but had also injected Clemens�s wife, Debbie, with H.G.H., at Clemens�s request.

In the deposition, which was made behind closed doors with lawyers for the committee, McNamee said he injected Debbie Clemens with H.G.H. in late 2002 or early 2003, a person with knowledge of the matter, insisting on anonymity, told reporters. McNamee had previously told federal investigators the same thing, the person said.

Clemens�s camp reacted angrily to the public disclosure without specifically denying it. �This shows what kind of person we�re dealing with,� Clemens�s lawyer Rusty Hardin said.

McNamee�s own lawyers said the disclosure was unauthorized and did not come from them. �I said I didn�t want to discuss matters that were part of yesterday�s testimony, so I really can�t confirm that,� the lawyer Richard Emery said. �I won�t deny it, but I won�t confirm it.�

The significance, if any, was unclear. A broad immunity applies to people testifying about their spouses, and the allegation, if true, would not prove that Roger Clemens was injected with performance-enhancing drugs by McNamee, although it would suggest that Roger Clemens was familiar enough with H.G.H. to have a family member use it.

McNamee�s other lawyer, Earl Ward, said in a telephone interview Friday evening: �We are not interested in Debbie Clemens or anything associated with her. We are interested in Roger Clemens and his use.�

Emery and Ward said they wanted to turn attention back to what they described as important corroborating evidence for McNamee � used syringes, vials and bloody pads they said were used when McNamee injected Clemens on various occasions in 2001. The materials were given to federal investigators Jan 10, and lawyers for McNamee released photographs to congressional staff members Thursday.

As all this was gradually occurring, Towns, the Brooklyn congressman, was speaking in positive terms about Clemens, saying his half-hour personal visit made him a believer in Clemens�s character. But Towns said he did not feel that way about McNamee; he said he found his story of holding onto used syringes and swabs for seven years to be �weird.�

�Doesn�t that seem a little strange?� Towns said. �This is a really weird one. This one is interesting, man. I have been in this business for a long time.�

Towns said Clemens explained why he had not responded to invitations to meet with George J. Mitchell before his report on baseball and performance-enhancing drugs in December.

Clemens, Towns said, did not take the Mitchell invitation seriously because he thought it was only about allegations linking him to a drug affidavit involving pitcher Jason Grimsley in a 2006 article in The Los Angeles Times, which later proved to be inaccurate.

Clemens did not know, Towns said, that McNamee had already talked to Mitchell and told him that he had injected Clemens on 16 occasions with steroids and H.G.H.

�He really thought it wasn�t a serious kind of issue,� Towns said of Clemens, �and he was focused on the story about him in The Los Angeles Times, not recognizing it was a new allegation.�

Towns said when he asked Clemens and his lawyers about McNamee, they attacked McNamee�s credibility. They said he had lost his job with the New York Police Department because of �a questionable situation with a criminal person�; lied in a 2001 date rape case; and was �money hungry,� Towns said.

The police department has not said that McNamee was fired, and he was not charged in the 2001 case.

Towns was hardly the only member of the committee to speak about Clemens in friendly terms the last two days, which would seem to affirm the decision of his lawyers to have him meet with as many committee members as possible.

McNamee�s lawyers said Clemens was inappropriately lobbying members of Congress. But Hardin, Clemens�s lawyer, described the two days of meetings as �fun� and �social.�

�It is a heck of an Americana experience,� Hardin said in a phone interview Friday evening. �When you get to go through and see all the representatives and how diverse and passionate they are, you feel better about the whole process.�

�The Congress people were very responsive,� he added.

Meanwhile, the allegation about Debbie Clemens is likely to reverberate in the days to come. Clemens�s lawyers are expected to hold a news conference Monday to address the issue, which might have caught them off guard Friday.

But even if Debbie Clemens has information relevant to McNamee�s allegations against her husband, she would not have to speak to either Congress or the courts because of a broad spousal immunity, Deborah L. Rhode, a professor of law at Stanford University and a former counsel to the House Judiciary Committee, said in a phone interview Friday.

In his deposition Thursday, McNamee said Roger Clemens asked him to inject Debbie Clemens with H.G.H. some time before the couple appeared in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in February 2003, the person familiar with the matter said.

H.G.H. is used by some people for body-building purposes; others believe it slows the aging process. It is not approved by the government for either use.

Debbie Clemens did not respond to a request for comment left with a receptionist in her Houston office.

The Clemenses were married 23 years ago and have four sons, one of them a minor leaguer with the Houston Astros.

Debbie Clemens is a designer and a fixture at golf charity events. She has her own Web site, debbieclemens.com, which says its intent is to �help women achieve their goals of balance in family, fitness, fashion and fun.�

On the Web site, Debbie Clemens emphasizes an exercise routine to be used six days a week. Now she finds herself as the newest member of an intense public struggle between her husband and McNamee, with potential perjury charges looming as the confrontation plays itself out.

The 19 members who met with Clemens and the 22 who didn�t are scheduled to be part of a full committee hearing at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

The hearing is titled �The Mitchell Report: The Illegal Use of Steroids in Major League Baseball, Day 2.�

The first day, last month, featured Mitchell and baseball officials. This one features Clemens versus McNamee, with each in attendance.

[Guest themetfairy]

Thanks soup.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It would be awesome if Debbie broke down on the stand, raging against her meathead husband.

[Guest AG/DC]

That's really depressing to think that his strategy of gladhanding members of Congress is working. Somebody vote Towns out of office NOW!!!!

Regarding "This shows what kind of person we�re dealing with,� which side again is calling press conferences to broadcast evidence and which side is presenting evidence only in sealed depositions under duress and threat of jail time?

The notion that Clemens would have cooperated (and that Towns should buy it) had he known the scope of the investigation is garbage. None of the players broke rank and allowed themselves to be interviewed by Mitchell. Mr. All-I've-Done-for-Baseball was stonewalling to protect himself. And I'd be surprised if the union wasn't advising them to do exactly that.

[nymr83]

what really bothers me is the phone call he placed to McNamee.

[soupcan]

AG/DC wrote: That's really depressing to think that his strategy of gladhanding members of Congress is working. Somebody vote Towns out of office NOW!!!!

I agree and felt exactly as you did after reading this. I'm surprised that the article didn't emphasize that angle more.

[MFS62]

metirish wrote: Newsday is reporting that McNamee told the federal prosecutors Thursday that Debbie Clemens took HGH....doesn't say when.......WOW.

If ever there were a need for a warning slogan for the young'uns, this is it.

C'mon, help me out with this one:

"The family that juices together ..... "

Later

[soupcan]

="AG/DC"]That's really depressing to think that his strategy of gladhanding members of Congress is working. Somebody vote Towns out of office NOW!!!!

The New York Post's Phil Mushnick agrees with you on the impropreity of these 'social gatherings'...



CAPITOL SHILLS





By PHIL MUSHNICK


February 11, 2008 -- HOW would you like to be heading for court, the defendant in, say, an alimony dispute, when, as you pass the judge's chamber, you see your ex-wife and the judge making out?
Welcome back to "The Roger Clemens Variety Show." It makes "Curb Your Enthusiasm" seem like "This Old House."

First, there was that news conference at which Clem ens' attorney, Rusty Har din, played that "Aha!" tape of Clemens' phone chat with Brian McNamee, a tape that was supposed to provide strong evidence that McNamee lied about Clemens.

But it turned out to be a "Huh?" tape, thus casting doubt on Clem ens.

Then, over two days, late last week, Clemens and Hardin stopped by the offices of mem bers of Con gress. And what a coinci dence, the 19 they succeeded in chatting up are all on the committee that this Wednes day is assigned to pull from Clemens his sworn testimony on drug use.

Yup, as long as he was in the neighborhood he figured he would stop in to say howdy.


WHAT ARE YOU DOING?: Phil Mushnick
says Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) and other
congressmen should not have met with...



...Roger Clemens before Wednesday's hearing,
because it puts their objectivity into question.

Though at least several of those Congressmen, including Brooklyn's Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y), seemed swayed by their private time with Clemens - good grief, Towns' deputy chief of staff posed for a picture with Clemens, his arm around her shoulder - all have created a public contamination of the process.

Are all of those Congressional members, having allowed themselves to be personally lobbied by Clemens, now, five days later, supposed to be seen as uncompromised? Those Congressmen have allowed themselves to be perceived as too lacking in discretionary wisdom - too short on basic foresight - to credibly serve a sub-committee on stubborn grease stains.

Those who received Clemens, last week, who this Wednesday seem to "go easy" on him, will be regarded with great and deserved suspicion. And then there are those who received Clemens who may now be forced - for the sake of appearances - to cast him in a bad light.

How many now must consider how things might appear - as opposed to pursuing the truth? How many put celebrity ahead of sense?

How many personal autographs and photo poses did Clemens provide to Congressional members days before he sat before them? Why didn't they refuse to meet with him at such an hour? Have they no sense of their positions? The issue? Have they no sense of common sense?

But might such a contamination have been the goal of Clemens' visits? Hardin, who had to know that what he was doing was, at best, inappropriate, described the Congressmen who met with Clemens as "very responsive." He characterized their time together as "fun" and "social." Geez. You think such fun and social time - and access - would be available to McNamee?

"Congressman, Roger Clemens is here. He'd like a few minutes of your time, just a friendly visit."

"What! Does he think I'm an idiot? Five days before I take his sworn testimony? Get rid of him. Tell him it's entirely inappropriate - for both of us!"

Instead, nearly half of those who shortly would solicit Clemens' sworn testimony, said, in essence, "Send him in!" Gee, Roger Clemens. Wait'll they tell their kids!

What should have not happened with one congressman or congresswoman, last week, happened with 19. And all 19 who played ball with Clemens - with contempt of Congress and/or a federal perjury charge eventual possibilities, no less - should now disqualify themselves from this investigation.

You think that days before committee investigations into organized crime, reputed mob bosses, subpoenaed to testify, stop by for some fun time with those Congressmen who will be asking them questions?

Is fundamental, right-from-wrong discretion dead everywhere, or has everyone gone nuts? Or maybe everyone's on HDH: human dope hormone.

*

If Russ Salzberg hadn't been on the scene, Channel 5's and Channel 9's coverage of the Giants' Manhattan victory parade wouldn't have been able to distinguish Kevin Boss from Boss Tweed. . . . Tonight during Phoenix-Dallas, Versus will have Wayne Gretzky wired.

Though logically anticipating the live reaction shot of Steve Valiquette after he shut out the Flyers in Philadelphia on Saturday, MSG cut to and stayed on a shot of an expressionless Tom Renney. A graphic explained: Renney just tied Phil Watson for sixth place for wins by a Rangers coach. Oh.

Superb, eye-opening piece on ESPN's "Outside the Lines," yesterday about the legal international gambling scene in pro tennis. That small fortunes are bet on early-round matches played by virtual unknowns seems to ensure more fixed matches than previously imagined.

Last week TNT announced an extension of Marv Albert's deal through the 2015-16 NBA season (when Albert, who counts backward, turns 30). This week, SNY will announce an extension of Keith Hernandez's deal (anticipated annual suspension not included).

Baylor's women's team defeated Texas Tech on Saturday on FSN. When the cameras showed Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey, she was seen in a frilly white blouse - that carried a Nike swoosh. Nothing to identify her as Baylor's coach, just a Nike coach.

phil.mushnick@nypost.com

[Guest AG/DC]

It's amazing, isn't it? What is the chairman thinking?

Basic ethics are bieng explained to us by The Post.

[Guest themetfairy]

Caple has some fun at Mrs. Clemens' expense.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Mushnick, given something substantial to care about, is usually pretty good. His line on Hernandez is pretty good too.

[metirish]

] Waxman Warns Clemens Attorney on Intimidation Sunday, February 10, 2008 WASHINGTON � House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman blasted comments in Sunday's New York Times attributed to the attorney of all-star pitcher Roger Clemens. Waxman, who is holding a House Oversight and Government Reform hearing on Wednesday on steroid abuse in Major League Baseball, said Clemens attorney Rusty Hardin shouldn't be trying to intimidate a federal law enforcement agent. The Times quoted Hardin as saying it would be "unbelievable" and "brazen" for federal agent Jeff Novitzky to appear in the audience at the hearing in which Clemens is supposed to testify publicly on whether he illegally doped up with performance-enhancing drugs. Novitzky helped to turn former trainers Brian McNamee and Kirk Radomski into federal informants for the baseball probe. Much of the information fingering Clemens and former teammate Andy Pettitte as abusing steroids � revealed in former Sen. George Mitchell's investigative report for Congress � rests on information from McNamee and Radomski. Hardin told the Times that if Novitzky ever "messes with Roger (Clemens), Roger will eat his lunch." The Times report apparently lit a fire under Waxman, who suggested Hardin was trying to intimidate a federal officer. Waxman wrote a letter to Hardin telling him that it is not up to Clemens or Hardin as to gets to attend the hearing. "Some of the previous comments by both you and the attorneys representing Mr. McNamee in recent weeks have struck me as inadvisable but I have refrained from making any comment. If today's quotation is accurate, however, it goes beyond any personal enmity that exists between Roger Clemens and Mr. McNamee," Waxman wrote, adding that he has no idea if Novitzky will attend the hearing because "as an independent branch of government, our inquiry operates independently of the executive branch." "Given your long service as both a prosecutor and a private attorney, I trust you did not intend your comments to be a signal that there could be adverse repercussions to a federal law enforcement official for attending the hearing or taking other official actions. I would urge you to clarify the record at your earliest convenience," Waxman concluded

[Frayed Knot]

]Hardin told the Times that if Novitzky ever "messes with Roger (Clemens), Roger will eat his lunch."

I don't think Novitzky is someone they want to fuck with.
This issue is a virtual crusade to him and he brings a whole buncha weapons to the fight.

[metirish]

Whatever happens with this case I can see Hardin with his own TV show...he seems made for it( and I don't mean that as a compliment).

[MFS62]

I have a feeling that Clemens may get a lot of press coverage in China because this is the Year of the Rat.
Or maybe not.

Later

[soupcan]

I'm thinking two things about Clemens/Hardin.

-Clemens has lied through his teeth to everyone including his lawyers regardless of the fact that they should have told him that in no way, shape or form should he deny his steroid use to them or especially while under oath if in fact he did it.

-Hardin knows Clemens is lying and is giving him the most absolutely ridiculously bad advice - to the point oof malpractice. 'Rog, even though you did it, there is no evidence. You can beat this thing. Deny, deny, deny...'


An attorney friend of mine stresses that there is no way that Clemens' attornies would advise him to not be truthful under oath even if they thought that by lying he could beat it.

With that in mind I have to think that while his attornies may have their own suspicions, he has been emphatic in his denials of his use to even them.

And you know what? That wouldn't surprise me. Here's a guy who has been treated like a god for probably the past 30 years of his life. Why wouldn't he think he could get away with it?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Just like Pete Rose and OJ.

[Benjamin Grimm]

In my favorite scenario, both Clemens and Hardin end up doing jail time.

[nymr83]

if Clemens did it and doesnt want to say so his best bet would be to pulla mcgwire, you dont face perjury charges for saying "my attorney told me to shut up"

i think pettite erased any lingering doubts anyone might have had, and boy did he come out of this smelling like roses... clemens should learn a lesson here... perjury is worse than confession both for public opinion and your chances of a conviction down the line.

[Vic Sage]

As a rule, I try not to indulge in shadenfreude, but the hole Clemens is digging for himself makes me positively giddy.