AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File
Roger Clemens isn't invited to Astros training camp anymore.
A hospital took his name off the door.
Charity organizations don't want him.
Roger Clemens might have been the most feared pitcher in baseball over the past 20 years. When he came home to Houston, the entire city embraced him. When he returned to New York, it brought such a reaction that "Goodness gracious!" is now a sound bite everywhere.
Now no one wants to be associated with him. Like the high school kid caught dealing drugs, no one wants to play with Roger any more.
Why? Because he used steroids and HGH and lied about it? Because Congress got involved? Because of an alleged dalliance with a country singer?
Barry Bonds was blackballed by baseball. Clemens has been blackballed by everyone. This latest move by the Astros is designed to "prevent distraction."
But it could be done quietly. Clemens could be in and out and no one would know until he was gone.
This is the Astros just becoming the latest organization to distance itself from Clemens.
Why? Because he lied?
What athlete doesn't? Most superstars are spoiled, pampered and treated like royalty. They have access to everything. The fan worship and giant contracts feed that.
In truth, fans have only themselves to blame for pampered stars. We create them, feed them. Those hospitals and charities make a lot of money associating with athletes. We line up and beg for autographs. We pay for them.
Now, the worshipers are running as fast as they can. Newspaper editors who once asked for his autograph are dragging every tiny, meaningless detail to the front page of the paper.
Why? Because of his off-field exploits? Please. If everyone who did that was persona non grata, the country would grind to a complete halt. Physician, heal thyself. That story was not something that should have ever been public. It has nothing to do with anything.
So was it because he cheated on the field? Most of baseball was trying steroids or HGH. It led to unprecedented popularity and dazzling, video game numbers that created a lot of extra interest.
No one wanted to know. Owners and GMs turned the other cheek. Media members who dared suggest something was up were vilified. Owners signed big checks. Video games -- and tickets -- sold in record numbers.
Yes, in a perfect world, everyone would be honest. They would work as hard as possible within the rules and be perfect role models.
But this world is far from perfect. For every honest player, there are hundreds who push the rules; who attempt to make themselves the best they can be and then some. The more successful they are, the more they are rewarded with adulation -- and bigger contracts.
When they struggle, we rip them in print, on TV and on the radio. We tear them down. We almost dare them to try whatever they can to be successful. Just don't get caught, because then we will destroy you for another reason.
Oh yes, the big one. He allegedly lied to Congress about his steroid use.
Congress had no business being involved in the first place. If we started listing all the lies and crimes committed by congressmen and women, this article would never end. .
Besides, shouldn't Congress be focusing on more important things? Health care? Creating jobs? Ending the wars? Creating a college football playoff?
Ask yourself: Did you cheer Roger Clemens when he pitched? Barry Bonds when he homered? Did you celebrate Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in their roid-rage race to history? Did you buy tickets -- and put money in the owner's pocket -- just to see them play?
Knowing what you know now, if they helped your team win, would you cheer them again? Answer that one honestly, and you'll realize how silly it is to ostracize Clemens.
Yes, he is an arrogant jerk who would be much more sympathetic if he apologized. Many postulate that if he would just come clean, he would be forgiven.
Andy Pettitte gets a pass for his HGH use because he came out and admitted using it (sort of). Pettitte is just as big a liar and a cheat. Does anyone really believe those were the only times he used it? But a nice, "Aw, shucks. Sorry guys," and he is off the hook.
Clemens refused to go that route, and he gets dragged in front of Congress so a bunch of idiots can be on ESPN. "Look, honey, did you see me ask a stupid question to Roger Clemens? Do you think he will sign my baseball?"
This is not a defense of lying, and certainly not a defense of steroids. They are a huge problem, especially among teens misusing them.
That, however, is a parent problem. Parents should be involved with their children. They should pick their own sports heroes carefully. Dikembe Mutombo, Tony Dungy and Tim Tebow immediately come to mind.
But many parents who are angry now once cheered Clemens. And Bonds. And McGwire.
They would cheer them again if it helped their team win. The same goes for owners who once praised them and wrote them giant checks -- and would do it again if it filled the stands, won games and guaranteed a profit.
Yes, Roger Clemens was a fraud, whether he admits it or not.
Before you destroy him for that, look in the mirror and ask yourself if you helped create that fraud.
Chances are you did. We all did.
What is happening now is just as big a fraud.
Comments
Fred: terrific piece that gives us all a lot to think about. But..Clemens demanded Congress hear him. He wasn't hauled there. He challenged the Mitchell report to try and clear his name and Congress was only too happy to oblige him.
Yes, parents should keep a watchful eye on their children, especially when it comes to misusing steroids. But not once did you mention the name "Bud Selig." He was essentially the "parent" in this case. All this happened on his watch, not America's. It was his job to clean up the mess these roiders made. It was our job to be entertained - and we were.
I was in the minority during the summer of 1998 as I knew something wasn't right about that HR chase. Only Ruth & Maris hit 60 & 61 for the first 100 years of baseball, and now 2 players did it in 1 season and totally obliterating the record? I stopped watching baseball religiously after 1998, cause I was turned off by McGwire, Bonds, and Sosa. What got me back was finally realizing that they cleaned up the game after 2005. Sure there are guys that still do it, but HR's are back to normal and nobody is hitting 70 HR's anymore! I think many fans were just naive and got caught up in the hysteria of these guys, but once everyone was exposed, it was just one big lie.
Could I be part of the blame for Clemens? Sure, I gladly accept that. Did I cheer for him? Not really because I saw more of his mediocre performances than his outstanding. I don't like he's lost his prestige but I do hate people were ready to hang Barry Bonds out to dry when allegations came up and turned a deaf ear to Clemens when his name showed up. It wasn't until he sat in front of the Senate that people said, "maybe he isn't what we thought he was." Hypocritical to me.
Great points all...Paula, you are correct, but my point is the hearings themselves were a sham and done for the wrong reasons...Remember how people got angry at Steve Wilstein for seeing the Andro in McGwire's locker and asking about it? We should have been praising him for that. Not enough of us did (myself and the people working for me at the time included...)
Don't call me or any other fan a fraud. How dare you. I was lead to believe by MLB, the players association and by you the media to believe the game was clean. I had my doubts. But I incorrectly believed that if there was a problem that the media, in it's ever increasing need to find a story, would alert us fans. I did not cheer for Bonds, Clemens, Sosa etal. I knew they were not the players that Seaver, Aaron and Mays were.
Shame on YOU.
I attended the 20th Gala Anniversary for the Partnership For a Drug-Free America back in 2006. The man they chose to honor as most representative of the Partnership's vision was none other than Bud Selig. That irony was only compounded by the fact there was an open bar before the dinner, where the booze continued to flow freely. The evening raised 2.5 million dollars - 2.1 from MLB. Surprise!!
I'm glad I smoked a big fatty before the festivities, as it helped mitigate the surreal feel of it all.
Clemens a fraud, yeah, now that I know. During their home run hitting and pitching heydays, who knew? Does it make sense now, shot yes. Do I have the same respect for these cheaters, flip no!!!No one should respect a cheater.
I competed in Triathlon, clean and with modest results. Now it will be said the juice doesn't enhance endurance sports,it does, I've seen the results. Full tilt admissions that someone you know who couldn't swim, bike, or run their way out of a water soaked bag starts beating you. The part that really infuriates is the credit that the cheater takes for all the hard work that enabled the breakthrough performance, needles to the quad is sure hard work. Orthopedic surgeon brothers who supply the high grade stuff, not to worry I'm recovering really fast and can train harder, he's still a cheater with no results!!!
You are blaming me because I am a FAN? How about you blame the players, coaches, managers, owners and the press? How about you start with the people responsible?
The players took the drugs. The coaches either encouraged it or looked the other way. The managers and owners (George W. Bush among them) were also complicit, at least as far as their willful ignorance. As a reporter, you probably know what part the press played. The press played up the video-game numbers while remaining silent about the drugs. As a fan, how am I responsible? Please articulate my responsibility in this matter. I am confused.
I didn't take drugs, sell drugs, or encourage drug use. I didn't manage any teams with athletes that were using drugs. No one came up to me and said "I'm a professional athlete who takes drugs to cheat." The FANS were the ones who were cheated, not the ones who were cheating. We were cheated out of our money. The owners let that fans spend their money on cheaters. Would the FANS spend their money on cheaters if the owners and managers had owned up to this mess and said "We are fielding a team of people who take drugs, a team of cheaters."
The FANS did not sweep the mess under the rug, like everybody else did. The press was scooped by a scumbag baseball player looking to make a quick buck, and you blame the FANS? How about you do your job and REPORT on this, instead of taking the easy way out and blaming your audience?
Oh give the guy a break! He was jsut trying to be the best he could be, get over it already!
www.Privacy-Center.net
Your repeated use of a question to open a paragraph is irritating.
You didn't even directly answer the questions you posed. I had to stop reading.... reminded me of my mother-in-law.
You are full of crap. Their is no entity called "The Fans". Their are only individuals who enjoy watching sports. None of them (or damn near none of them) had any idea of what Roger Clemens was up to. It's not like he consulted with any of us on the subject.
It's true that being a successful athlete offers a great many rewards. But to say that it's our fault that he cheated to gain those rewards is like excusing a rapist for his crime because the girl he raped was really hot.
Sorry, Roger Clemens and his trainer are the ones responsible for their actions, not the fans.
we hate him not only because he lied, but because he took steroids! its unethical for any pro athlete to take a banned substance. he cheated, and now he will never make the hall of fame.
You're right, I'm not watching sports any more. I've been such an enabler. Do you think sports will ever forgive me?
who would have ever known that back in the day these guys were taking roids. i guess it was too good to be true for sosa and mcguire to be breaking records so easily. all i have to say is, what a bunch of homos!
This reads like the work of someone with a guilty conscience, and you are wrong to assume other fans are the desperate, sycophantic sports fanatic that you are.
You, sir, are a giant ass.
This article is crap. Fans cheer athletes for performing feats of athleticism average people do not have. We usually believe these feats are naturally achieved, not drug/steroid enhanced. Wow, this newspaper editor must be sleeping on the job.
Wow. This is the worst example of journalism I've read all year. And thats been a pretty low threshold. This is so bad, one almost has to view the article as poorly conceived over-the-top sarcasm. Or maybe with the economy in its current state, this rag has decided to save money by outsourcing its journalists from The Onion.
So, your point is that watching baseball is worse than lying to congress?
After reading this article it should be obvious that biggest fraud is actually Fred Faour
It feels good to come clean doesn't it?
Now lets talk about what you and your baseball buddies at the assoc. did to Barry Bonds ..
Never argue with the men who buy ink in bulk.
I do not believe that people can be put to blame for the soft will of others. Just because Roger Clemens was unprepared and thus, unable to handle the spotlight, made him choose the decisions he made. It was his thirst for power that got him where he is.
To put the blame on people for wanting an icon to look up to is downright rude. And I don't even watch sports.
Roger Clemens' demise is of his own doing. He knew what he was getting himself into.
No, everyone is human, and everyone makes mistakes. I'm not saying everyone should hate the man, but don't take pity on him.
What the hell is wrong with you?
YAWN!
Actually Clemens is the biggest fraud of all because he refused to get off center stage when the hook was looming so large that it was hitting him in the neck. And you come a close second for being a typical homer in the article you wrote.
Pathetic.
Boo hoo. I am so ashamed of myself. This is all my fault. I thought it was Roger Clemens' fault, but it turns out I'm to blame. Thanks, Fred, for putting me in my place. Tool.
So it is a crime to ingest, inject, topically apply and inhale any substance a person willingly chooses to put in his/her body. Ah yes lets regulate everything that we don't agree with or understand. This must be the answer to everything.. ban this and ban that... its like burning books... medicine/technology has come a long way people wake up and smell the coffee... go ahead with your holier than thou and cast your first stone attitude... you are all a bunch of hyporcites....
My guess is Fred is trying to get on Rogers good side so maybe he can get an exclusive sometime soon? Geez, what a suck up article. The truth is Roger is a week person on the inside. His arrogance proves that. If he can't control himself and stay away from illegal drugs, teenage girls and act like a mature adult it is certainly not the fans fault. There are LOTS of pro sports athletes you have had or are superstar careers that haven't behaved like Roger. His problem is he is an immature arrogant jerk. I hope he gets at least 5 years!
No I did not cheer Bonds or Clemens. I don't think you have any idea how deeply they hurt the record books. In no other sport do the record books play such an important part as in baseball. The history of baseball, for all practical purposes, has been wiped out. In spite of this I still don't think people should go to jail. But there is a very important law called perjury that no one is exempt from. (why do people keep forgetting this?) Even then! - I would think that public outcry would demand that Clemens not be prosecuted if he would have been dragged into court, but he demanded to go to court. You can't go in and lie and then change your mind and go "oops I made a boo boo" and get off scottfree. It's easy to make fun of the justice system but you're taking it too lightly. No matter what you may think, this is not Romper Room and the majority of the public knows this. Public opinion is very forgiving but it's obvious that Roger stretched it past the breaking point.
Congratulations. By appearing on www.bestsportswriting.com this article is in some fine company.
Fred you have completely twisted the Roger Clemens issue. Please realize that people have been cheering against Roger Clemens long before he chucked the bat part towards Piazza during an obvious roid rage. I have disliked him since the mid-80's when he was tossed out of a playoff game for taunting the opposing pitcher for being a recovering alcoholic. I dislike him for leaving Boston, then ending up with the hated Yankees for the ring (and cash). Wajja Cwemens is the definition of a sell out. I have disrespected him since he refused to sign until June, or since he refused to travel to road games when he did not start.
Do not blame us the fans for his bad character, but do remember that Wajja has been in many of our doghouses way before we heard about drug use, adultry, selfishness, or financial greed.
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