ROGER CLEMENS: HALL OF SHAME

It should have been one of the most celebrated, storied careers of this baseball era. Baseball fans should be reminiscing about his dynamic stuff, his killer competitive instinct, and his desire to prepare and win that was virtually unmatched by all other pitchers. But merely all we have to reflect on now is a tale of faded glory and a sobering look ahead to the serious consequences that Roger Clemens now faces.

The Rocket, as he was famously known to fans, players and baseball media, backed up his hard nosed image with a dominating pitching style that was famous for moving hitters off the plate and demoralizing the most potent of lineups. Clemens finished his career with 354 wins, a record high 7 Cy Young awards, 2 World Series Titles, and 4,672 strikeouts. All statistics that cemented a near automatic vote into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and paved the way to his insertion into the debate in naming the greatest pitchers in baseball history.

Clemens was always a fierce competitor, an arrogant warrior, and a person that refused to give in to the competition, even when facing insurmountable odds. He demanded excellence both of himself and of those that dared to wear the same uniform. Roger expected to be courted and pampered both in his contracts and in special privileges that were not afforded to the average ballplayer. He loved the spotlight, the fanfare, and the near unanimous distinction of being the absolute best at his craft. But it was these qualities that made him so successful on the field ,that now threaten to destroy his entire legacy and quite possibly strip him of his freedom.

It certainly is not odd that a man of Clemens stature would initially deny taking steroids or any other illegal performance enhancing substance. As important as winning was to the 11 time all-star, so was his image and the way with which he was perceived by fans and media outlets. Roger longed to be appreciated and would aggressively lash out at any and all who questioned his aura of greatness. What is beyond perplexing, is his initiation of a Congressional Committee, a subsequent relaying of flawed testimony, and a complete refusal to come clean to the American public or the proper authorities.

The Rocket's defiance came with the knowledge that also testifying under oath would be his trainer and conditioning coach, Brian McNamee and former teammate and friend, Andy Pettitte. It had to be clear to Clemens that full disclosure would be given as to all administered "medication" during his training and that logical links would be uncovered as to parallels between his treatment program and that of Pettitte. All the while he had to reconcile with the fact that the blatant discrepancies in his story were told at the risk of committing perjury before a Congressional Committee.

A full swing of emotion can be felt as you listen to accounts of the hearings as told by Congressmen Henry Waxman and Tom Davis. Each saying that they attempted to give Clemens ample opportunity to recant and give an honest depiction of his true, behind the scenes relationship with Brian McNamee. You get the honest feeling that both of these gentlemen were attempting to throw a life vest to this icon and national hero. But Clemens saw this as no different than a stubborn hitter crowding the plate and attempting to take away what was rightfully his. He bore down with defiant wrath and clung to his story with verbal demonstration of resilience and rage. Nobody pulled the plug on Roger Clemens and certainly not a living soul had ever backed him into a corner without having to fight for their very lives.

Perhaps the blow could have been lessened for Clemens if he would have just been a better student of history. We, as a sport loving society, have typically been extremely forgiving of our beloved athletes when they just provide us with a small glimpse of candor and truth. In the worst way, we wish to move past the flaws and indiscretions of our heroes, to propel them back to their rightful pedestal. We gained a new level of admiration for Andy Pettitte, as he chronicled his steroid use as an answer to an injury plagued body. The court of public opinion still regards Alex Rodriguez as a future Hall of Famer and joyously celebrated his 600th career homer, even after his admission to knowingly taking performance enhancing drugs. If only Clemens could have place his ego in check and followed the example of the humble, confessing athletes who had written the road map for healing an ailing reputation.

For now, we wait for the seemingly tragic conclusion to the Roger Clemens saga. We have seen him defeat the most worthy of opponents on the field in awesome, decisive fashion. But now he assumes the role of the heavy underdog, in a battle against the federal government and their 95% conviction rate. The awards, accolades, and even Hall of Fame speculation have now all taken a backseat to wondering if Clemens will even have the right to choose which halls he walks in the near future. For his sake and that of our cherished memories, here's to hoping that the Rocket steps off the mound and seriously thinks before he throws that next pitch.