Clemens' ego interferes with integrity and common sense

Roger Clemens is selling oceanfront property in Atlanta. Are you buying it? On the mound, The Rocket's arrogance and inflated ego served him well. He was afraid of no hitter, and for most of his career, he was dominant on the way to winning 354 games and earning seven Cy Young Awards. Apparently, he figured that his reputation would be good enough to help him breeze through the congressional hearing earlier this month.

If that is what Clemens thought, he was wrong.

Prompted by Congress, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Thursday that they would investigate to determine if star baseball pitcher Roger Clemens lied under oath when he denied using performance enhancing drugs.

In front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Clemens testified on February 13 that he never took steroids or human growth hormone. His former trainer, Brian McNamee, told the committee that he personally injected Clemens with steroids and HGH on many occasions between 1998 and 2001.

Clemens' testimony was highlighted by many contradictory statements, leading to the investigation.

According to the evidence, there is no doubt, in my mind, that Clemens used steroids and HGH. Though using these substances is a grievous error in judgment, Clemens' repeated denials are more damning. America is a forgiving country. If Clemens is indeed guilty of taking steroids and/or HGH, and he admitted this wrongdoing, chances are he would have still been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Now, not only is his inclusion in the Hall of Fame unlikely, he faces possible jail time for committing perjury.

If an athlete is willing to take an illegal performance-enhancing drug, he or she should take the responsibility of admitting the violation if caught. Evidently, Clemens' sense of entitlement interfered with integrity and common sense, leading him to take his stance of innocence. If Clemens is telling the truth - and McNamee injected Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch (who both have admitted this) - then we all owe him an apology. However, it appears that Clemens is lying, and his giant ego will be his downfall.

Here is the Newsday link that describes Clemens' contradictions: http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/ny-splott295595820feb29,0,6818107.story