Roger Clemens Should Have Listened to Momma
10th November 2009
If Twitter has done one thing, it’s taken a few bricks out of the wall between high profile public figures, the media, and their fans or detractors. For members of the media – alternative or mainstream – it’s another tool of the trade.
It also is a delicate dance.
How many stories have we read about athletes getting fined or being asked to please step away from the keyboard when it comes to Twitter? When you’re unfiltered, you can do harm, or good.
So, it was of interest to many when 11-time All-Star and 7-time Cy Young winner, Roger Clemens showed up on Twitter. Clemens, also is embroiled in a legal battle regarding alleged steroid use from his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee. Clemens was mentioned 82 times in the Mitchell Report via McNamee’s testimony (see The Biz of Baseball’s archive on the Mitchell Report).
Of a more serious nature, The Rocket may have lied before Congress regarding when he said he never used PEDs, especially after Andy Pettitte’s affidavit.
Reading Clemens on Twitter is a softball affair. But, sometimes Clemens throws something out there that can relate to his current legal dilemma.
Clemens was asked, “What is the best advice that you ever got?” Here’s the answer:
Well…a down right to the point one came from my mother- “Never get in a pissin’ contest with a skunk” Mine would be “love and work hard at what you do” and Give time to others. Understand sometimes you will fail, pick yourself up and go at it again! One that always hit home and says it all came from our grandmother…”if your a ditch digger, be the best ditch digger you can be!”
OK, ignore the misspellings (I now have a better understanding of his use of “misremembered” now)… thinking of how Clemens might view McNamee, I saw what mother said, and latched onto it.
“I think you should have listened to mom. Certainly, not listened to Rusty. Get in front of it, like the others.”
“Getting in front of it” is a reference to the likes of Pettitte and Jason Giambi who realized that if they admitted – even vaguely – to using PEDs, the public (and more importantly, Congress) will get off your back and eventually move on. Look at Pettitte. His hGH use was barely mentioned during the World Series.
Trying to decipher Clemenspeak, the reference to “how do you prove a negative” appears to be a reference to McNamee. As for “wallet chaser”… well, I guess we know how he feels about Rusty Hardin these days.
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown’s full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.