The Rocket Is Mad

Roger Clemens held a press conference yesterday in which he sat with his lawyer and played a taped conversation he had with former trainer Brian McNamee.

The press conference was to be Clemens "evidence" that he did not use performance-enhancing substances despite McNamee's claim that he injected Clemens himself.

All I saw was a scared Rocket trying to confuse the media, sports fans, and fellow MLB players. Problem is, he did not confuse anyone with that press conference.

McNamee continually asked Clemens, "what do you want me to do?" in the recorded phone conversation, to which Clemens answered vaguely each time.

What Clemens did get across to the world is that he is a desperate man. Taping a phone conversation in which nothing was said, proved, or disproved. Then follow that up with fielding a couple of questions before storming out.

He was aggressive while fielding questions, and at one point called out Hall of Fame voters:

"You think that I played my career because I'm worrying about the damn Hall of Fame?" Clemens said. "If you have a vote and it's (turned) because of this, you keep your vote. I don't need the Hall of Fame to justify that I put my butt on the line and I worked my tail off. And I defy anybody to say I did it by cheating or taking any shortcuts. OK?

"I made a statement through this man (Hardin) when it first happened. I made a statement through my foundation. That wasn't good enough. And now I'm here doing this. I cannot wait to go into the private sector and hopefully never have to answer it again. I've said enough."

Clemens even asked reporters if he "can drink water? Or is that good or bad? Can I drink water? You know. And I can swallow..."

Yes you can Roger, yes you can.

Who knows what will come of this story, but we do know one thing: Clemens is definitely worried about the Hall of Fame and his legacy that may be tarnished.