Roger Clemens: Why His Trial Is All About Ego

The perjury trial of Roger Clemens isn’t about guilt or innocence. It’s about ego.

The issue, whether Clemens believes it or not, isn’t about his steroid use. As a matter of fact, the American people accepted his alleged abuse of steroids a long time ago and have reconciled the fact that it’s the world we live in. These days we must assume an athlete is dirty until proven otherwise. It’s the side epitaph on trust in the world of professional sports, but we also understand that in the marriage between performance and money there are going to be corners cut.

The issue with Clemens as it stands in the courtroom, and in the court of public opinion, has everything to do with his ego and its refusal to admit to a misstep along the way. Plenty of athletes have been caught using, many have owned up to their mistakes and were allowed back in the good graces of the American public. Andy Pettitte's story of using steroids just once for injury purposes, has become the staple for anyone who has a skeleton in their closet, but it’s always bought hook, line and sinker.

We are willing to forgive and move on. Brian Roberts, Mark McGwire, and various NFL players have been caught, copped to it, and resumed a normal life shortly thereafter. The American public has no need to be merciless, just to be right.

Of course Clemens would like you to believe that he is innocent. He’s laid out defense after defense. Among them has been his workout regimen, which was used to explain how he went from past his prime, to four more CY Young awards. This was to explain how a man got seemingly better in his late thirties and early-40's than he was at 22. But we are to believe that because he’s Roger Clemens and he’s telling the truth.

Another line of defense was the “tractor” theory. He told Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes that had he been taking steroids that he would have been able to pull a “tractor with his teeth.” Certainly that’s in line with everything we know about steroids. They don’t make you stronger, or recover quicker. They give you the ability to perform super human feats of strength. And that’s the bottom line because he’s Roger Clemens and he’s telling the truth.

There is also the leap of faith that we have to take that even though Andy Pettitte, his best friend and his wife were being injected with steroids by his personal trainer Brian McNamee, Clemens had never ever heard of steroids. Sure, Andy Pettitte claims to have talked to him about it on a number of occasions, but he “misremembered.” His trainer, McNamee himself, remembers injecting Clemens but Clemens doesn’t. It never happened. Clemens also hung around with the king of steroids, Jose Canseco, but still was clueless to what steroids ever were.

He’s Roger Clemens and he’s telling the truth.

How all of these things can add up to any sympathy or belief in his defense is beyond most rational thought, but not if your Roger Clemens. Why might be more outrageous at his flat out denial of these charges is the overwhelming belief that he really does believe it. When you think about that it is hard to wrap your mind around.

Can Roger Clemens have done it and yet still believe he’s innocent?

It feels that way. If not then his arrogance and ego have completely clouded his judgment. Look, everyone attempts to hide the truth at some time or another. I’ve done it in my life, and it was to protect myself from being hurt, or to protect someone else. In the end, people usually have enough common sense to realize, at some point, that lies will only lead to more lies. Once you are caught it’s best to own up to it and move forward.

No one has ever asked Clemens to spill his guts. No one has ever asked Rocket to be innocent or perfect. They have simply asked him to be accountable. It’s his blatant attempt to hid the truth and to make the American people feel stupid in the process that has bothered so many people. The American Public an take a cheater. They can’t take a liar.

But this is the way that Clemens has been. This is the way we have loved him as an athlete. He was abrasive, intense, and defiant. He pitched his way and we came out in droves to see him throw heat. Now he’s taking his bullish nature into a courtroom. But this counts for more than a mark on the win/loss column.