Steroid Nation

Clemens injects self into Astros mini-camp

Roger Clemens showed up at a Houston Astros' mincamp for minor league players yesterday.  From the Hartford Currant:

For three hours at an Astros' minicamp for minor leaguers that included his oldest son, Roger Clemens was back in his element, baffling hitters and instructing pitchers on mechanics.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I love to do these things. If I can share any insight with these young kids, it's all the better."

Clemens, who sidestepped any questions about steroids or his pending appearance before a congressional committee, threw for about 30 minutes. Most of the batters whiffed at least once, even after Clemens would call out what kind of pitch he was throwing.

Russ Dixon, an infielder, homered to right, then sheepishly put his head down to avoid eye contact with the pitcher.

The Rocket says he is sharing insight with young kids; Let's hope that's not dosages of nandrolone.  ('Before' and 'after' photos of the Rocket above)

McNamee hopes Pettitte will spill the beans on Clemens steroid use; too much audacity?

The AP reports that Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte may be the one to spill the beans about Roger Clemens's steroid use at Congressional depositions next week.  Clemens's trainer Brian McNamee's lawyer is hoping Pettitte will testify about Clemens.  However, follow the story closely: seems McNamee's lawyer hopes for alot.

A lawyer for Andy Pettitte's former personal trainer said Tuesday he believes the pitcher will tell Congress he discussed human growth hormone with Roger Clemens between the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

The lawyer, Earl Ward, said Pettitte talked about HGH with trainer Brian McNamee following a conversation with Clemens, who has denied that he used HGH or steroids. McNamee worked with both Clemens and Pettitte.

"We're hopeful based on Andy's reputation that he will corroborate Brian's statements with regard to Roger," Ward said in a telephone interview.

"Hopeful"  That's not a sure thing.  Both Pettitte and Clemens stand accused of PEDs by the Mitchell Report.  Pettitte admitted to brief HGH use; Clemens rigorously fights any PED charges.

Pettitte's meeting with a congressional committee investigating drug use in baseball was postponed until Monday. He originally was slated to appear for a deposition or transcribed interview Wednesday but the date was changed Tuesday by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

McNamee said in last month's Mitchell Report that he injected Clemens at least 16 times with steroids or HGH in 1998, 2000 and 2001. He said he injected Pettitte two to four times with HGH.

Pettitte admitted two days after the Mitchell Report was released that he tried HGH for two days in 2002 — before it was banned by players and owners.

Here is the meat of the story.  Sounds like a stretch:

Ward said the discussion he was referring to occurred at Clemens' house.

"Based on what we know, there was a situation where Andy was speaking to Roger in Brian's presence, then Andy came over to Brian and essentially said, 'Why didn't you tell me about this stuff?' He referred to HGH," Ward said. "Brian discouraged him and then several months later, when he (Pettitte) got injured, he came back and asked Brian about it, and that's when Brian injected him. We believe that based on the fact that Andy came to Brian and asked him about HGH, it was Roger who told Andy about HGH and that's why he asked Brian about it."

Oh, the audacity of hope.

HGH in the NFL: Welcome back my friend to the show that never ends

The New York Post carries a special story on the HGH problem in the NFL.  The author Matt Chaney points out the pervasive abuse of HGH by athletes, rappers, old duffers, and most likely the NFL.

The American freak show is on, in GH chic.  The buff and tough are everywhere, countless adults, all ages, popping shots of recombinant human growth hormone, the DNA-based enhancer of cultural choice.  Actors use "Growth," and so do singers, baseball players, cops, teachers and doctors.  Sixty-five-year-old men use the stuff to gain lean mass, renew the skin, quicken the step.  So what about football, our beloved blood sport in holy Super Bowl Week?

Do the Giants and the Patriots have a problem with undetectable HGH?

It would be unusual if they didn't.

The author gets it right.  HGH in combo with other PEDs (like testosterone) appears to enhance muscle size and strength.  HGH remains undetectable.  Thus HGH users like  Romanowski, Rodney Harrison, and Tim Couch continue to freak-up with the drug.

Athletes in Super Bowls have abused HGH for years without prudence, as they have throughout the National Football League and much of NCAA football: The Carolina Panthers just happened to be hapless enough to be the only ones to get caught, exposed in the Dr. James Shortt scandal involving illicitly prescribed HGH, steroids and associate chemicals.

Growth hormone builds power, size and speed, especially in synergy with low-dose testosterone, and, despite much misinformation afloat, synthetic HGH cannot be reliably detected in a blood or urine PED screen.

In the doping detection world, anabolic steroids come out 'easy' (nothing is easy as the Floyd Landis case shows); 'growth' because of the short half-life and verisimilitude to the athlete's own HGH, evades reliable detection.  Furthermore, HGH will be detected in blood, an invasive acquisition which constitutes a sticky wicket among civil libertarians.  (UCLA's Don Catlin's remarks about testing after the jump).

So enjoy those huge biceps at the Superbowl, courtesy of some real 'growth'.

Will more names be added to the MLB steroid juicers roll-call?

Remember that 2003 MLB steroid testing list, hotly contested by the MLBPA last year?  That was a trial-run for PED testing in MLB players; if positives exceeded a threshold level of 5% of players, the MLBPA would agree to steroid and PED testing.  MLB found 104 players with test positives, meeting the threshold, and thus setting in place MLB doping tests.

In 2007, the Govt -- the IRS -- raided the testing labs, grabbing the computer that held the database.  The MLBPA contested the Govt grab, saying the data was confidential.  Not so, says a 9th circuit court federal judge.  All 104 MLB positive tests will be in the the legal hands of Govt agents investigating steroid and PED use. And expert say that those 104 names will eventually make it into the public reading.  To the New York Daily News:

Government authorities can now use a list of 104 players who tested positive for performance-enhancers in 2003, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday, shooting down the argument of the Major League Baseball Players' Association that the records were gained by unconstitutional means.

The union could appeal the decision, but the list is now a viable piece of evidence again - a grenade with the pin pulled out. "Chances are the government will now use that evidence," a lawyer close to the government's steroid investigation said yesterday.

Several implications arise from the legal decision. Barry Bonds may be on that list with a positive.  If Bonds's name graced the 104 list, then expect that fact to emerge in court during his perjury trial.  Also note, the Govt could pursue any other MLB player who tested positive.

"The government will get involved with them if a crime is committed," said one baseball source who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the legal proceedings.

The most immediately intriguing possibility is that Jeff Novitzky, the secretive IRS agent who gathered the test results in a 2004 raid on Major League Baseball's testing laboratories as he investigated BALCO, the steroid lab at the heart of the government's investigation, will use the list to prove that Bonds committed perjury before a grand jury when he denied knowingly using steroids. Even if Bonds' name is not on the list, the government could try to prove that the players involved in BALCO went there to get steroids, not supplements, as Bonds has claimed he did.

Meanwhile, the names are sure to become a hot topic.

"Ultimately we're going to see all those names come into view," said Peter Keane, a professor and dean at Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, where the court is based.

Keane is almost certain the federal agents who fought so hard to maintain their access to the list will now seek to use it. If there's any remote chance that the list will help them prosecute an athlete, the agents will have to share it with the athlete's defense lawyers prior to the trial - and in the process make it all public.

That means the evidence will be officially registered with courts and on file, available to any interested citizen.

It may also be interesting to determine of Roger Clemens's name came up on the 104 List.  Clemens's trainer McNamee met in 2004 to warm Clemens's agent about the impending 2004 doping tests.  Did he know something about the 2003 test?

Was Jose Canseco shaking down Magglio Ordonez over the "Juice"?

His new book entitled "Vindicated", Jose Canseco may well be 'vilified'.  A report from the New York Times accuses Canseco of shaking down Magglio Ordonez for investment money.  Allegedly Canseco -- or a surrogate -- offered a quid pro quid deal: if Ordonez invested in a Canseco movie project his name would not be brandished in the "Juiced" sequel "Vindicated", identified as a steroid user.  Sounds like a blackmail scheme --  investment money or be named in a steroid expose book.  Canseco denies the scheme, and Ordonez is equivocal.

As reported here, Canseco planned on penning a follow-up to his steroid expose "Juiced", due out by MLB opening day 2008.  However Canseco lost his ghostwriter, then he lost his publisher.  The Times reported less than 24 hours ago, Jose renegotiated a publisher for "Vindicated".  Allegedly Canseco tried to negotiate more than that.

José Canseco, the former major league slugger and admitted steroid user who exposed other players in his 2005 best-selling book “Juiced,” offered to keep a Detroit Tigers outfielder “clear” in his next book if the player invested money in a film project Canseco was promoting, according to a person in baseball with knowledge of the situation.

Four people in baseball confirmed that referrals were made from Major League Baseball to the F.B.I. regarding Canseco’s actions relating to the six-time All-Star outfielder Magglio Ordóñez, who was not mentioned in Canseco’s earlier book or in any other report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball. All four insisted on anonymity because they said they didn’t have authority to speak about the events.

The F.B.I. did not open a formal investigation because Ordóñez said he did not want to pursue the complaint.

Canseco denied that he — or any associate of his — ever asked Ordóñez for money to keep his name out of a book titled “Vindicated.”

A reticent Ordonez stated Canseco never actually shook him down. However Ordonez sought the counsel of Tiger's management:

He confirmed that he had talked about Canseco’s reaching out to him with Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowski last summer. The Tigers passed the complaint on to the commissioner’s office in New York, which then filed a complaint with the F.B.I.

Asked whether Canseco had ever specifically asked him for money, Ordóñez  said, “No.”

“One of José’s friends was leaving me messages,” Ordóñez said. “I told Dombrowski because I didn’t know why he was calling me.”

Dombrowski declined to comment. “Any of the conversations I have with players would be between me and players,” he said in a phone interview Wednesday.

Ordonez's agent Steve Boros also lodged a complaint about Canseco's alleged strong armed tactics:

Asked whether Canseco’s alleged actions constitute extortion, Daniel C. Richman, a professor at Columbia Law School and a former federal prosecutor, said it would be a hard case to prove. “A demand for an investment isn’t as obvious of a threat, and a jury may be less likely to see it as extortion compared to a demand for hard cash,” he said.

The Times commented that 'extortion' would be a tough prove; however if Canseco allegedly threatened naming Ordonez's name, that would be more like 'blackmail' (the difference is in the legality of the vindictive action).

Canseco's version of juicing gained more credibility recently; any hints of hanky-panky on his part hurts credibility of his books, and perhaps even the Mitchell Report. If this report pans out, Canseco's reputation, always on a roller-coaster, would take a dive; however, the former A's slugger often pulls out of nosedives. 

Interesting to see where this ride leads.

The Indian's David Dellucci swings at juicers including Luis Gonzalez

David Dellucci gave a very interesting interview in Ohio yesterday, reported by Ohio.com.  In the piece, Dellucci is quoted as saying he battled alleged steroid users for his position.  He also referred to his numbers as underwhelming when compared to juicer's stats when contract negotiating time comes up.

It's no surprise that David Dellucci has strong opinions about Major League Baseball's fight to ban performance enhancing drugs...

''I know I've battled guys at my own position who may have been on it,'' said the Indians' left-fielder during the team's press tour stop at Shaw Jewish Community Center on Tuesday. ''You do what you can (to compete). I had to negotiate a contract one year when guys had better numbers than me, because they were doing it (taking steroids). I know that for a fact. I had 29 home runs (for the Texas Rangers in 2005), but I didn't get enough credit because some players cheated. I had to negotiate a contract with that.''

Interesting.  Dellucci was the left fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998l  he put up 5 home runs, 51 RBI, and batted .260.   The next year, Dellucci sat on the bench while Luis Gonzalez hit 26 HRs, with 111 RBI, and .336.  Gonzalez started ahead of Dellucci until 2004 when Dellucci left for Texas.  In 2001 Gonzalez exploded for 57 dingers, 142 RBIs, and a .325 average, unbelievable numbers considering his career marks.

Dellucci's comments had to be a very thinly veiled accusation of Gonzalez juicing.  That blow out year remains suspect.  Furthermore, Gonzalez declined to 17-24-15-15 homers since 2004 (testing).

So who is Dellucci referring to on the Texas team?  Gary Matthews Jr, whose name came up in the Florida Internet scandals?  And who signed for 2.4 million in 2006.

Dellucci also comments on records, and effectiveness of testing:

That said, Dellucci thinks the situation is improving. Harsher punishments and more frequent and unannounced drug tests seem to have severely diminished the list of players willing to ignore the rules and continue using steroids.

But how does he know? By the numbers. For the past couple of seasons, home runs are down. Moreover, it's obvious that there are fewer players with bulked up bodies walking to the plate.

''I can tell by the miles per hour,'' Dellucci said, referring to the fastballs he sees. ''There are things you notice. And how many big-league players have failed their drug tests the last couple of years? I think it's only five. That shows that things are getting better...

Dellucci doesn't think it's fair that baseball has taken the brunt of the criticism, when performance enhancing substances have been prevalent for decades in track and field, cycling and football, among other sports. But for some reason, there is little outcry when an offensive lineman in the NFL gets flagged for using steroids.

''I think I know why,'' Dellucci said. ''My personal opinion is that it's because the most prestigious record in baseball was broken by someone that there are questions about.''

And lastly, he comments about the steroids era:

Dellucci has compartmentalized steroid users into two categories: before 2003 and after. He considers what happened prior to 2003 ancient history, because there was no agreement between the owners and the players union to test for steroids.

And HGH testing:

The next issue probably will center around a push (threat?) by Congress to force the league to test for HGH. For now, only a blood test will reveal whether an individual has been taking HGH, and the players union has resisted agreeing to blood tests on invasion of privacy grounds.

Interesting indeed.

Albert Pujols is mad as hell, and he ain't taking it (steroids) anymore

Albert Pujols is steaming.  Several times now, his name came up in conjunction with steroid use (can we say PED?).    Once Deadspin linked Pujols to the Grimsley thing, and a couple other times (oh my gosh including here -- Sorry).  Pujols, mad about a St Louis station carrying rumors about his listing in the Mitchell report banned the station from his new conference.

ST. LOUIS (2008-01-22) Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols banned a St. Louis television station from participating in a news conference yesterday at the conclusion of the team's winter warm-up.

Pujols was angry about his name being incorrectly linked to the Mitchell Report on steroids last month.

At the news conference, Pujols asked the Cardinals media relations director to kick out a crew from St. Louis Fox affiliate KTVI Channel 2.

Last month, the station devoted heavy coverage to rumors linking Pujols and other players to the Mitchell Report.

The rumors started with an erroneous report from a New York TV station.

After the incident, news director Kingsley Smith told the Post-Dispatch the Fox brand allows "a little more latitude" to report a rumor in-depth.

Smith has since moved to another Fox affiliate. Channel 2's acting news director Audrey Prywitch had no comment.

 

Hey, that's what happens when baseball's steroids policy is so loose; rumors fly.  Tighten the thing up.  Look at all the other names linked to Grimsley; turned up in the Mitchell Report too.

I wonder if Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann will be banned too -- for this speculation about Pujols and steroids last spring?

Congress asks Chuck Knoblauch to be fundamentally truthful: will issue a rain check for his deposition

Embroiled in the Clemens-McNamee-Mitchell scandal, Congress now asks former-fundamentally sound infielder Chuck Knnoblauch to toss one their way.  After Knoblauch ignored a Congressional invite, Congress will become a bit more forceful -- by sending Marshall Dillon, a US Marshall out to deliver to goods.

Knoblauch will be asked about his role in the NcNamee-Clemens deal; McNamee says he injected the former Yankee/Twin.  If Knoblauch agrees with that statement it will inject more veracity into McNamee's other claims, including claims of juicing the Rocket, Roger Clemens,

"We have not heard from Knoblauch or a lawyer representing him (and) we do not have any information on whether Knoblauch has retained an attorney," committee spokeswoman Karen Lightfoot told the Daily News. Knoblauch will now be served with a subpoena by U.S. Marshals, likely starting Wednesday, with the new deposition date scheduled for Tuesday. The four-time All-Star, who resides in Houston, was originally to be deposed Thursday morning in Washington.

"We have tried different addresses (in Houston) and have not heard back," said Lightfoot. "The (U.S.) Marshals (in the Houston area) will attempt to find him."

Come-on Chuck.  Answer the request.  Congress gets kinda mad about being ignored.  It's called 'contempt'. 

If Knoblauch fails to comply with the subpoena, he could face contempt of Congress charges, according to former U.S. Attorney Debra Wong Yang. "You can be held in contempt, but they rarely go forward with it, because apparently it takes an extra act of Congress," said Wong Yang, who was the U.S. Attorney in the Central District of California before becoming a partner at the L.A. firm Gibson, Dunn, & Crutcher. "The person doesn't have to testify, but it's with the penalty of contempt." A congressional source said the committee expects Knoblauch to comply with the subpoena.

Knoblauch apparently left via the secret player's exit.  Congress, who wanted Knoblauch to testify Thursday, will issue rain delay passes for next Tuesday.

Oh yeah, Chuck, they want you to zip one in to Nancy Pelosi playing first base, which is probably why Knoblauch is trying to skip the game anyway.

"I knew it was you Fredo": Roger Clemens situation gets more interesting

“Liars need good memories”, French Proverb

Is Roger Clemens getting in deeper in denying the Rocket Fuel mess?  A New York Times piece says that a representative of Clemens's agent (Hendricks Sports Management) met with Brian McNamee to speak about breaking steroid investigations.

The taped Clemens's phone call with McNamee on Jan 4, reveals the details.  McNamee informed Jim Murray, A Hendricks partner, that Kirk Radomski fell into federal hands.  Radomski sold McNamee the disputed steroids and HGH that McNamee allegedly injected into the disputed butt of an alleged Clemens.  (Do Mafia investigations become this entwined?  I suspect everyone with a dirty little secret leaves a very twisted path).

At two points in the tape, McNamee cites meetings he had with Murray. In the first instance, McNamee tells Clemens that he spoke with Murray after it was revealed in April 2007 that Kirk Radomski was cooperating with federal prosecutors.

So Roger Clemens and his lawyer Rusty Hardin released a tape that may contain a smoking gun?  We go on, and remember Clemens claims he was broadsided by the steroid allegations.  Right...

In the taped conversation, Clemens appears to indicate some concern about Radomski. “I don’t know how many months ago it was, I asked you, you know, I didn’t know who this cat was in the New York Mets — this guy,” Clemens said.

McNamee replied: “I told your guys, man. I told Murray, I told him his name. I told Murray.”

Clemens said: “I asked you point blank. I said, Do you know who this cat is when we were working? I said there’s some rumblings about some guys with the Mets. Do you know who this guy is? You told me no.”

It gets worse.  Seems McNamee wanted to get the message to Clemens that the MLB now tested for  'roids.  and that Clemens may be vulnerable to urine tests:

“I met with Jimmy in ’04, and I told him. I said Jimmy, I just wanted to give you guys a heads-up because you better have some information. I’d rather you be prepared than unprepared,” McNamee said.

McNamee’s lawyers, in response to questions about the tape, said McNamee had met with Murray because he feared Clemens would fail a drug test.

Earl Ward, McNamee’s lead lawyer, said that although McNamee was no longer injecting Clemens, he was concerned that Clemens was still using performance-enhancing substances.

“He did speak to Murray about his suspicions, his concerns that Major League Baseball had implemented testing and that Roger could have a problem,” Ward said in a telephone interview after speaking with McNamee on Friday night.

McNamee did not talk with Clemens directly about steroids or the testing program in 2004, although he was still training with Clemens at the time, Ward added.

Wow.  We are expecting Fredo to go fishing, or for Michael to head to the restroom at while dining with Sollozzo at Louis's.  If this conversation took place, then it would lend credibility to McNamee's claims -- which were given under oath and under threat of felony charges.

Clemens's defense appears misguided and errant, as noted by John Royal here.

• Clemens claiming the steroid allegations blindsided him, says Mitchell attempted to contact him once; in fact Mitchell wrote him twice, and supplied McNamee's allegations
• In fact, Clemens's lawyer interviewed McNamee about the situation BEFORE the Mitchell report came out

McNamee's attorney is also claiming Hardin, now representing Clemens, also represented Andy Pettitte at some point.  Ouchie moma...  Lupica thinks Clemens is in trouble too.

(more specifics after the jump)

New film documentary: "Bigger Stronger Faster"

Previewing at the Sundance Film Festival, a new documentary looks at movie maker Christopher Bell's personal and family involvement in the steroids game.  Write up at Variety.

Call it "Super Size Me" on steroids: Christopher Bell's in-depth, yet intensely personal look at juice use among athletes attacks America's body-image obsession from the other side. Pic personifies the debate by focusing on Chris' two steroid-pumping siblings, but this isn't amateur hour with the Bell family. Helmer knows exactly what he's doing, offering a thorough survey backed by no-nonsense interviews from every corner of the issue. More scrupulously reported than your average Michael Moore film but every bit as entertaining, "Bigger, Stronger, Faster*" is as commercial as they come -- a no-brainer to market in light of recent sports scandals.

The film looks at the motives for juicing' two brothers of the film maker juice: one a powerlifter the other a pro wrestler.  Talk about hitting the groups that roid up...

And therein lies the paradox. Americans set impossible performance standards but reject the "cheating" required to achieve them (making exceptions for Viagra, Adderall, beta blockers and other non-natural aids). Bell is clearly torn on the issue of steroids, having experimented with them himself at one time (he's fallen back on a smorgasbord of legal supplements for now).

But to better understand the alternative, he turns to his brothers: "Mad Dog" (Mike) started shooting steroids in college and found them essential to his goal of pro wrestling, while "Smelly" (Mark) takes power lifting too seriously not to maximize his potential through artificial means. Both siblings are completely candid about their dependence on the substance.

However the following statement appeared in the review:

Though Bell avoids the Morgan Spurlock stunt of serving as his own guinea pig, his presence permeates the film. Whether speaking to grieving father Donald Hooton (who believes steroids drove his 17-year-old son to suicide, despite convincing evidence that anti-depressants may have been the culprit)

Hopefully the film doesn't try to pull that ludicrous hypothesis off...if so it will dip into the world of Tom Cruise anti-science anti-medicine.

Guest spot: German doping controversy festers

Today we feature a guest spot from Jürgen Kalwa, who writes for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, and maintains the blog American Arena.  Mr Kalwa also co-authored the book "Korruption in Sport", reference found at the bottom.

We asked Jurgen to review an emerging doping issue in German spors, to which we referred here.  This story may explode into a BALCO-like situation.  The post will be continued after the jump.

The inner-German public discourse about doping has reached a new level. For the first time, since the large-scale cycling scandal revealed that German riders had never been as clean as they proclaimed, investigative journalists are battling for their reputation. The most recent case involving revelations about a blood bank in Austria and its connections to unnamed German cross-country and biathlon skiers has riled up the bosses of the skiing federation who, in the past, have been counted on to produce Olympic medals and World Championship and make sponsors, including the German army, happy. 

A federation spokesman has threatened legal action in spite of the fact that no names have come out and Hajo Seppelt, the investigative TV reporter at the center of the controversy, has stated: "We are not sure current members of national teams are involved. These are cases from the past."

But Germany is a unique landscape in the world of doping. Because long before BALCO and the scandals of the Tour de France there had never been a bigger and smarter manipulation scheme than East Germany's secret program which fed its young with strong illegal unhealthy muscle-building substances. After the country vanished in 1990 the West German justice system dealt with legal issues. Sports organizations resented and rejected
coaches and consultants from the East, in order to keep their house clean.  This noble stance was shown to be a facade, when German cyclists admitted one by one how heavily involved they were in tainting a popular sport and how they had fooled everybody including drug testing labs trying to catch them. (continued after the jump)

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"Korruption im Sport", was published in 2006 and is the first effort of a group of German sports journalists to educate other journalists (and the public at large) about how corrupt sports has become
http://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/3931801217/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF

It is not only talking about doping, but about a whole host of shenanigans.

Seven reasons why Congress should be concerned with steroid/dope use in sports.

“The responsibility” of government “for the public safety is absolute and requires no mandate. It is, in fact, the prime object for which governments come into existence.” Winston Churchill

Why should Congress investigate steroid and doping in baseball, among other things?  Why should federal security agencies (FBI, IRS) probe steroid dealers and juicing sports stars.  After all, the war in Iraq drags on, costing billions of dollars and thousands of lives; the economy appears to headed into the dumpster, based on the Iraq deficit spending as well as the loans from the Chinese and Japanese; and the nation continues to be obsessed with terror, meanwhile not starting at ground zero by conserving energy which is a significant part of the Middle East equation.

Let us count the ways.

1.  Sports, including baseball is a multi-billion dollar business.  The New York Yankees value hits a high at $1.2 billion, while the lowest value for a baseball club is the Florida Marlins at $244 million.  Add up the value of the other 22 teams in baseball, then move on to the NFL, NBA etc.

MLB revenue alone was $6.075 billion.  MLB commerce by definition is interstate, unless every game is the Royals v. Cardinals, or the Cubs v. White Sox, or Mets v. Yankees.

Using PEDs to artificially pump up statistics, to influence the outcome of games, and to gain an advantage of non-PED users must invoke sports fraud somewhere along the line.  Interstate sports fraud.

2.  Those wonderful stadia where baseball players perform their heroics use taxpayers monies.  Local taxing authorities provide much of the economics might for these stadia, while the owners and players collect billions of revenue.  However, the bonds floated for construction of these edifices utilize federal tax free bonds.  Once again billions.

3.  The drugs used by juicers fall within federal regulation.  The DEA regulates the use of anabolic steroids, as Schedule 3 drugs.  Any use of these drugs must include a valid prescription by a licensed registered physician, prescribed for a legitimate medical condition.  We cannot tell the amount of concern, worry, time, and expense spent at the medical level when any scheduled drug is prescribed.

4.  The supply networks for these illegal drugs all operate outside the law.  The juice is brought in from Mexico and from European counties.  The Russian mafia controls some of the traffic.  Chinese HGH makes its way into the black PED market.  Rouge chemists synthesize steroids outside any regulation or control of the USDA, the DEA, and legitimate regulated pharmaceutical companies.  The federal government subsumes responsibility for stopping these illegal drug distribution networks.

5.  Use of anabolic steroids, HGH, EPO, stimulants and other methods of doping fall within the interest of public heath.  The Center for Disease Control tracks the use of these drugs.  There are several reasons for concern:

• The use of PEDs leads to long term side effects.  Psychiatric, cardiac, endocrine, and digestive side effects cost time and money to treat.  Aggressiveness costs lives in homicide (when juiced cops assault suspects, or pro wrestlers kill their family) and suicide, endocrine problems costs money in treatments (for gynecomastia etc.), and the various liver, blood, skin, and other medical side effects .  Cardiac side effects lead to blood insufficiency, and heart failure over chronic use; see how many chronic users of anabolic steroids and HGH will undergo heart procedures which likely were exacerbated by dope use.
• If you don't care about the human aspects of disease, you might care about the monetary results of public health problems.  Those problems above will be paid by your insurance company or by Medicaid and Medicare, this raising your rates and likewise raising your taxes.
• Steroids are addicting.  That leads to abuse, and combined with other substance abuse constitutes a very real problem in public health.  Substance abuse treatment centers now see patients addicted to steroids (#4 in the UK).  Guess who pays for these costs?  The taxpayers.
• There is evidence that the shiny pumped bodies of dope-bloated sports heroes exacerbate Muscle Dysmorphia in patients, thus increasing street use of steroids.  Again these non-athlete users of anabolic steroids and PEDs suffer all the medical and legal problems mentioned above.

6.  Despite the nausea caused in some quarters about sports stars serving as heroes and role models for youth, the phenomenon is real.  Part of the deal Roger Clemens gets in his 36 million a year, stems from his entertainment and hero value.  If Clemens were paid what he is worth to society then his salary would be much less.  However, the fact of the matter is (and Clemens probably hasn't given it a thought) that his inflated salary comes from the kids and adults (who wish they were kids) who fantasize about athletic feats.  With that adulation comes responsibility, including the responsibility at a minimum not to get stuck in the butt with illegal drugs.

Don't want that responsibility?  Don't like the idea that millions of kids put your poster on their walls (and you collect the royalties)?  Then play sports for the love of the game in back lots or softball diamonds;  you will find the pay scale is much less than pitching for the Yankees.

Lucky 7.  The moral argument carries much less weight these days.  In the avaricious society that constitutes America, greed and publicity far override values such as honesty and moral direction.  We hesitate to even include cheating as a reason Congress should look at PED use, because of the widespread acceptance of dishonest methods as a way to acquire fame and money.

Perhaps if cheating once again became verboten the Keith Obermanns of the world could spend less time on their view that their government deceives the public.  Lying and cheating tolerated at any level increases the tolerance of dishonesty at the next level.

Apparently the people who would direct Congress to sit down only for Iraq, the economy, and other weighty issues don't care about public health, sports fraud, illegal drug use, and the overall tenure of a cheating culture.  Fine, then who cares if your sewers flow smoothly, if you have running water, if electricity and phone service work, or if traffic drives on the right side of the street;  all these issues are trivial compared to an 600 billion dollar war.

Only with the last round of Congressional hearing did the MLB strengthen anti-doping measures.  It's about time that the MLB improves and tightens the entire anti-doping act once again; what better way to put motivation into the owners and the union than to show off MLB (and other sports) shortcomings on a national stage.

Daily steroid dose: Clemens updates

1. Roger Clemens hires a new Top Gun.

Roger Clemens has bolstered his legal team, hiring a powerhouse Washington lawyer, Lanny A. Breuer, who represented former President Bill Clinton during his impeachment hearings as well as numerous corporations that were the subject of Congressional investigations...

Richard D. Emery, a lawyer for McNamee, said of Breuer in a telephone interview, “We welcome a rational voice entering the case on behalf of Clemens, and I would expect a marked and clear change in strategy quickly in order to protect his client from the obvious pitfalls of lying under oath or to federal officials.”

2. The Waxman Committee asked Clemens and Pettitte to give depositions next week.

Letters were sent to Clemens, McNamee and three other people Friday by House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform chairman Henry Waxman and ranking Republican Tom Davis.

The letters ask the witnesses to meet with committee staff on specific dates leading up to the panel's scheduled Feb. 13 hearing. Clemens' lawyer said he would accept.

McNamee, who has been seeking immunity for his congressional testimony, was asked to meet with committee staff Jan. 31.

Clemens' former teammate and workout partner, Andy Pettitte, was asked to appear Jan. 30. Another ex-teammate, Chuck Knoblauch, was invited for Thursday.

These depositions will be fascinating. The recent message from the Feds (ala Dana Stubblefield, Marion Jones, Barry Bonds) says something like 'tell the truth while under oath, or when questioned'.

Dana Stubblefield stubs toe in federal court

Some weeks we feel like "Law and Order".  We expect that music between scenes to start playing in the background da-da.  Considering the surprise from San Francisco federal court today, da-da.

Dana Stubblefield (remember him?) found himself in court charged with lying to BALCO investigators about steroid use.  Who would have thought?  The AP goes with the story.

Former NFL defensive lineman Dana Stubblefield pleaded guilty Friday to lying to investigators in the BALCO steroids case, making him the first football player charged in the long-running federal investigation.

Stubblefield, a three-time Pro Bowl player who testified before the BALCO grand jury in November 2003, was charged with making false statements to federal agents about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The charges were unsealed Friday in federal court in San Francisco. They allege Stubblefield made false statements to an IRS agent when he said he had not used steroids linked to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative and denied receiving performance enhancers from BALCO founder Victor Conte.

The 37-year-old Stubblefield pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. He returned to court later Friday to enter his plea to the false statements charge. The deal calls for him to spend zero to six months in prison.

Stubblefield and his attorney, Mike Armstong, declined to comment as they left court.

Apparently the BALCO prosecutors continue to clean up that action.  Another hangover from BALCO, Marion Jones, was sentenced last week to 6 months, the same as Stubblefield.

Others involved in the BALCO investigation included Tammy Thomas (cyclist), Trevor Graham (track coach), and Barry Bonds (baseball).  Bonds will stand trial for perjury and obstruction.

The Feds appear to be putting out a message about lying to them in investigations.  Advise: don't lie to the Feds. da-da

Tejada testosterone tetrouble

Probably not so good to be Miguel Tejada today.  The now-Astro infielder seems like a likable guy.  However, the past 48 hours were challenging for the shortstop, without alot relief in sight.

First the Waxman Congressional hearings opened by blasting Tejada as if he were Raffy Palmeiro lying to Congress (pdf of the letter from Waxman to the Justice Dept here).  Then the unfortunate announcement that day that Tejada's older brother was killed in an accident in the Dominican Republic.

From the Waxman letter:

'We are writing to ask the Justice Department to investigate whether former Baltimore Orioles baseball player Miguel Tejada made knowingly false material statements to the Committee in connection with the Committee's investigation of former Orioles player RafaelPalmeiro. Such statements would constitute a violation of federal criminal law under 18 U.S.C.1001.

Mr. Tejada made statements to the Committee in a transcribed interview on August 26,
2005, regarding his knowledge of and involvement with steroids. Evidence contained in former Senator George Mitchell's report on steroid use in Major League Baseball appears to be inconsistent with the statements he gave to the Committee.

In light of the new evidence contained in Senator Mitchell's report, we respectfully
request that the Justice Department investigate Mr. Tejada's statements to the Committee.

Baltimore feels they unloaded a huge distraction when they dealt Tejada to Houston.  Houston doesn't know if the shortstop will be will on the field this year or not.  The player is not sure what is going on.

The Houston Chron worries about Tejada's ability to stay in the country, should he be convicted of something, say perjury.

Miguel Tejada's immigration status could be in peril in light of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's decision to ask the Department of Justice to investigate whether the new Astros shortstop lied to federal investigators in 2005.

Tejada, a native of the Dominican Republic, is a legal U.S. resident with a green card. Yet there are some instances in which he could be denied entry back into the country just by admitting he committed a crime for which he is being investigated.

"Obstruction of justice is considered under immigration law a crime involving moral turpitude," said attorney Alexandre Afanassiev, who practices immigration litigation. "So the question then becomes, how long did he have his green card? Why? Because the law says that if you had your green card for less than five years and then committed a crime of moral turpitude, you can be subject to deportation. In other words, they can take your green card away because of that crime and (have you) sent home."

Today it was revealed the FBI will investigate Tejada's culpability in this steroid mess.

The U.S. Justice Department asked the FBI to review allegations that baseball star Miguel Tejada lied to congressional investigators about steroids, an agency official said.

The preliminary inquiry will be handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Washington field office, the official, who requested anonymity, told reporters in Washington.

As a gestalt, we wonder if Tejada should feel a bit picked on.  As an All-Star he draws attention, but should his past Congressional testimony be singled out, then turned over to the FBI for investigation?  How about Roger Clemens?  Doesn't that ruckus deserve more attention than Tejada's involvement, or at least as much investigation?   Admittedly, Clemens does not stand accuse of perjury (at least at this point); however the potential scope of The Rocket's fraudulent actions seems much broader.

Congress should be careful not to make some of the PED users appear as victims.

Tsucks tobe Tejada today.

 

Marion Jones visits Oprah Winfrey

A disgraced Marion Jones visited Oprah Winfrey today, as reported by the AP.

Marion Jones said Wednesday seeing the pain her family and friends endured after she admitted using performance-enhancing drugs outweighed the impact of returning her Olympic medals.

The former Olympic track gold medalist appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," her first television interview since being sentenced last week to six months in prison for lying to investigators about steroid use and a check-fraud scam.

"I want people to understand that, you know, everybody makes mistakes. ... I truly think that a person's character is determined by their admission of their mistakes and then beyond that, what do I do about it?" Jones said via satellite from Austin, Texas, where she lives. "How can I change the lives of people? How can I use my story to change the life of a young person?"

Admission of mistakes?  Doping up for years to win Olympic medals constitutes a 'mistake'.  As Bill Clinton says "Give me a break".

By all accounts Marion Jones is an amiable person, engaging and friendly in public and private.  However, she defrauded millions of fans, cheated her competitors, then lied about it for 8 years, even suing those who said she doped.  That is hardly a 'mistake'.  That is a conspiracy.

Apparently now the mode of behavior for criminal activity is to 'help kids'.  We would alter this somewhat to: 'Help yourself'.  Help yourself stay on the right path, by not cheating.

As for kids, they don't need any more advice.  They need role models who will not conspire to cheat fans, competitors, and leagues (or Olympics).  If an athlete is a convicted felon, that is likely past the 'helping' stage.  The horse fled that barn a long time ago.

Huge new blood doping scandal simmering in Europe?

Reports tricking out of Germany may be the cusp of an emerging blood doping scandal. The Velo News presents the issues:

The new year is just days old and cycling is already looking head-on at another potentially explosive doping story.

The German public television station ARD reported Tuesday that Michael Rasmussen as well as his former Rabobank teammates Denis Menchov and the now-retired Michael Boogerd were among 30 elite athletes said to have used an Austrian-based laboratory for banned blood-doping practices.

ARD also alleged that biathletes and Nordic skiers used the Humanplasma lab, which has facilities in Vienna.

Officials from that office refused to comment when contacted by VeloNews late Tuesday and said a lawyer would be addressing questions Wednesday. However, German biathlon officials were quick to deny the allegations, as were Boogerd, retired Austrian pro George Totschnig and interim Rabobank manager Henri van der Aat.

There is a follow-up account here at AFP.

The Tour de France pulled the plug on Rasmussen last year, despite his race lead for suspected doping.

Congress focuses on increase of ADHD treatment in baseball

Yesterday, the Congressional inquiry into doping in baseball paid attention to TUEs.  Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE)  give athletes with medical diagnoses, an exemption to use a drug on the MLB banned list to treat a medical condition.

The issue here was the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.  Docs treat ADHD with 'stimulants' (although we object to that name) like Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Adderall (mixture of amphetamine salts).  From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

Amid discussion of steroids and human growth hormone, amid an atmosphere more tame than tempestuous, it was Rep. John Tierney, D-Mass., who caught everyone's attention when he asked why the number of major leaguers claiming "therapeutic-use exemptions" for Attention Deficit Disorder had mushroomed to 103 this past season from 28 in 2006.

To Tierney, the implication was clear: Players were getting around the ban on amphetamines by making ADD claims that allowed them to use drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall, stimulants better known as treatments for hyperactive kids.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates 3 to 5 percent of children have ADHD, according to its website.

According to the MLB data, 1,354 players were subject to testing last year. That means 8.2 percent received permission to use the stimulants.

"That would make that almost eight times the normal adult usage in our population," Tierney said.

How, Tierney wanted to know, had baseball allowed this to happen?

Relax a bit.  Baseball implemented the TUE in 2006, thus this was only the second year of the policy.  Eight percent of MLB players treated for ADHD does not set off alarm bells in our book.  The increase could be a greater understanding of the rule.

If the physicians prescribing the medications make accurate diagnosis, and provide a reasonable dose of medication, this does not represent a way to cheat within the rules.  A therapeutic dose of methylphenidate will benefit concentration, and likely improve motor coordination somewhat; however displaying the symptoms of ADHD would put players at an disadvantage to other players.  (unlike kids with ADHD where it is significant,the improvement in motor coordination would be minimal in a professional athlete)

If we support the idea of medical disabilities, then those disabilities should be treated.  A fine line may be drawn between those who would correct medical problems: vision, ADHD, and legitimate endocrine problems v. those who abuse the treatments.  The same medications to treat these conditions could be used as  PEDs; however, a proper diagnosis and prescription would prevent the TUE rule gamed to 'cheat within the rules'.

There is a critical difference between treating a disease, and using a drug in a healthy athlete for a competitive advantage.  If well documented, an athlete deserves treatment for a medical condition, even with a banned drug.

Daily steroids dose

1.  No new Roger Clemens news

2. The first doctor to be convicted in the Florida Internet Pharmacy was sentenced Monday.  Dr. Ana Santi was sentenced to 3-6 months.

3.  Dr. Michael Diamond, a Long Island chiropractor to the stars is under investigation in the Internet PED investigation.

4.  The Florida father who gave his kid anabolic steroids will spend 72 months in prison.  This is a screwed-up story
.

Live blogging the Congressional steroid hearing 3: Selig and Fehr

(11:49 DC time).  Bud Selig on the stand.  He says that he initiated the Mitchell probe because he has nothing to hide.  He points out steroid violations at all levels of baseball have decreased.  Selig is deeply saddened by the behavior of the players.  (interesting)

Don Fehr's turn to testify.  He offers up the successes of testing, although he admits he underestimated the PED problem in baseball.  He wants to discuss HGH in depth.  Talks about banning the substance, and agreeing to begin testing as soon as a valid lab test can be developed.  He talks about non-analytic positives.

Fehr is asking for more federal regulation of HGH, and applauds Rep Lynch's bill, as well as Biden and others introducing legislation.

Fehr is calling the Mitchell Report as 'management only'.  Fehr says steroid use is on the wane -- note his voice wavers on this point.  He wants more time to discuss the issue.

Fehr gets a shot in at Selig talking of 'unilateral implementation' of anti-doping measures.  He doesn't want public disclosure of accused players.

Fehr now taking questions.  He expresses irritation about the extend of the notification (although Mitchell explained he sent letters, to which the MLBPA discouraged replys)

Live blog Congressional hearing: Rep Betty McCollum accuses baseball of conspiracy fraud

Still live blogging Congressional hearings in steroids in baseball.

(1 DC time) 1:15Rep Betty McCollum (D-Minn) just accused MLB players of 'fixing games' and of a massive conspiratorial fraud.  WOW! She accuses the MLB of a massive cheating fraud.  She points to the billions of dollars in baseball commerce.

However she refers to David Segui as 'Sec-kee"  She specifies the Baltimore Orioles as a seat of steroids use.  Asking if the Orioles knew of the PED use (?conspiracy)

Mitchell just dodged Reps Welch's questions about whether baseball records made by known steroids users should be abolished.

Live blogging the Congressional steroid hearing: will ask the Department of Justice to investigate Miguel Tejada

9:30 (DC time).  Chairman Waxman (D-CA) makes a statement.  He opens with a statement about how what happens in the MLB filters down to youth sports.  He points to the Hooton episode (high school baseball player suicided).  Waxman goes into ho the Mitchell Report was a small but important look at the prob em of PEDs in baseball.

Waxman drops a semi-bomb.  He relates how it is hard to obtain truthful testimony in Congressional hearing.  He relates how Raffy Palmeiro lied to Congress when he denied steroid use, then subsequently tested positive.  Waxman says Miguel Tejada's testimony was not revealed at the time, but in it the player denied steroid use.  However the Mitchell report implicated Tejada in steroid use.  Waxman and Co-Chair Davis will send over a request that the Justice Department investigate Tejada's steroid use.

Waxman now talking about the silence in baseball about steroid use.  He is jumping all over Giants GM Brian Sabean who dropped the ball when Giant trainer Conte approached him about player steroid abuse.

The family of another high school player who suicided following steroid use will present testimony -- Efrain Marrero.

Co-Chair Tom Davis (R-VA) takes the mic.  He too implicated Tejada.  Davis jumped in Fehr.  He mentions how testers give advance notice about the day of dope testing.

10:00.  George Mitchell on the stand.  He is presenting the preamble to his report.  Widespread use of steroids in baseball.  Effects on kids.  How PED use cheats honest player with illegal drugs.  How MLB's and the MLBPA's response was inadequate to prevent the problem.

Mitchell is lauding the committee for the investigation.  He says there are far more suppliers of PEDs to MLB players, including anti-aging clinics.

Mitchell's recommendations:

Enhance the non analytic positives (implicate a player in steroid use by information, but not a positive urine test). Strengthen the effort to keep PED out of clubhouses -- regulate packages, and personnel in the clubhouse. Certify that managers have no knowledge of violations of anti-doping policies.  Increase education about steroids.  Implement better anti-doping testing by an independent agency.

Questioning period.  Talking about cooperation of player and esp the MLBPA.  Now discussing how Mitchell notified players included in his report, and how the MLBPA declined the offers to speak with Mitchell.

Mitchell addresses 'amnesty' for steroids users.  He doesn't believe dwelling in the past is that helpful.  He says discipline from the MLB will be difficult because there was no punishment specified for some of the use.

9:30.  Still on questions from Congress.  Talking about Therapeutic Use Exemptions.  Rep Tierney jumping on drugs for ADHD, pointing out over 100 receive ADHD TUEs.  Interesting.

Rep Shays blasting the Commissioner.  Says that a commissioner was established after the Black Sox scandal to deal with cheating.  Then the sitting commissioner fails to adequately deal with the steroids scandal.  Ironic.  Shays is pursuing if MLB covered up Palmiero's positive test until after Raffy obtained his 3000th hit.  He is cut off by Waxman.

Now speaking about conducting an investigation with voluntary participants v. witnesses compelled to give testimony.  "Huge difference" says Mitchell.

Rep Yarmouth from Louisville puts in a plug for Louisville Slugger bats.

The Mitchell Congressional hearings begin today

Today ex-Senator George Mitchell, MLB commissioner Bud Selig, and MLBPA head Don Fehr report in to a Congressional hearing.  Story in the New York Times.

Congressman Henry A. Waxman, the Democratic chairman of the committee, said in an interview Monday that Tuesday’s hearing was likely to occur as expected, without major surprises. Waxman also talked about the possibility of subpoenas for Clemens, if the information the committee seeks — such as the tape — is not obtained voluntarily.

On Monday evening, though, Ausbrook said problems were being resolved between Hardin and the committee staff. Nevertheless, Congressman Tom Davis, the ranking Republican on the committee, said there would be some unexpected action at Tuesday’s hearing.

“Be there at the beginning,” he said in a telephone interview. “It’ll be an interesting day. It’ll make some more news.” Told that Waxman expected a routine hearing, Davis said, “Nothing is routine now.” Asked whether subpoenas would be discussed, Davis said, “Maybe.”

Davis and Waxman said they were in agreement about the overall approach to the hearings.

“This is one of the few things in a partisan, polarized town that the Republicans and Democrats are on the same page,” Davis said. “It isn’t on the budget or Iraq. But you’ve got to start somewhere.”

Hearing should take 2 days.  The committee will hold hearing over 2 days.  Negotiations continue with Rogers Clemens to assure his appearance in mid-February.

Live-blogging the hearings here.

Don't laugh, NBC testing new American Gladiators for 'roids

Someone should file this story In the 'This is about as laughable as it gets' or perhaps the 'Do they really think the TV watching public is this incredibly stupid' category. The New York Post (why do the New York papers get all the juicy stories?) reports NBC instituted a steroid testing program for American Gladiators.

(Did you spit coffee or Red Bull all over the computer monitor as you laughed?)

So the most juiced up, 'roided out, and silicone-injected entertainers will be submitting urine for feeble PED tests?  In a show hosted by confessed juicer Hulk Hogan?  Isn't it obvious?

Th usually unreliable sight test for juice would be extremely reliable for this cast of pumped-up, implanted-out bodybuilders.  Perhaps a positive test (if one of the entertainers isn't well schooled on how to beat the tests) will bring even more PR to the show..

THE steroids-in-sports scandal has filtered down to reality TV.

NBC has been testing the 12 cast members of "American Gladiators" for performance-enhancing drugs, according to a report today in the authoritative trade magazine Broadcasting & Cable.

The performers - all body builders competing in a new version of the rough-and-tumble show of the early 1990s - were all tested when they underwent their initial physicals, the magazine says.

In addition, cast members' contracts require them to submit to tests at any time during the competition.

NBC confirmed the steroid tests but declined to give any background on the policy.

It was not immediately clear why NBC thought it necessary to test the competitors for what is clearly an entertainment show - not a sporting event.

The show pits amateurs against professional athletes in competitions of strength and endurance.

Some days we get all the fun stories...

Clemens backing down from this fight: Congressional deposition

Has Roger Clemens met someone he can't intimidate?  Clemens, through his lawyer Rusty Hardin, appears to be backing away from a Congressional deposition.  The New York Daily News says why:

Any attempt by Roger Clemens' lawyer to use the defamation suit the pitcher filed against his former trainer to keep Clemens from being deposed by congressional investigators is a "smokescreen," according to Richard Emery, the lawyer for Brian McNamee...

According to a report on ESPN.com, sources close to Hardin said the lawyer has said the deposition might interfere with the defamation lawsuit Clemens filed last Sunday against McNamee.

"Hardin's frivolous defamation claim can be no basis to protect Roger from testifying," said Emery, a libel specialist. "He initiated it and I can't believe Congress would or could be manipulated by that action. ... If he's backing away now on that basis, it's a smokescreen."

Why would Clemens back down?

"This backtracking by Hardin is indicative of him getting cold feet. Roger will never testify," said Emery (McNamee's lawyer).

A deposition allows staff lawyers for the committee time to push witnesses on points in ways congressmen often don't. Any inconsistencies between the deposition and later testimony during a hearing could be exposed.

 

There it is.  Staff lawyers in a deposition could rough up Clemens more than congressmen in a televised hearing.  Clemens may still be compelled to testify if he is subpoenaed by Congress.  No broken bats allowed.

(We address the immunity issue after the jump)

More steroids for the stars: Internet pharmacies putting some juice in those entertainment acts

As long as we are calling out for George Mitchell to investigate doping, he might as well hit up Hollywood too.  The Albany Times-Union reports on roods for the raunchy.  Recent stories here include Sly Stallone and recording piano artist Tzimon Barto.  (Stallone was busted for anabolic steroids and HGH last year in Australia)

The Times-Union names entertainment luminaries:

The names of R&B music star Mary J. Blige, along with rap artists 50 Cent, Timbaland and Wyclef Jean, and award-winning author and producer Tyler Perry, have emerged in an Albany-based investigation of steroids trafficking that has already rocked the professional sports world, according to confidential sources.

The entertainment stars must be using the drugs for appearance, and anti-aging.

...medical experts say that use of steroids and human growth hormone -- an estimated $10 billion-a-year operation worldwide -- reaching into the entertainment industry illustrates how pervasive steroids use in the United States has become. It is not unique to athletics, where performance-enhancing drug use has marred many sports. For many celebrities, the lure of hormonal drugs is their supposed, unproven anti-aging effects.

Just like the MLB players who shipped juice to the ballpark, the stars ship the gear to the gym or the studio or the hotel:

Records shared with the Times Union and information from several cooperating witnesses on Long Island indicate Blige and other stars were shipped prescribed human growth hormone or steroids -- sometimes under fictitious names -- at hotels, production studios, private residences, an upscale Manhattan fitness club and through the Long Island office of Michael Diamond, a chiropractor affiliated with the celebrities, sources said.

Diamond, who has not been identified as a target in the case or accused of breaking any laws, helps run an anti-aging program at Clay Gym in Manhattan, according to the company's Web site.

The Albany investigation became a nationwide spectacle last February when authorities raided a Palm Beach County wellness center and the offices of Signature Compounding Pharmacy in downtown Orlando. The wellness center's owners and the pharmacy's operators are awaiting trial in Albany on charges related to the sale of millions of dollars worth of prescription drugs, mostly steroids, through a suspected criminal enterprise involving allegedly corrupt physicians and a series of anti-aging "clinics" that advertised predominantly through the Internet.

The gym in New York is run by a chiropractor -- Michael Diamond, who must be known to more than a couple stars:

Still, it appears evident Diamond caters to famous clients as evidenced by the many stars, including Steven Seagal, whose photographs -- some autographed to Diamond -- adorn his office's walls.

"Because of this recent development as far as what I found out was going on with (Signature) pharmacy I was approached and I was ... told not to discuss anything right now ... because there's investigations going on," Diamond said, not elaborating.

The Times-Union goes on to discuss the corrupt professionals -- physicians and apparently chiropractors -- who dispense these drugs on bogus grounds.  This could use some cleaning up, and New York Senator Charles Schumer plans on pushing a bill to qualify HGH as a controlled substance, like anabolic steroids.

The report contains a delightful quote from our little friend, the Albany DA:

"They're living the lifestyle of the Tony Montanas of the '70s and '80s because they're drug dealers," Soares said, referring to the character made famous by Al Pacino in the movie Scarface. "Our purpose here is more regulation. We want consistency state-to-state and we want tougher regulation over this cyber-economy that right now pretty much anyone with a computer can go out and obtain ... things that shouldn't be obtained without the control or observation of a treating physician."

Ex-Senator Mitchell probably doesn't want any more problems after all the MLB brouhaha.  Too bad; he is needed everywhere it seems.

Chinese cricket fighting scandal: bug juice

Calling George Mitchell.  There appears to be a massive culture of doping in the ancient Chinese sport of cricket fighting.  Sources say greenies are the PED juice of choice.

A story today appears in the LA Times concerning both singing and fighting crickets.  Other reports (Toronto Star) focus on cricket fights.

Chinese love crickets for their songs (emanating from the beating wings) their fights, and soon their beauty contests.  The insects reside in comfy jars, pampered with lush diets. 

Crickets are taken very seriously in this city, where the best specimens can cost thousands of dollars. But it's not all about money. Crickets are being rediscovered by young Beijingers eager to appreciate an old and unique part of their own culture. Fanciers here also are organizing cricket fights, and the sponsors of the recent singing contest are planning a competition for the best-looking cricket...

However, the first issue is doping of the cricket wings.  Unscrupulous cricket agents will dope the wings to produce a better song.

That's where the doping comes in: The cricket's song is produced by its wings, and an unscrupulous seller sometimes will apply a drug to slow the rate of vibration and lower the pitch.

The second issue concerns those ever-popular cricket fighters.  Says here (The Toronto Star) that anti-doping measures must be taken or cricket managers feed their beasts amphetamines (or stimulants).  Chinese cricket coaches express great concern about cricket diet and cricket doping (and here):

"They're very much like athletes," Zhao says of the crickets. "Diet is very important. But most owners won't tell you what they normally feed their crickets before coming to the tournament. They keep that secret."

Owners say vegetables are most frequently on the menu. But snake and even crab meat are often fed to crickets.

And apparently that's not all.

The containers are always kept in a holding room for one to three days before a tournament, not just to ensure that all competitors eat the same food – but to ensure the owners "do not feed them stimulants."

Doping in cricket fighting?

"Oh, yes," says Zhao. "It sometimes happens."

It's worth the training.  The winning crickets get dates with a couple voluptuous female crickets.  The losers -- well they get depressed (and maybe B-12 plus lidocaine)

The losing cricket almost never suffers any serious physical harm. Mental health, sadly, is a different matter. The loser is usually so distraught that he refuses to fight another round for about 24 hours. The Chinese handlers have found a way around this by throwing them in the air and making them fly. A study by neurobiologists at Stanford University found that forcing the motor skill of flying onto the crickets helped bring them out of their depression. Implications for human depression are yet to be determined (see “Will fighting crickets unlock the mystery of human depression?”).

Steinways on steroids? World class pianist -- Tzimon Barto -- admits he played steroid sonatas

What's next?  A presidential candidate taking HGH and nandrolone because the campaign trail is so grueling?  The pope pumps iron with the help of B-12 and lidocaine shots?

World class artist and pianist Tzimon Barto double parked outside the local crack house a bit too long.  Cops busted him after a crack buy.  However, crack wasn't the only substance that propped him up.  He juiced 'roids too.

From the Orland Sentinel:

Until a week ago, Tzimon Barto was the Eustis boy who made good.

After graduating from Eustis High School in 1981, he studied for five years at the Juilliard School then spent the next two decades traveling the world as a classical pianist. He appeared at Carnegie Hall and performed with the Chicago Symphony and the Berlin Philharmonic, recording 15 albums along the way.

Then, on Jan.5, Lake County  deputy sheriffs arrested Barto and charged him with cocaine possession and evidence tampering.

According to a police report, Barto drove his white Jaguar convertible to Umatilla, where he bought crack cocaine, then tried to swallow it when deputies stopped him...

Barto's relapse began with his birthday celebration and a bottle of champagne. Before he turned 45 on Jan.2, Barto had been sober since 2006. No alcohol, no steroids — which he formerly took to enhance the results of his weightlifting regimen — and, most importantly, no crack.

Rather than bench presses and wind sprints, roids must have benefited fugues and toccatas.  Wonder if there will be entire chapters written now questioning whether juice can improve an allegro movement, or an adagio; that it takes basic hand-eye coordination and tonal skills rather than Winny to produce a great minuet.

Whatever, all juicers are trying to get largo.

Daily Dose: Roger Clemens

So many Roger Clemens angles, so little time.

1. Clemens speaks to Texas baseball coaches (AP).  Apparently the best 'cutting' anabolic steroid was not discussed.

WACO, Texas (AP) — Roger Clemens talked about pitching and conditioning. What he didn't talk about was steroids.

In a session before about 1,000 Texas high school baseball coaches Saturday, the seven-time Cy Young Award winner stuck to baseball and cracked jokes, making no mention of the allegations in the Mitchell Report that he used performance-enhancing drugs.

How are those Texas boys going to develop a 95 mph heater without some guidance on this?

2.  A New York Yankee fan is suing the Yanks for sports fraud.  USA Today.

A longtime baseball fan is suing the New York Yankees over some players' reported use of performance-enhancing drugs, saying he wants repayment for $221 in tickets and a public response from his once-beloved team.

"I look at it almost as consumer fraud," said Matthew Mitchell, 30, a Brooklyn resident who said he went to his first game at Yankee Stadium in 1984. "If I'm going to watch a baseball game, then I expect it to be the real thing."

The Yankees declined to comment.

The paralegal filed his lawsuit in small claims court in Brooklyn last week, less than a month after former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell released a report linking 85 Major League Baseball players — including 20 current and former Yankees — to illegal use of steroids and other performance-enhancing formulations.

Matthew Mitchell wants to be reimbursed for tickets to five games between 2002 and 2007. They include Game 2 of the 2003 World Series, in which pitcher Andy Pettitte led the Yankees to a win.

3. Buster Olney's column is not all Clemens, but as usual, the content is excellent.  He develops questions Congress should ask Bud Selig and Don Fehr. etc (found after the jump).

Jeff Van Gundy injects a little humor, Roger Clemens style

Thanks to You Been Blinded, we now know what NBA ex-coach and current analyst Jeff Van Gundy learned from the Roger Clemens episode.  Seems Van Gundy thought of new ways to dope up the NBA.

Jeff Van Gundy was a good coach but he’s a better broadcaster. He’s straight up and doesn’t hold back. He has some biases, but none are as bad as Doug Collin’s love for Steve Nash. I think there’s a 85% chance that Doug Collins calls his sons daily and yells “Why couldn’t you be like Steve?!?!”

So near the end of ESPN’s broadcast of the Milwaukee Bucks-Los Angeles Lakers game, the discussion turned to the health of Kobe Bryant. It had been revealed earlier in the game that Bryant was suffering from an infection.

JVG: If I was Phil Jackson I would inject a dose of upper respiratory viral infection into my whole team tomorrow at practice. That would be practice.

MB: In case you’re just tuning in and you don’t know what this sick man is talking about.. Bryant not feeling well, before the game, and that’s what he has, but it certainly hasn’t affected him, 37 points 7 assist 5 rebounds.

JVG: Can you do that? Can you inject somebody with a serum of upper respiratory viral infection?

MB: I believe that’s illegal.

JVG: Isn’t that what Clemens said he did?

MB: (subtly laughing) You’re going down a dangerous path. I’ll ask you to reconsider during this timeout.

JVG: Laughs

They didn’t talk about it anymore after the timeout, but they didn’t need to. JVG had done his job..

Brilliant.  inject virus into the butt. We are thinking Nobel Prize.

BTW, anyone looking for a blog name, a new possibility emerged: "Roger Clemens's Abscess".

Controversy over Clemens's steroid use becomes pain in the butt

The Roger Clemens-Brian McNamee controversy now becomes a pain in the butt.  The New York Times takes aim at a possible Clemens gluteal abscess.  Not since George Brett's hemorrhoids has baseball gone this far south.

Brian McNamee told federal authorities last summer that Roger Clemens developed an abscess on his buttocks about the same time that McNamee said he was giving him steroid injections during the 1998 season, according to a lawyer with knowledge of details of the case.

From the perspective of McNamee and his lawyers, confirmation that the abscess existed would add credibility to his assertion that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone on 16 occasions from 1998 to 2001 and that he specifically injected him with the steroid Winstrol in four instances in 1998. In that year, Clemens was pitching for Toronto and McNamee was the team’s strength and conditioning coach.

An abscess in the buttocks?  Wouldn't that be a kick in the backside?  In fact, abscesses -- infected or sterile -- constitute a side effect of oil-based steroid injections.  What a tail.

“It is far less likely that any injection of vitamin B12 or lidocaine, which is usually not injected deep into the body, would have created an abscess,” said Dr. Gary I. Wadler, an internist who is a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency. “Steroid users tend to repetitively inject the drug deep into the muscle and this has been associated with the development of sterile abscess.”

But did Clemens have an abscess in 1998? Three members of the Blue Jays’ organization that season, including one of the team’s two trainers, said in recent interviews that they did not recall any abscess associated with Clemens that year.

If said abscess existed, would it be recorded in Clemens's medical records?  If the inflammation was serious it might be recorded, although not every medical side effect becomes part of the official record.  This thing may come back to bite Clemens in the butt.

Meanwhile, McNamee’s lead lawyer, Earl Ward, said McNamee believed the treatment of the abscess was noted in Clemens’s medical or training records. He also said that McNamee would be willing to testify under oath about the abscess when he appeared before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Feb. 13...

Hardin said that his investigators had sought Clemens’s medical records but that he had not yet seen them. Normally, such records travel with a player when he switches teams. Clemens played for the Yankees in 2007, the latest, and perhaps last, stop in a 24-year career. It was McNamee who served as Clemens’s personal trainer in the latter years of his career.

Rocky takes one in the gut: Ex-fiancee says Stallone juiced up in front of her

The self-proclaimed 'world's first supermodel' says Sylvester Stallone juiced up in front of her.  Janice Dickinson also claims Stallone put her on the program.  Showbiz Spy carries the scoop.

Model Janice Dickinson sensationally claimed in public that she saw ex-love Sylvester Stallone taking STEROIDS.

Dickinson told a U.S. TV news show that she regularly saw the 61-year-old Rambo star “juice up” - and insists he even made HER take steroids.

Asked if she ever saw him taking steroids, Janice said: “Yes I did, and he also juiced me up.
“I’d wake up and my arm was as big as Popeye - steroids, testosterone, all that stuff.”

Understand these folks tend to be histrionic and given to hyperbole.  The last sentence above has been interpreted as Stallone injecting the model in her sleep, which is nuts.  She must be referring to the results: she got bigger.

Stallone, not known for his veracity, counter-punched his Ex.  How much he scored is up in the air, as Stallone was nailed with HGH and anabolic steroids in Australia last year.

Yesterday Stallone - who dumped Janice after he found out he was not the father of her child - angrily insisted it was not true.

But it comes at an embarrassing time for the actor, famed for his bodybuilder’s physique, after he was caught taking human growth hormone into Australia.

However, his spokesman insisted: “Janice Dickinson lied about the origin of her child and she’s lying about this.”

However, Dickinson elaborated more:

She did an impression of the Rocky star talking about the steroids she insists she saw him taking, saying: “‘Hey, it’s good ’cause you get really big, you know what I mean?’”

Interviewer Greg Gutfeld clarified what she had just said. “So that’s an actual confirmation, though?,” he asked. “You did see him juice?”

Dickinson - looking slightly embarrassed - confirmed: “I did confirm that, didn’t I?”

Then holding a finger over her mouth as if it was all a secret, she then said: “My motto is, don’t kiss - just tell.”
Dickinson and Stallone were briefly engaged in the early 1990s.

Stallone's Ex did find another way to get bigger --  pregnancy:

When Dickinson found out she was pregnant she told Stallone the baby was his - but DNA tests proved that producer Michael Birnbaum was the father of her baby girl, Savannah. Stallone immediately dumped her.

A friend of Stallone’s said yesterday: “These are just more desperate lies from a desperate woman.”

Sentenced to jail: Marion Jones will not be coming out of the (cell) blocks for 6 months

Arguably the world's best contemporary female athlete, and an Olympic gold medal winner, Marion Jones will be back in the blocks - cell blocks that is.  A White Plains, NY judge sentenced the ex-track and ex-college basketball star to the rock pile for 6 months today.  Reuters with the report.

Jones appeared to be contrite as the following court exchange indicates (quotes); however the judge could not forgive her for lying to a court, and for deceiving federal investigators.

Earlier, Jones lost her Olympics medals in a decision by the IOC; she also appears to be in financial ruin, in part due to expensive defamation suits against those who accused her of doping.  Bloomberg adds she was also given 800 hours of community service (the Bloomberg article is very good in general).

WHITE PLAINS, New York (Reuters) - Disgraced sprinter Marion Jones was sentenced to six months in prison on Friday for lying to federal prosecutors about her steroid use, a stunning downfall for the five-time Olympic medalist.

District Court Judge Kenneth Karas imposed the sentence after Jones pleaded guilty to two charges last October, when she retired from athletics and tearfully confessed to betraying the trust of her fans after years of denying she used performance enhancing drugs.

"Your honor, I absolutely realize the gravity of these offenses and I am deeply sorry," Jones told the judge, crying as she pleaded not to be separated from her two young sons.

"I pray that you be as merciful as a human being can be," she said.

Jones received concurrent sentences as Reuters indicates.  However, it appears the judge wasn't buying the flaxseed defense that Jones tried to sell.  According to "Game of Shadows" Jones knew exactly, if not absent-minded, what drugs BALCO's Victor Conte and her coach Trevor Graham administered to her.

Karas gave Jones six months for lying about steroid use and two months -- to run concurrently -- for a separate charge of misleading federal investigators about her knowledge of a check fraud case involving her ex-boyfriend, former 100 meters world record holder Tim Montgomery.

She confessed to lying to federal investigators in 2003 when she denied knowing that she took the banned substance tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), known as "the clear," before the 2000 Olympics.

Karas noted the elevated status of athletes in society and said using drugs sent the wrong message. He also said he did not believe her statement in October when she said she did not realize she was taking steroids until after the 2000 Games.

Jones had told the judge she believed she was taking flaxseed oil and continued to use it until July 2001. She said she realized she was taking a performance enhancer after she found she was unable to train as intensively and did not recover as quickly once she stopped taking the substance.

"That is very difficult to believe, that a top-notch athlete ... would not be keenly aware of what he or she put in her body," Karas said. "It was a troubling statement."

The Feds now turn their attention to the trial scheduled in San Francisco where career HR leader Barry Bonds stand accused of also deceiving federal investigators and federal judges.

Chuck Knoblauch lives! And he don't care.

ESPN found the fundamentally sound Chuck Knoblauch.  And he ain't interested in any Mitchell Report baloney.

Chuck Knoblauch, in his first public comments since the Mitchell report was released Dec. 13, said in a newspaper interview published Friday that he was not angry about being named in the report.

The former New York Yankees infielder, one of three players, along with ex-teammates Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, invited to testify Feb. 13 before a congressional committee, did not, however, acknowledge the report's contention he used performance-enhancing drugs.

"I have nothing to defend," Knoblauch told The New York Times. "I have nothing to hide at the same time."

Knoblauch, 39, dubbed the report on doping in baseball "crazy" and "interesting" and expressed bewilderment at his inclusion in the report given that he's been retired for five years.

Not only does Knoblauch not know but he doesn't care.

"I've got nothing to do with any of that, I mean, any baseball," said Knoblauch, who stopped playing in 2002. "And I don't want anything to do with baseball."

Asked if he resented being thrust back into the spotlight, Knoblauch said: "No. One of my strongest characteristics is not really caring what people think. I'm living my life. It's not going to change my life one way or the other. You know, I'm not trying to get in the Hall of Fame. I got one vote though...

"I read my name in the paper and see it on the news, but I haven't heard a word," Knoblauch said in reference to the fact that no one from the congressional panel has formally contacted him yet. "I'm supposed to be somewhere, but I haven't been told where to be."

When asked if he will show up for the hearing to tell his side of the story, Knoblauch told the Times: "Yeah, if I have to do that, then what are you going to do?"

You gotta love it.  Complete apathy.  Give him a greenie.

The USOC (US Olympics), MLB (baseball), and the NFL partner against doping and steroids

The three most powerful sports organizations in the country - The Olympics, MLB, and the NFL, will partner to fight doping and steroids.  An announcement today initiated the Partnership for Clean Competition (PCC).

The Partnership for Clean Competition (PCC) will, for the first time ever, combine the resources and expertise of many of America’s leading sports entities to underwrite meaningful and scientifically-legitimate anti-doping research. Beginning this year, the focus of the PCC will be to fundraise and make targeted grants in support of non-partisan and independent scientific research to be conducted at universities and other world-class research institutions. Priorities for the collaborative will include underwriting research that addresses:

• new methods to more cost-effectively detect and deter the use of banned and illegal substances at every level of sport
• identification and detection of designer substances
• the consequences of doping, from both a medical and ethical perspective
• the further development of a widely-available, cost-effective test to detect Human Growth Hormone (HGH)

The PCC will sponsor research into anti-doping measures.  Note the NBA, the NHL, PGA and other sports organizations will also participate in this collaborative effort.  First order of business: find a test for HGH.

As the initial Founding Partners, the USOC, USADA, MLB and NFL have collectively committed to contribute $10 million to this landmark collaborative. Each Founding Partner will have one representative on the Board of Governors, which will oversee the research collaborative.

Also participating and contributing financially to the research collaborative are the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) and Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA). The Founding Partners will seek to raise additional funds and include other entities (both sport and non-sport) in the collaborative as well.

Will the NFL and MLB really support this coalition?  If a player is a steroid user, will he be banned from the Baseball Hall of Fame, and stripped of records, as a Olympic track athlete may be stripped of medals and records?

Today's Clemens Updates

The Kansas City Star says House hearings on steroids in baseball involving Clemens will be postponed.

The House hearing with Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and former Yankees trainer Brian McNamee was postponed Wednesday from Jan. 16 to Feb. 13. That will give lawmakers more time to gather evidence and coordinate their investigation with the Justice Department.

Plans are still in place for the Jan. 15 hearing about the Mitchell Report on baseball’s Steroids Era with commissioner Bud Selig, union leader Donald Fehr and former Senate majority leader George Mitchell.

Newsday says Clemens doesn't get it

I'm sick of Roger Clemens. I'm sick of people who think like him. I'm sick of people who think it's OK to think like him and I'm sick of people who make excuses for him.
"And that's our country, isn't it?" he whined to Mike Wallace "Guilty before innocent. That's the way our country works now."...

At that point it occurred to me: You are our country, Roger Clemens. He asks, "Is this what our country has come to?" The answer is no. Roger Clemens is what our country has come to.

Lots of money for doing next to nothing. A sense of entitlement out of all proportion to what you are really worth, or what you really contribute to society. No accountability for your own actions. Misplaced hostility - mostly toward the media. A desire to bully others but no guts for a fair fight. Notice how, at the news conference he and his lawyers called in an effort to clear his name, Clemens stalked off the podium rather than answer some very legitimate questions.

Goose Gossage on Gear (steroids)

The newest member of baseball's Hall of Fame -- Rich Goose Gossage, sounds off on gear (steroids).  Story in the AP Press.

Goose Gossage can understand why some players would try steroids. With major league salaries so high, finding a way to extend a career is an awfully tempting proposition.

"Chances are, I probably would have done it, too," Gossage said Wednesday.

Although Gossage says he might try juicing, he comes down hard on the roiders.  And it sounds like Gossage endorses asterisks, or redacting tainted records.

"I've been in that situation, trying to prolong my career with the money that was out there to be made at this time in baseball. I can't sit here and say that I would not have done it," he said. "But had I done it, I'm going to face the consequences. And the consequences are, that whether they belong in the Hall of Fame or not, the records can't stand.

"These guys downplay the significance of steroids. Don't even go there. I don't buy it at all," Gossage added at a news conference. "These guys are getting better the older they get? Nah. The body doesn't work that way. And baseball is a young man's game."

Now, since everything is about Roger Clemens, Gossage commented on Clemens's 'give a damn' attitude on Cooperstown.

"I don't know that that's really what he meant," Gossage said. "I can't imagine Roger saying that to begin with, because I know the Hall of Fame means everything to all of us. I think he was getting frustrated up there.

"He's fighting for his career, his whole life right now, as far as public opinion and the admiration that he's gotten. I said this before, that Roger always liked a lot of attention. Well, he's getting plenty of attention now for sure."

Blue Jays chiropractor doesn't think Clemens juiced

A report out of Canada states that a chiropractor employed by the Toronto Blue Jays doesn't believe Roger Clemens juiced.

A chiropractor who treated Roger Clemens during his time with the Toronto Blue Jays didn't see any signs of steroid use by the seven-time Cy Young winner, according to the Toronto Sun.

Patrick Graham, the team's chiropractor, told the paper he worked on Clemens daily in his two seasons with the Blue Jays and believes the veteran's assertion that he never took steroids — at least when he was in Toronto

"I didn't notice any rashes, acne or increased muscle mass or structure," he said.

"I think I would have seen signs of it," adding he always thought Clemens's success in Toronto was due to his then newly developed "split-fingered fastball."

Interesting. Pharmacology is not in the expertise of chiropractic.  That a chiropractor remarks on drug treatment does not cut any influence with us.

Mark McGwire receives 23.6% for Hall of Fame

Mark McGuire, the massive slugger who played for Oakland and St Louis, scored 0.01% more votes this year than last year for the Baseball Hall of Fame.  The vote total was exactly the same: 128, which is 23.6% of the Cooperstown vote. Last year we felt McGwire suffered a massive steroid-induced HOF snub; our opinion is unchanged.

The New York Times says:

Mark McGwire, the player who did not want to talk about the past, will learn how his achievements are viewed in the present when the voting for the Hall of Fame is announced Tuesday. Unless hundreds of writers experienced stunning reversals in the past year regarding their feelings about McGwire, he is not expected to be voted into the Hall.

A year ago, McGwire, whose 583 home runs are eighth on the career list, received only 23.5 percent of the vote in his first year on the ballot. McGwire’s low percentage was mostly attributed to suspicions that he used performance-enhancing drugs. To reach the 75 percent that is required for induction, McGwire, who received 128 of 545 votes last year, would need almost 300 additional votes.

Last year, sportswriter felt that McGwire suffered a rebuff, however events may be more favorable in 2008.  2008 saw slugger Barry Bonds indicted for perjury, Roger Clemens embroiled in a steroid controversy, the Mitchell Report on steroids in MLB released, and Marion Jones admitting to 8 years of lying about PED abuse.  Probably not a great year for juicers wanting into the Hall of Fame.

Several writers said that McGwire’s refusal to answer questions about steroids at a Congressional hearing in March 2005 was a tacit admission that he had used them. Since that hearing, McGwire has never attempted to explain himself, leaving voters to make their own conclusions about his silence.

“Like it or not, on March 17, 2005, he gave a lot of voters a reason not to vote for him,” said Jack O’Connell, the secretary-treasurer of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. “I’m not trying to pillage McGwire. He hasn’t committed any crimes. But he committed the one crime that hurts people now. He looked bad on TV.”

In a poll of 30 voters, a fraction of the electorate, over the last few days, only 3 changed their votes on McGwire. Although the poll included less than 10 percent of the voters, the sampling hinted that opinions about McGwire had not drastically changed in the past 12 months. Rich Gossage, who had 71.2 percent of the vote in 2007, was the leading candidate on this year’s ballot.

Again, we say that McGwire should admit to PED use (which likely goes far beyond Andro); America loves to rehab it's heroes.

Weird steroid side effects dept: Don't look now Roger Clemens, but...

[from our humor department]

In the 60 minutes interview with Mike Wallace, Roger Clemens mentioned some unusual side effects of steroids...

WALLACE Again, from the Mitchell Report, quote, "According to McNamee, during the middle of the 2000 season, Clemens made it clear he was ready to use steroids again. And during the latter part of the season, McNamee injected Clemens in the buttocks four to six times with testosterone. Also injected Clemens four to six times with Human growth hormone.

CLEMENS My body never changed. If he's putting that stuff up in my body, if what he's saying which is totally false, if he's doing that to me, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead. I should be pulling tractors with my teeth

Hate to mention this, but have you looked in the mirror?

 

Clemens accused of detailed plan to dodge steroids accusations

The New York Post carries a story that says Roger Clemens's 60 Minutes appearance may be part of a well thought out plan to deal with steroids charges.

Roger Clemens' next attempt to clear his name comes tonight on "60 Minutes." But well before the Mitchell Report accused Clemens of using steroids, the pitcher and his advisers were working on a battle plan to save his reputation.

The story appears full of intrigue.   Apparently Clemens knew of the PED accusations -- although on the 60 Minutes interview he denied that.

Clemens knew the report would include scandalous allegations by his pal, Brian McNamee, who told investigators he injected the hurler with steroids and human growth hormone multiple times.

Some close to the pitcher advocated a full-out attack even before the report was released on Dec. 13. The idea was to leak news of Clemens' alleged steroid use - and use the opportunity to slam McNamee.

The result would have been to question whether the ex-trainer - who has had two drunken-driving arrests, was once accused of rape and faced federal drug charges - could be believed.

But Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, and his agent, Randy Hendricks, rejected that strategy and instead advised the Rocket to stay quiet and endure the fallout.

However, a problem emerged -- Andy Pettitte who admitted he used HGH.

That strategy backfired when Andy Pettitte, Clemens close friend and training partner, came out two days later and admitted he twice took human growth hormone, supplied by McNamee.

Pettitte's statement was followed by a public appeal from Lance Berkman, Clemens ex-teammate, that the Rocket come clean - and by fresh steroid admissions from other players.

When Clemens finally denied the accusations on Dec. 18, five days after the report, it was far too late for some of the pitcher's friends and family members.

"He should have issued [his denial] the day the report came out," said a Clemens supporter. Some urged Clemens to dump his lawyer and agent, calling the two "Dumb and Dumber." Clemens' denials also drew the attention of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has invited Clemens, Pettitte and Chuck Knoblauch to testify on Jan. 16. Despite the turmoil, Clemens himself appeared unconcerned

Does anyone think Clemens doesn't appear to be the sharpest tool in the shed?

Clemens brings suit against McNamee for defamation

After all the talk, apparently Roger Clemens will sue his former trainer Brian McNamee for defamation.  Bloomberg reports this story:

      Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Roger Clemens, a seven-time winner of baseball's Cy Young award, sued former trainer Brian McNamee for defamation over allegations he used steroids and human growth hormones.           

The lawsuit, filed in state court in Harris County, Texas, says McNamee falsely told investigators that he injected Clemens with the banned substances on multiple occasions dating back to 1998.           

Clemens, 45, was among the more than 80 baseball players accused of using performance-enhancing drugs in a report by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell last month. In an interview with CBS Corp.'s ``60 Minutes'' broadcast yesterday, Clemens said that while he didn't receive steroid or HGH injections from McNamee, he did receive pain-killers and vitamin B-12.           

``McNamee made the allegations with actual malice, knowing they were false,'' Clemens lawyer Rusty Hardin said in the complaint sent to Bloomberg News in an e-mail today by Joe Householder, a spokesman for Hardin. ``They injured Clemens' reputation and exposed him to public hate, contempt, ridicule and financial injury.''           

Richard Emery, McNamee's New York-based lawyer, didn't respond to phone and e-mailed requests for comment left today before working hours. The Associated Press reported that the lawsuit was filed last night.

Yesterday, during the 60 Minutes interview Clemens seemed to be dismissive of suing.  Not very articulate at that point, Clemens seemed to be saying that he was advised to sue, and that this would draw down on his bank account.

CLEMENS And that's our country, isn't it? Guilty before innocent. That's the way our country works now. And then everybody's talking about sue, sue sue. Should I sue? Well, let me exhaust. Let me, let me just spend. How about, let's keep spending. But I'm gonna explore what I can do and then I want to see if it's gonna be worth it, worth all the headache.

Appears Roger Clemens has hijacked the sports page these days.

Live blog the Roger Clemens "60 Minutes" interview!

(the live blog of the Clemens Congressional hearings is here)

In keeping with the tradition of live blogging sports and political events...we present the Roger Clemens 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace.  (transcript here)

[0:30] Clemens asks why after 30 years, he is accused of steroid use.  It's all hard work.  Mike Wallace can barely interview Clemens, BTW.  BTW#2, I hope I am that good when I am 90.

[1:00] Clemens asks "Where is the person who gave me the steroids"?  Probably in jail or dead???

[3:00] Clemens is really upset McNamee sold him out.  "I treated him fairly...so shut up"

[5:00] Clemens accuses McNamee of buying and selling steroids.  Whoaaaaaaaaaa.

[6:00] Wallace asks Clemens about Andy Pettitte who admitted to HGH use. Clemens blows off the Pettitte admission.  He  had no idea what Andy did.

[7:30] Now Clemens saying he took B-12 and lidocaine (Xylocaine).  Lidocaine injections are worthless unless you have a cardiac arrhythmia.

[9:15] Clemens is complaining about Vioxx.  Crazy.  An anti-inflammatory with mild side effects compared to HGH and anabolic steroids.  Clemens also says he will take a lie detector test (as if that determines truth from fiction)

Mike Wallace was born in 1919, the year Curly Lambeau founded the Green Bay Packers.  October 1919 brought the Black Sox Scandal.  Interesting.  The Chicago White Sox players were found not guilty by a jury; however Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis threw them out of baseball saying:

Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ball game, no player who undertakes or promises to throw a ball game, no player who sits in confidence with a bunch of crooked ballplayers and gamblers, where the ways and means of throwing a game are discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball.

How's that for innocent until proven guilty?

Ten questions for Roger Clemens

The Houston Chron puts out 10 questions for Congress to ask Roger Clemens under oath during hearings next week:

1. If a doctor prescribed lidocaine, why didn't a doctor do the injections?

2. Do you think it wise to have your trainer, Brian McNamee, do injections into your joints that a doctor or someone under the supervision of a doctor typically does?

3. Did you ask Jose Canseco about the benefits of steroids?

4. Why do you think Brian McNamee would risk jail time to lie about you?

5. Why do you think Brian McNamee told the truth about Andy Pettitte but lied about you?

6. Did you discuss the use of steroids and human growth hormone with Pettitte?

7. Do you think there's a chance McNamee injected you with banned substances and that you simply didn't know about it?

8. Why didn't you mention the injections in your previous denials?

9. You previously said: "I'm going to find anything I can that'll make me stronger ... , but I'm going to depend on physicians to tell me what's OK." If you were willing to try "anything," why wouldn't you try performance-enhancing drugs?

10. Do you consider the use of steroids and human growth hormone to be cheating?

Good questions, all.  Columnist Richard Justice discusses what Congress could do, and what happened at the previous Congressional hearings: (after the jump)

Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee talk!

The New York News tells us that beleaguered pitcher Roger Clemens and ex-trainer Brian McNamee talked by phone tonight.  Apparently the first chat since the scathing Mitchell report implicated Clemens as a doper, enabled by McNamee.

Clemens and McNamee appear to be carrying on a media war propagated by their legal teams.  Clemens's lawyer threatens to sue McNamee; McNamee's lawyer threatens a defamation suit against Clemens.

Also at stake is ex-Senator George Mitchell's credibility in his landmark steroids in baseball report.  Mitchell dedicated the largest single player section to Clemens.

In a surprising twist to their public war of words, Roger Clemens and his former trainer, Brian McNamee, spoke by telephone Friday night, Newsday has learned. It was their first contact since the Mitchell Report was released Dec. 13, and a person close to the situation described the hourlong conversation between the longtime friends as "emotional."

It is unclear whether Clemens or McNamee initiated the call, and attempts to reach representatives for both of them Saturday night were unsuccessful. Clemens and McNamee have been friends since 1998, when the two were together on the Blue Jays, and it was Clemens who got McNamee hired by the Yankees after he was obtained from Toronto at the start of the 1999 season.

But in the wake of the Mitchell Report and McNamee's damaging testimony, those years together ultimately may tear down Clemens and his Hall of Fame resume. Clemens has vehemently denied McNamee's allegations that the trainer injected him with steroids -- he'll do so again tonight on "60 Minutes" -- and the two sides threatened to sue each other last week in what is likely to be an ongoing legal battle.

Clemens, McNamee, Pettitte, and the others better get their stories together; the Congressional committees are likely to get dirty with these guys.

In other conciliatory news, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both agreed that Bill Richardson is pretty funny...

Congress asks Clemens and Pettitte to shoot from the hip on steroids

The US House of Representatives will hold hearing on steroid and PED use in sports beginning January 15.  New York baseball teams appear to be supplying many of the invited guests.  From the Mets comes Kirk Radomski.  The New York Yankees send over Andy Pettitte, Brian McNamee, and Roger Clemens.  Should be fun.

Or not, as Clemens and McNamee are currently carrying on a media war about what and when NcNamee injected into Mr. Clemens.  Steroids?   HGH?  B-12?  Lidocaine?  Will Congress be interested in what substance lurked in the syringe?

From Bloomberg:

      Jan. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Baseball pitcher Roger Clemens and the trainer who says he injected Clemens with steroids have been asked to testify before a congressional committee.           

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has asked Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young award winner, and trainer Brian McNamee to appear at a hearing Jan. 16 on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the sport.           

New York Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte, former player Chuck Knoblauch and former clubhouse assistant Kirk Radomski have also been asked to testify.           

The committee is reviewing former Senator George Mitchell's report on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball. The report claimed that major league players and management ignored drug use in the game and said All-Stars such as Clemens, Pettitte and Miguel Tejada used steroids or human growth hormone.           

Rusty Hardin, a lawyer for Clemens, said the pitcher welcomes the committee's interest in the issue.           

``Roger is willing to answer questions, including those posed to him while under oath,'' Hardin said in an e-mailed statement. ``We hope to determine shortly if schedules and other commitments can accommodate the committee on that date.''           

The House committee will hold a related hearing on Jan. 15 to get testimony from Mitchell, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and Donald Fehr, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, said panel spokeswoman Karen Lightfoot.

The situation looks to be heating up for MLB players and executives.  What if Clemens doesn't RSVP his invitation?  (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Baseball pitching great Roger Clemens, who denies claims he used steroids, was asked on Friday to testify before a U.S. congressional panel investigating use of performance-enhancing drugs.

There was no immediate word whether the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee would subpoena Clemens if he refused to appear voluntarily on January 16.

   

Roger Clemens throws a slider: admits to injections

Roger Clemens pitched a forkball in the "60 Minutes" interview with Mike Wallace.  Clemens who is contesting the Mitchell Report and specifically the Brian McNamee testimony of injections of anabolic steroids and HGH admits to injections.  Clemens claims he received injections of B-12 and lidocaine?  lidocaine?

A creepy looking Clemens stretches his credibility -- beyond belief.  His tun changed from 'nothing' into injections of these bizarre drugs.  One  wonders if he listened to the threats of a defamation suite thrown at him by McNamee's lawyer.  To the KC Star.

It’s true. Roger Clemens will admit this Sunday on “60 Minutes” that his trainer, Brian McNamee, gave him injections, as stated in the Mitchell Report released last month.

Clemens, however, insists that the injections contained the painkiller lidocaine and vitamin B-12, according to excerpts released on Thursday by the CBS program.

After weeks of an ongoing media battle between Clemens and McNamee, who said in the Mitchell Report that he injected Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner, with steroids and human growth hormone, Sunday is the first interview with Clemens.

He broadcast a video denial on his Web site after the report compiled by Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, who conducted a 20-month investigation on behalf of Major League Baseball, was made public.

Clemens said on the video: “I did not use steroids or human growth hormone, and I’ve never done so. I did not provide Brian McNamee with any drugs to inject into my body. Brian McNamee did not inject steroids or human growth hormones into my body.”

During Sunday’s interview, Clemens is questioned at home in Katy, Texas, by longtime “60 Minutes” reporter Mike Wallace, who asks whether McNamee injected him with drugs.

“Lidocaine and B-12,” Clemens said. “It’s for my joints, and B-12 I still take today.”

Clemens also called McNamee’s assertions “ridiculous” and said he “never” used banned performance-enhancing substances. Wallace pushed him on the latter statement.

“Swear?” Wallace asked.

To which Clemens replied, “Swear.”

We will swear that is one dumb excuse.  When does Clemens claim Tyler Hamilton's 'chimera double' received steroids and HGH?  On "Letterman"?

 

Anyone counting the Clemens' pitches?

The Iowa Caucuses happen tonight.  The BCS bowl games continue on schedule.  The Middle East is about to explode once again.  Oil prices hit record highs, not to mention that the supply of crude is dropping like a Bruce Sutter forkball.

Ignore them all.  What one story dominates the news every day for the past 3 weeks?  Roger Clemens.

Today's Clemens-mania installments:

1. George Steinbrenner says the Yankees will not re-sign Clemens.

"I'm not signing Clemens," Steinbrenner, the Yankees' senior vice president, told the newspaper, citing the Yankees' wealth of young starting pitching.

2.  The New York Times previews the Clemens 60 Minutes interview in which Clemens refutes trainer Brian McNamee's gluteal steroid knowledge.

“He says what he has said before and has said all along,” Wallace said Thursday in a telephone interview. “He said he never took injections from McNamee. He says he didn’t take the stuff. Nothing different.”

3.  Bloomberg says Clemens will hold a post-60 minutes news conference.

Roger Clemens will hold a press conference on Jan. 7, one day after a nationally televised interview airs on CBS's ``60 Minutes'' in which the pitcher might defend himself against allegations of using performance- enhancing drugs.

4. McNamee's lawyer says he will sue Clemens (as we reported here)

5. Joe Torre won't pick sides in the Clemens v. McNamee fight.

6.  Clemens's speaking engagement to Texas high school baseball coaches is a go.  Guess Roger will be injected into the curriculum.  This hasn't gone over well with all parties.  From this source:

In the meantime, as Brenham baseball coach Jim Long said to MLB.com, "We just cannot condemn someone on what we've seen. It's not fair ... There's not enough evidence."

Clemens will give the keynote speech at the THBCA convention in Waco on Jan. 12. The talk will cover Clemens' workout recommendations. It's safe to say Clemens won't recommend steroid use.

And doesn't that say it all?  The good old boys who run sports will not buy into the obvious evidence that baseball is juiced, with a strong probability Clemens juiced too.  Kinda reminds one of La Cosa Nostra.  'This thing of ours'. Omerta.  Passed on from generation to generation.  And denied by FBI strongman J. Edgar Hoover, whose FBI ignored the burgeoning Mafia network, thus allowing it to explode.

Where is Joe Valachi when you need him?

 

2008: The year of Clemens-cy?

Three huge stories begin 2008: the US presidential election, the on-going war in Iraq, and Roger Clemens's crusade for steroid clemency.  Well, one large story -- Clemens -- and 2 relatively large stories.  And not really 'clemency' but 'acquittal'.

Someone tell us why lawyers seem to crowd out athletes on the sports pages these days?  Today's Clemens twist comes from Brian McNamee's camp.  McNamee, the trainer who claims gluteal knowledge of Clemens's steroids, assembled a team of lawyers to counter Clemens's team of Texas all-star lawyers.  We say forgot the home-run derby; let's choose sides and argue tort law the night before the All-Star game.

On to the circus sideshow.  Brain McNamee's lawyer says if Roger Clemens even hints that his client is untruthful, the McNamee camp sues the Clemens group.  If that scenario occurs, Clemens could find himself sworn in to testify in a Manhattan NY court.  Story in the NY Times.

Roger Clemens will face a lawsuit if he says in a “60 Minutes” interview that his former personal trainer, Brian McNamee, was not truthful when he said he injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs, a lawyer hired by McNamee said Wednesday.

The “60 Minutes” interview was taped Friday at Clemens’s home in Katy, Tex., and is scheduled to be broadcast Sunday at about 7:30 p.m. Eastern, after the conclusion of an N.F.L. playoff game. The lawyer, Richard D. Emery, said in a telephone interview that Clemens should try to keep the segment off the air or face a lawsuit for damaging McNamee’s livelihood.

“He’s got a chance to protect himself,” said Emery, who is based in New York and specializes in libel and defamation actions. “We’re not going to sue him if he doesn’t do it. But if he does it, we’re going to sue him.”

Now at bat for Clemens's team, Rusty Hardin:

When told of Emery’s comments, Clemens’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, said, “I believe a client who’s telling the truth should tell the world the truth.”

However McNamee looked for a pick-off move:

Emery said he was mystified why Hardin would allow Clemens to speak with “60 Minutes.”

“It’s really a huge risk on his part to subject Roger to a Manhattan jury on either our defamation case or on a perjury case when he testifies under oath in our defamation case,” Emery said.

Anyone get the idea, this back and forth will continue all year?

Justin Gatlin banned 4 years from track for steroid use

Once the fastest human human on the earth, track star Justin Gatlin might now be the sorriest human on earth after track and field banned him from competition the next 4 years. Story in the WaPo.

Reigning Olympic 100-meter champion Justin Gatlin learned last night that his 20-month fight against doping charges -- and probably his track and field career -- had ended. Gatlin was informed he had received a four-year competition ban for an April 22, 2006, positive test for testosterone and its precursors, according to several people close to the case.

In a split decision among three U.S. arbitrators that included a 53-page opinion and 22-page dissent, two arbitrators said they could not dole out less than a four-year ban to Gatlin because of a previous positive test, according to a person who had reviewed the decision. The opinion had not been publicly released as of last night.

The usual ban for a first doping offense is two years; a second offense can be a lifetime ban. Gatlin, 25, tested positive for a stimulant in his attention-deficit disorder medication at his first major U.S. meet while in college at Tennessee.

Though Gatlin, who won the 100 and 200 titles at the 2005 world championships, faced as much as an eight-year ban, he had argued that the previous positive test should not be held against him. He also argued that special circumstances applied to his case, since he secretly tape-recorded calls with his former coach and assistant coach to aid a federal steroids investigation.

Gatlin's first offense appears to have occurred when he neglected to file a TUE with track officials.  Is this the same as drug-cheating?  On the other hand, Gatlin looked for many excuses along the way, including the 'sabotage by masseuse' defense.

He (Gatlin) further claimed he was possibly sabotaged by a vengeful massage therapist who rubbed testosterone cream onto his legs. Gatlin, who hoped to return to competition for the 2008 Summer Games, was devastated by the decision, according to people close to him.

One of the arbitrators, Chris Campbell, wrote in his dissent that Gatlin had been discriminated against under the Americans With Disabilities Act and had proven his sabotage claim only 33 percent, not the required 50.1 percent, according to the person who reviewed the opinion.

Interesting opinion by former Iowa wrestler Chris Campbell - who also arbitrated the Floyd Landis case, where he also dissented with the majority opinion.  How discrimination enters into a situation where an athlete fails to file a TUE seems oblique.