My reaction to the Mitchell Report accusations of the Rocket: Give me a break

The Mitchell Report regarding the use of steroids and other human growth hormone in baseball came out before Christmas. Unfortunately, it is damning by any measure and gives the sport a very ugly black eye. Former Sen. George Mitchell was correct to say that everyone has some responsibility including the Commissioner and that it is not just the players. That much is not in dispute. There is plenty of blame to goes around. More importantly, it names an awful lot of ball players involved in the use of steroids. Some of them I believe did like Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds.

As for Roger Clemens’ involvement, I say give me a break. Clemens, now 43, stands accused of using performance enhancing drugs, at an age when most other pitchers would have retired. I would like to believe that he didn't use it, but I am sure glad he will defend himself on CBS 60 Minutes and for the public record. However I would not be surprised if he did. I mean his fellow pitcher Andy Pettitte admitted using human growth hormone for the sole purpose of expediting his recovery time and frankly no one likes being on the disabled list for a long period. Frankly, for the Rocket, Clemens' nickname, to pitch the sort of fast balls that he is famous for throwing at his current age, it would be a testament to his fitness or to his drug use, if you are the cynic.

Roger Clemens reminds me of a fictional Detroit Tigers pitcher Billy Chapel from the movie For Love of the Game. At the bottom of the 9th inning, the commentator summed up Chapel's big decision, which resembles Clemens' predicament in many ways. Like the 40-year old Chapel, baseball has been Clemens' life, perhaps as the commentator, Vin Scully the renouned sportscaster, rightly said more important and bigger than life itself. Clemens and Chapel are fighting not only time and age, but also against ending and retirement. Frankly, no one knows what to do with a retired professional athlete like Clemens or Pete Sampras. Chapel had a 19-year career and probably threw 75,000 to 76,000 pitches in 4100 innings; Clemens has a career spanning over 20 years and threw many more pitches in more innings than Chapel ever did.

I may never have watched an actual game at a ballpark, but I am glued to my television set and the cell phone for every post-season game since my college days. I watched Roger Clemens' infamous and complete meltdown at the American League Championship Series (ALCS) at Fenway Park against Boston Red Sox ace, Pedro Martinez, and his magnificent performance at a later ALCS game, perhaps it was Game 7, in the Bronx against Martinez. It is a thrill to watch Clemens at his best work and he deserves every one of those Cy Young Awards.

Also, one must remember Clemens is part of the folklore better known as the Curse of the Bambinos when Boston traded him to Toronto believing Clemens' glory days are over. Gee whiz, that guy could not be further from the truth than it is humanly possible. Like the many infamous moments associated with the Curse, such as Billy Buckner's misplay at Game 6 of the 1986 World Series and the decision to keep Pedro on the mound for an extra inning at Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, this deserves to be one of those moments or decisions that one should ask what was management thinking.

The bottom-line is it doesn't change one thing - my love for the game. I will continue to be a New York Yankee fan. As for Roger Clemens, he is still one of the great pitchers of all times. If he used steroids or human growth hormones, it would only put in perspective the greatness of ballplayers of an earlier generation, namely Yogi Berra, the Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and those guys who did not benefit from modern medicine. Also, one cannot blame someone for trying to level the playing field after someone has already started cheating.