One thing MaNamee makes clear is that Clemens was clean until after he had already established his reputation as one of the all-time great pitchers and was on the downside of his career.  What performance-enhancing drugs allowed him to do was to extend the peak of his career, not to improve on his best years.  This contrasts sharply with, say, Mark McGuire who would have been forgotten without steroids.

It's been noted by Clemens' lawyer that recording the conversation is legal by Texas and New York's rules: Only one party has to consent. But seeing as the phone call crossed state borders, would there be a federal guideline on wiretap/recordings?

- derumi (del-me)
"Bobby Fischer? Man, that guy is crazy!" - Mike Tyson

Baseball, far and away, is long known as the sport most known for its machismo and its unwritten codes. This likely stems from both it's age and the fact that it's players for the most part are not as smart as those of other sports. It doesn't shock me at all that players feel like they can't talk. Look only at what happened to Jason Grimsley and Jose Canseco. Tons of guys have done steroids. Those two talked about and became immediate and complete out casts. It's a fraternity that starts on the field and extends up and down the executive suits. Beyond everything else, that code is the problem.

The trainer said a few key things here. He said (and I paraphrase) "Roger took steroids during July and August and it doesn't do anything diminish how hard he worked." Then he also said (and again I paraphrase) "I wanted to tell the truth and the truth is Roger didn't take as much as other guys." My take on this is that the trainer sees the writing on the wall with Roger taking the fall because he's been named and he's a big name. But he doesn't see that as right because while Roger did it, he's going to be disproportionately punished by the media (in the trainer's eye). So, to tell the "truth" is really to lie.

Clemens and his attorney are coming at this from a completely different angle that easily easily elucidated when Clemens yells, "You think I give a damn about the Hall of Fame" at the press conference. Clemens and his attorney don't give a damn about the press. They understand this is strict legal issue and Clemens will toe the line as close as he can to protect himself without getting in any criminal trouble. The press has never appreciated anyone taking into account legal reasoning into their actions because most of the press is too lazy to understand legal issues but more importantly, thinks it can act as judge and jury above any court.

The taped phone conversation is an obvious going-out-of-his-way act by Clemens to demonstrate that he is following the letter of the law. Of course he didn't get upset. He knew he was taping the conversation and wanted to appear cool and rational. "Tell the truth. Tell the truth," he keeps repeating. "Hey look federal prosecutors, I'm a good guy not obstructing anything a la Barry Bonds," he's really saying, all the while knowing his trainer will understand the subtext.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.