Roger Clemens Can Be In More Trouble With 60 Minutes Interview
Posted: Thursday, January 03, 2008
by Stephany Springer
Roger Clemens has said to all that he will tell the truth in a 60 Minute Interview with Mike Wallace on Jan. 6. Just exactly what Clemens said could mean the difference between a lawsuit and coming clean.
Clemens commented on allegations of steroid use on a YouTube video, but stressed in the video that he would face the allegations truthfully in an upcoming interview on CBS this weekend. In the video, he stressed that the allegations of steroid and HGH use had hurt him and his family tremendously and he asked for space until the Jan. 6 interview.
Fox Sports is reporting that McNamee has no other choice but to go after Clemens if he denies the allegations. "He's putting his head in a noose," said Richard Emery, an attorney now representing the former trainer told Fox Sports. "He will be lying if he says McNamee did not inject him. And if he goes on '60 Minutes,' and lies about Brian, Brian has no choice but to go after him."
Fox Sports says that by going after him, Emery is referring to a defamation suit. That would allow McNamee's attorneys to depose Clemens. And while it's one thing to lie to reporters, it's another entirely to lie under oath.
"He's risking turning a civil action into a criminal action," said Emery. "I don't have any inside information, but I can't imagine that Robert Morgenthau" - the district attorney in Manhattan - "or Mike Garcia" - U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York - "wouldn't be interested in that."
The Fox Sports article is well worth a read to fully grasp how big a moment in sports history this interview will be. It can be found at http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7624006?MSNHPHMA After all, Clemens is trying to protect a baseball career above all others. A seven-time winner of Cy-Young, World Series champion and over 300 wins.
Look at all the variables and this makes the interview this Jan. 6 a must-see. Will Clemens admit to use? It will be interesting since he chose a long-time friend Mike Wallace to do the interviewing. Will Wallace be hard on Clemens or will this be yet another publicity stunt?
What has bothered me thus far about this is that Clemens' YouTube video was structured in a way to draw pity from viewers. It was like we as a public should feel sorry for him for having to go through such allegations during the holidays. It took attention away from the issue and tried to draw pity for a man who should not be pitied.
Second, longtime friend Andy Pettitte came forth after the allegations and confessed. He said what McNamee said was true. So why is it true in Pettitte's case but not in Clemens?
I, for one, will be watching Jan. 6. Not only is this a huge deal for the history of baseball, but personally it is a huge deal for my family. My son asked for baseball cards this past Christmas. We bought him a few packages. You should have heard him scream with delight when he realized he had gotten a Roger Clemens baseball card. I don't want his hero to be a user. At the age of seven, I would definitely have to hide that. Clemens is a role model for kids of all ages. I think it is sad that the issue would have to be explained to them. Kids are smart they will figure it out.
For now, we wait until this weekend when Clemens will face the American people. It will be an interview that should put to rest this ordeal. It also could be an interview that will begin an endless amount of law trouble for Clemens. Tune in to see the results.
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