Who Cares?

     Every once in a while, someone, or something, does something so stupid and inconvenient that you cannot even dream up half an idea that could explain why. I have done posts defending such acts, such as the post covering marines overseas, and spoke out against them in a post about the Miami Dolphins. Today, it is much to my chagrin that I have to tell you that it has happened once again. Not surprisingly, the government is to blame. No, this is not a botched military attack or a foreign relations meltdown. This directly affects YOU. That's right...you. The government is taking your hard earned money and using it to prosecute legendary pitcher Roger Clemens.

     Clemens, 49, was the most prominent and unexpected players named in the infamous steroid expose known as the Mitchell Report. Inside the four hundred nine pages were the names of eighty nine players ranging from baseball heavyweights like Barry Bonds and the aforementioned Clemens, to forgotten players like Paul Lo Duca and Mike Stanton (the pitcher, not the Marlins outfielder). Many of the players mentioned have vehemently denied their supposed using of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), while others have agreed with the findings. However, when called to the stand to testify in a court case, both Bonds and Clemens were asked if they had ever used PEDs, they both responded with a "No." Red flags couldn't have gone up faster. Bonds was widely believed to be doping, as his body, along with his head, kept getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger, and bigger, while certain parts of his body, according to his girlfriend, kept getting smaller and smaller-all symptoms of anabolic steroid use. Clemens, however, had no real evidence supporting the Mitchell Report's claims, except for his trainer and alleged steroid dealer Brian McNamee's word. McNamee had a book coming out, and has recently been accused by Clemens' lawyer of fabricating claims to boost book sales. (Other evidence consisted of a needle and syringe stored and preserved in the sanitary confines of an empty beer can.) If Ryan Braun can get off the hook with a urine sample being held in a refrigerator too long, why didn't Clemens get the same treatment?

     Clemens is being charged in federal court with perjury for stating what I believe is the truth. During his remarkable career, his average fastball velocity never jumped suddenly, nor did his foulball rate, strikeout rate, or walk rate. He was just unhittable. In fact, all of them went down with age. He followed a natural career statistical slide as he aged, his just took a whole lot longer, a fact pointed to many of his accuser. Plus, he never grew bulkier or more muscular as he aged, never needed any bigger helmets or shoes, or smaller....you know.....

     The worst part here is that the government is using YOUR tax money to help finance this trial. It is unfortunate, because, honestly, nobody was physically harmed by Clemens' use or non-use of anabolic steroids. There's nothing at stake besides his legacy as a baseball player. If the United States of America is this worried about whether or not someone used steroids, I can only imagine how much more absurd a larger, and frankly relevant, case would be. In all honesty, I do not think Roger Clemens used PEDs, nor do I care. I care about the useless spending that has now become second nature to our government. I care about the use of our tax dollars to continually charge a man who may not even be guilty in the first place. I care about the degradation of the United States of America.

Images From: www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com