Not Convincing Enough, Roger

Tonight on 60 Minutes, Mike Wallace intervied Roger Clemens regarding his alleged steroid use which was mentioned in the George Mitchell Report. This was Clemens's chance to convince the public that he never took the performance enhancing drugs. Unfortunately, Clemens came off looking like a man down to his last strike in the World Series.

In the Mitchell Report, released less than 30 days ago, Clemens's trianer Brain McNamee claims that he injected Clemens with steroids between 16 - 20 times during 1998, and again in 2000 and 2001.

Clemens looked nervous during the interview, and never exhibited the true convictions of an innocent man. When repeatedly asked by Wallace if his trainer, Brian McNamee ever injected him with steroids, as mentioned in the report, Clemens weakly used the words, "never happened."

When told that his good friend Andy Petitt, also mentioned in the report, had admitted to taking human growth hormones, Clemens also denied having knowledge of Petitt's illegal activities. Petitt can expect to be hammered for media responses now, thanks to Clemens statements.

Asked whether he would take a lie detector test, Clemens responded, "Yeah, I don't know if they're good or bad."

When asked if he will sue McNamee, Clemens said, Should I sue? Well, yeah, let me exhaust -- let me, let me just spend," pontificating as if he were peeling off bills.

"Let me keep spending. But I'm going to explore what I can do, and then I want to see if it's going to be worth it, worth all the headache."

Wallace challenged Clemens by suggesting that perhaps he started taking steroids was so he could continue pitching for the money, and the glory. Clemens then claimed he never played the game for things like those.

Perhaps the most unconvincing that Clemens looked was when he said, "if I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, where did I get 'em?" he said. "Where is the person out there [who] gave 'em to me? Please, please come forward."

Well Roger, if there actually was another person involved and if they had something to gain, I'm sure they would come forward.

Not only did Roger Clemens make an unconvincing testament to the alleged steroid accusations about himself, but he seems to have prolonged the battle with Brain McNamee. Both men have agreed to meet with the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

In light of the interview, there seems to be no easy way out for Clemens. This episode is not going to die down anytime soon, and the longer it continues the more Clemens will deny the accusations. Unfortunately, it appears he will keep denying past the elligibility times for his chance to be voted into the Hall of Fame.