The wretched display in Washington on Wednesday pretty much assures that neither Clemens nor McNamee will ever be heard in a courtroom. Both men came across as liars yet neither man — unless there’s a collection of credible smoking guns in someone’s cabinet — could likely lose a perjury stare down with federal prosecutors. Keep in mind that for the feds to take on a case, they have to feel good about their odds of winning. Use McNamee against Clemens? The guy who called himself “Dr. Brian McNamee” after acquiring a Ph.D. from a Louisiana diploma mill? Use Clemens against McNamee? When homeboy Pettitte and remorseful Knoblauch have basically confirmed their drug-centered relationships with Doctor Brian? Won’t happen.

But the hearing was a good reminder of stuff gone bad — the sewer-quality mix of toadies willing to do whatever it takes to gain and retain access to pro athletes, athletes who don’t think twice when it comes to lying and truth-twisting because they’ve always been able to get away with it, and politicians who prove time and time again why the Legislative branch of government needs the Judiciary (and the rest of us) to keep it honest.

There were hardly any good guys at Wednesday’s hearings. I’ll give you 100-to-1 that the truth was being twisted at both ends of the witness table. And don’t forget the posturing from elected officials, whether it was Rep. Clay, the Democrat from Missouri, who cloyingly asked Clemens what uniform he would wear on his Hall of Fame plaque (Yo, Congressman, they wear caps on their plaques!) or the oh-so-honorable Rep. Burton, the Republican from Indiana, who taunted McNamee with: “You’re here as a sworn witness. You’re here to tell the truth. And we have lie after lie after lie after lie … I know one thing I don’t believe, and that’s you.”

That being said, Section 220 wants to hand out an MVP (Most Valuable Politician) award to Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the nonvoting member from Washington, D.C., who sliced up Clemens with this snippet of sarcasm:

Norton: “Why did you keep this (McNamee)? He did some pretty horrendous things.”

Clemens: “I’m a forgiving person.”

Norton: “Mr. Clemens, I’m sure you’re going to heaven.”

Score, Congresswoman Norton!

Wednesday was theater at the expense of baseball and government. It’s a good thing our nation is so much better than many of the people we elect to represent us … and that baseball is so much greater than some who have disgraced it.

other people are here too.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 14th, 2008 at 12:27 am and is filed under Thoughts. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.