How fast can Roger Clemen's career and legacy fall into the gutter. The once dominant pitcher who threw 20 strikeouts in one game on two separate occasion has now been labelled as a cheater on and off the field.
On the Field:
Barry Bonds was once the lone sacrificial lamb of the steroids era in baseball but now with allegations from Brian McNamee, a dark cloud overhangs the legitimacy of Clemen's career and legacy.
What will always stick out in my mind is during the subway series between the Yankees and Mets in 2000 - the Clemens and Piazza feud - when Clemens threw the broken bat at Piazza is an exact depiction of a steroid user exemplifying roid rage. At the time we all thought it was intensity and competitiveness ended up being steroids.
If Barry Bonds has an asterisk beside his accomplishments, I think Roger Clemens should too.
Off the Field:
His affair with Mindy Mccready really put a stamp on what kind of person Roger Clemens really is. She was only 15 YEARS OLD! He is 13 years older than she is.
There are also allegations of Clemens involved in three other extra-marital relationships. The real victim is definitely Debbie Clemens who has to live with his roid-rage, extra curricular activities, and personality.
The once legend is just part of the bigger picture of the steroid usage era in Major League Baseball. Records were falling left and right from Barry Bonds home run record to Roger Clemens pitching dominance. Arguably the two best pitcher and hitter in history resided in this time period. Clemens was lucky to have kept away from all the controversies and hate Barry Bonds was receiving until his name was dragged into the dark clouds. It is interesting however that both Clemens and Bonds have off-field issues and are not the most well-liked people in baseball. The longer this drags on, the hate for Roger Clemens increases. I wonder if he will ever make it into the Cooperstown now. Funny how in a few simple years, someone can be at at the pinnacle only to fall off the mountain in an instance.
