Why is it that rules don’t apply to Roger Clemens?
He doesn’t have to go to spring training
We don’t know yet if he is going to play this year or not (and if so, for whom), but one thing we do know is that he will not be participating in spring training for the second year in a row. Why is he able to get away with this? Why is it that he can sit on his couch through March and April and field calls from teams ready and willing to throw money at him for two-thirds of a season of work?
Imagine if Brett Favre, instead of announcing his intention to return in ’07-08 on the Friday before the super bowl, went the entire off-season wavering about his intentions. Then in like mid-September, he announced that he was coming back, and ready to listen to offers from teams. Then lets say the Packers stepped up and signed him. He would then take a month or so to get into shape and ride into town on his white horse around week 6. Would we let this take happen? As it is, Favre was ripped for dragging out his decision last year. How would he have been treated if he missed all of training camp and a significant number of games?
He doesn’t have to go to road games if he isn’t pitching
People kill Barry Bonds for being a bad teammate, and rightfully so because this seems to be true. But at least he sits in the dugout on roadtrips when he isn’t playing. Why is it that Clemens doesn’t have to do this? He isn’t the only player in the majors with a family. Wouldn’t just about every player with kids like to just show up at games in which they are scheduled to start in, and spend the other days at home with the family? Not only that, but a lot of guys have pregnant wives and/or newborn or infant kids, and they go on roadtrips. Clemens kids are in high school and college! He has got a kid in the minors for crying out loud!
We realize that Clemens is a legend and has earned a lot of leeway. But enough has got to be enough at some point, right?
He doesn’t have to go to spring training
We don’t know yet if he is going to play this year or not (and if so, for whom), but one thing we do know is that he will not be participating in spring training for the second year in a row. Why is he able to get away with this? Why is it that he can sit on his couch through March and April and field calls from teams ready and willing to throw money at him for two-thirds of a season of work?
Imagine if Brett Favre, instead of announcing his intention to return in ’07-08 on the Friday before the super bowl, went the entire off-season wavering about his intentions. Then in like mid-September, he announced that he was coming back, and ready to listen to offers from teams. Then lets say the Packers stepped up and signed him. He would then take a month or so to get into shape and ride into town on his white horse around week 6. Would we let this take happen? As it is, Favre was ripped for dragging out his decision last year. How would he have been treated if he missed all of training camp and a significant number of games?
He doesn’t have to go to road games if he isn’t pitching
People kill Barry Bonds for being a bad teammate, and rightfully so because this seems to be true. But at least he sits in the dugout on roadtrips when he isn’t playing. Why is it that Clemens doesn’t have to do this? He isn’t the only player in the majors with a family. Wouldn’t just about every player with kids like to just show up at games in which they are scheduled to start in, and spend the other days at home with the family? Not only that, but a lot of guys have pregnant wives and/or newborn or infant kids, and they go on roadtrips. Clemens kids are in high school and college! He has got a kid in the minors for crying out loud!
We realize that Clemens is a legend and has earned a lot of leeway. But enough has got to be enough at some point, right?
1 comment:
Sure, he's a legend, but that hasn't stopped the media from dragging down a lot of other legends. Clemens is rumored to be part of the steroids mess, but nobody ever does more than whisper his name. He's a semi-maniacal dick, but instead he's celebrated as a fierce competitor.
I honestly think he intimidates the media. It's really quite amazing. Nobody wants to take the first true shot at him.
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