Clemens Vehemently Denies Steroid Use

(CBS)  Update: Clemens filed a defamation suit against former trainer Brian McNamee on Jan. 6, 2008, the day this interview was broadcast and 10 days after it was filmed. Clemens filed the suit in Harris County District Court in Texas, listing 15 alleged statements McNamee made to the baseball drug investigator George Mitchell. Clemens claimed the statement were "untrue and defamatory."

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With 354 wins, Roger Clemens is one of the best pitchers in the history of baseball. There's no question about it. But as Mike Wallace reports, there are questions now about whether Roger Clemens cheated to enhance his record and prolong his career.

One of his former trainers, Brian McNamee, says that he himself injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone. McNamee's accusations were the biggest revelations in George Mitchell's report on steroid abuse for Major League Baseball.

But Clemens insists the charges are phony and that he never used steroids or any other banned substance. Clemens agreed to answer 60 Minutes' questions at his home outside Houston, where we found him to be frustrated, even furious, that so many people have been so quick to believe he cheated.

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"I'm angry that that what I've done for the game of baseball and the personal, in my private life, what I've done, that I don't get the benefit of the doubt," Clemens says. "The stuff that's being said, it's ridiculous."

"It's hogwash for people to even assume this," Clemens says.

"Twenty-four, twenty-five years Mike. You'd think I'd get an inch of respect. An inch," he adds. "How can you prove your innocence?"

"Apparently you haven't done it yet. People I talk to say, 'Come on. 45 years old? How does he still throw a ball and compete' and so forth? Impossible," Wallace remarks.

"Not impossible. You do it with hard work. Ask any of my teammates. Ask anybody that's come here and done the work with me," Clemens says.

"I was down here in 2001. You were pitching to a guy by the name of Brian McNamee," Wallace says.

"Brian McNamee, that's right," Clemens replies.

McNamee helped Clemens work out, on and off for ten years. Clemens is famous for his exhausting workouts; he's been called the hardest working man in throw-business. But now he's been thrown by what McNamee told George Mitchell.

"He gave very specific examples of times he says that he injected you with steroids. During the '98 season, you were pitching for the Blue Jays. McNamee was their strength and conditioning coach. From the Mitchell Report, quote: 'Clemens approached McNamee, and for the first time, brought up the subject of using steroids. Clemens said that he was not able to inject himself and he asked for McNamee's help. McNamee injected Clemens approximately four times in the buttocks over a several week period, with needles that Clemens provided. Each incident took place in Clemens' apartment in the Sky Dome,'" Wallace reads.

"Never happened," Clemens says. "Never happened. And if I have these needles and these steroids and all these drugs, where did I get 'em? Where is the person out there gave 'em to me? Please, please come forward."

"Mitchell Report, quote: 'According to McNamee, from the time McNamee injected Clemens with Winstrol, a steroid, through the end of the '98 season, Clemens performance showed remarkable improvement. Clemens told McNamee that the steroids, quote, had a pretty good effect on him. McNamee said Clemens was also training harder and dieting better during this time,'" Wallace reads.

"Never. I trained hard my entire career. It just didn't happen," Clemens says.

Why would Brian McNamee want to betray him?

"I don't know," Clemens says. "I'm so upset about it, how I treated this man and took care of him."

"I imagine he's watching the two of us right now, wouldn't you?" Wallace asks.

"I hope he is," Clemens says.

"Okay. Anything you want to tell him?" Wallace asks.

"Yeah. I treated him fairly. I treated him as great as anybody else," Clemens says. "I helped him out!"

"Again, from the Mitchell Report, quote, 'According to McNamee, during the middle of the 2000 season, Clemens made it clear he was ready to use steroids again. And during the latter part of the season, McNamee injected Clemens in the buttocks four to six times with testosterone. Also injected Clemens four to six times with human growth hormone,'" Wallace reads.

"My body never changed," Clemens says. "If he's putting that stuff up in my body, if what he's saying which is totally false, if he's doing that to me, I should have a third ear coming out of my forehead. I should be pulling tractors with my teeth."

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[jbryant793]

I find it very interesting that the trainer told the truth about everybody but Roger.

[harunksteve]

Baseball took their time recognizing public opinion of steroid use - they decided to ban it - I do not want Congress getting tied up in Baseball, let pro-ball make their rules and go from here - as far as roger and the hall of fame, he isn''t even in and all I know is that he does not want to wear a Boston uniform

[raine_man200]

its interesting to see roger and his lawyer say they will talk to this government committee as he has a law suit pending against his former trainer... hummmmmmmm sorry cant answer that question as it will affect the outcome of a upcoming court case. and ..... i also will note that most steroid using people that are accused all say "who me i''m innocent", just ask any person who has a finger pointed at em.. they''ll tell you that they are innocent and low and behold they have used steroids........

Recently there was a person who finally admitted using steroids and she lost her medals but when it was first brought up by someone way back when.......didnt that remind you a bit like this episode and i can still remember ben johnson... fastest man in the world ..yup ran like a stallion in heat.. say "who me..not me i never took any enhancing drugs".........
so please when names are brought forward and the public hears em.. we are usually the last to hear the talk.. itd be interesting to hear honest athletes be asked what they have heard.. but then the union wouldnt want that ..is this making any sense?

[Kafir1]

I''m amazed that Mike Wallace didn''t ask Roger Clemens why he had asked his trainer, not his physician, to inject him with Lidocaine, and B12. Who would you want providing and administrating injectable substances into you - a trainer, or a physician?

[egprescott]

I''ve been a Red Sox fan for as about 37 years, born and raised 15 min. from Fenway Park. When Clemens was with them, I thought he was the most arrogant player we''d ever had. Today though, his arrogance doesn''t make him guilty until proven innocent. Personally, although I''ve never liked him, I believe him. More so, I believe in the American Justice System - Innocent until proven guilty.

[zibbydot-2009]

McNamee is a narcissist guilty of pushing illegal drugs. By definition he is the most extreme form of a risk taker at the expense of others credibility. We think his freedom depended on ''the truth''. For McNamee it is his self preservation at all cost that hung in the balance and lead to the report. His motivation to target Clemens and other players is nothing more than a game of deflection. He is too arrogant to believe he could actually go to prison, he just needed to cleverly organize his play on the legal system and public in a way that would redeem his credibility, all the while someone else the center of negative attention. A narcissist primary motivation is to be the one revered, and McNamee certainly accomplished that with his self titled report, how fitting.
McNamee has nothing to lose and everything to gain with this illusion. He has had great satisfaction toying with Clemens, the other players and the public at large. He is living the narcissist dream.

[bookmark440]

It comes down to credibility. I lived in Boston during Clemens'' entire run. Every season, there were nasty incidents involving Roger which don''t get national press. Things like going to a California golf course with three buddies during a West coast road trip and making a scene because they wouldn''t comp him AND his buddies with free golf. But when he''s asked about these things, he always denies or deflects and blames the other guy. Take the 1986 World Series ''Bill Buckner'' game. People forget that Clemens took himself out of that game then denied it later. The person he called a liar then was John McNamara, one of the most honorable and respected coaches in the league. That''s his pattern. And this assertion that he has ''always'' worked hard, the hardest working guy in baseball is just false. From ''93-''96 in Boston, he showed up at spring training overweight and out-of-shape. From 1993 through July,1996, he was 34-36 with an ERA of 4.00. He was 4-10 through July/96 when he suddenly realizes that he''s a free agent at the end of the season and pitches an unreal Aug (4-1. 1.85 ERA). So, I basically think the guy is a scum-bag with no credibility.

I don''t know anything about Brian McNamee at all. But I do know that the ONLY way he could blow his immunity was to lie, in which case he goes directly to jail. My guess is that Clemens treated him like garbage the same way he treats everybody else and that he didn''t hestitate to rat him out.

[karenpeterse]

As a person who was wrongfully accused of baseless lies and falsehoods in the workplace, I am sympathetic to the pain Roger Clemens has endured, and the helpless feeling of not being able to defend oneself against such allegations. I hope he fights back with a vengeance and clears his name. He deserves better, and so did I. Doesn''t ''innocent until proven guilty'' mean anything?
Karen Petersen
Former Manager, Honolulu Office
Western Temporary Services

[enoll6]

All of you idiots that keep asking for this polygraph apparetly are unaware that they are complletely unreliable and do not prove a thing. We will probably never know the the truth about what happened but until there is proof other than one guy accusing another there is no point in debating this issue any further. The man is innocent util there is some sort of proof or coroborating evidence or witness. I am sure if he did take hgh or steroids he did nont talk about it with anyone.

As for the other overly inteligent statement of cheating because he used painkillers to play through injuries all athletes do this for instance Big Papi and his shoulder all season so please get a clue!!!

[amainer]

Here I am a Red Sox fan, and now your telling me Major League Baseball bites again. I was kind of liking it where it was. Thanks, Senator Mitchell from Maine. "He said she said". Anybody got any test results?