The trial of baseball legend Roger Clemens is over. The facts have been aired, and the jury has found him not guilty on all counts.
There will, however, be no convincing sportswriters of Roger's innocence. Angry at being duped by star players, these self-appointed protectors of America's pastime turned their fury on Roger when he refused to apologize for a sin he denied committing.
Congress got swept up in the outrage, forcing Roger to testify before the cameras and referring him to the Justice Department for indictment when he did not say what lawmakers wanted to hear.
I advised Roger and his legal team before, during and after the congressional hearing that was the basis of his prosecution. Here is what I saw:
The most remarkable thing about Roger is his physique. He is huge -- neck, thighs, arms. He is a barrel-chested man. Athletes who use steroids seem to shrink after they stop using; Roger is as big as ever.
Roger works out obsessively. Every day, before or after trips to Capitol Hill or court, Roger would run and go to the gym. He gave fitness tips to the legal team. He even admitted to occasionally watching his wife's exercise videos. He talked about how, as a young pitcher, he figured out that Nolan Ryan got his power from his legs and became determined to train his way to an even faster fastball.
Behind closed doors, Roger never wavered in asserting his innocence. I have spent my career around politicians and people in trouble, and you can almost always tell when you're not getting the whole story.
We in Washington know how answers are carefully crafted to avoid embarrassing truths. Not with Roger. Never once did he try to shade the facts or exhibit uncertainty. During hearing preparation in a room full of attorneys, when asked if he would take a lie-detector test, Roger did not hesitate before answering yes.
