by Gary Gaffney, MD, Steroid Nation
Why the fascination with Roger Clemens? Three major controversies exist in American today : Who will be the Democratic and Republican nominees for president; should the country continue a military presence in Iraq; and did Roger Clemens juice with anabolic steroids and HGH?
Since the Red Sox/Blue Jays/Yankees/Astros superstar found himself on the roster of the Mitchell Report, the Rocket's life both fascinated and repulsed sports fans all across the globe. The daily Clemens update pushed former media front-runner Barry Bonds's legal maneuvering off the sports pages this week.
Congress invited all the main characters in the Clemens's episode to the Capitol Hill for a chat. Clemens's fame overrides his potential 'roided infamy as he schmoozed members of Congress, spreading the political jelly and jam. ESPN puts together multiple specials revolving around the Clemens situation as Clemens commands a '60 Minutes' interview. The Clemens news overwhelms the beginning of baseball spring training 2008.
This love-hate triangle of Clemens-McNamee-Pettitte exponentially expanded this week when Brian McNamee -- the Clemens and Pettitte trainer who claims he injected Clemens with Rocket fuel -- produced syringes and medical paraphernalia he says accumulated from Rocket injections. McNamee then shockingly claimed he injected Debbie Clemens with HGH to enhance her appearance for a revealing photo shoot in 2003.
Ultimately the Clemens episode fits perfectly in an American gone blood drunk on image, youth, and celebrity. Clemens salivates to capture the spotlight. Born with great athletic ability, Clemens's competitive zeal and his amazing athletic longevity combined with a fanaticism for grueling workouts seemed to testify to what can be accomplished with talent and hard work. The family -- gorgeous blond wife and 4 strapping children -- also speaks to the feel-good halo that surrounds the most luminous of heroes: great men on the athletic field attract gorgeous women and loyal fan adulation off the field.
The chink in the amour appeared long ago. Clemens was an athlete who threw a shattered bat at a competitor he could not beat (competitive spirit or 'roid rage?). Clemens manipulated a system that allowed him to come in late to spring training, and picnic away from the park every day he didn't pitch. Teams jumped to compensate Clemens far beyond what appeared to be his worth as an aged, itinerant pitcher carrying his carpet bag to supply wins to what every team bid the highest for the vagrant athlete.
The revealing photo-shoot radiated weird vibes too. Roger Clemens (along with Mark McGwire) as the stud with the gorgeous, well-built mother-of-four blond towering over him. Gratuitous? Excessive? How does this almost 40 year-old mother of 4 look like she has a figure of 19 year-old body-builder/model? How many women -- at any age -- sport a voluptuous bust-line with a 6-pack abdomen? Is this a little too Anna Nicole Smith-like?
The breasts of the Clemens and McGwire women look artificial, and now Brian McNamee gives us a suspicion that the abdomen, and the leanness of the Mrs. may also also be artificial. Perfect: the muscles and stamina and the longevity of the athletic stud may be steroids and HGH enhanced, as the bust and the 6-pack of the beauty may be fake too.
The Clemens represent the ultimate American family. Multi-millionaire husband who will enter the Hall of Fame as one of the greatest pitchers in MLB history; Gorgeous stacked wife who raised 4 wonderful children, and who engages in multiple works of charity. Picture-perfect.
This American hero/American myth is not going away easily. The king will not abdicate the thrown of image and appearance without a vicious media and legal fight. That fight has now moved to the Congressional stage, where even the nation's lawmakers swoon over the strapping Texan as he moves the PR machine to Capital Hill. Will US Congressmen sell their Clemens autograph on EBay?
0 comment(s):
Post a Comment