Roger, Over and Out Roger Clemens was right. Whatever happens to come out of the Congressional hearing from here on out, he will never have his name restored. And he'll be the reason.

He said early on that the Hall of Fame was not something he gave a rat's hind parts about." But as he continues to sink deeper into the morass that he created, he is now certain to join Mark McGwire, Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson in that purgatory that lies between compromised greatness and Cooperstown immortality.

It is still a you-blink-first battle of statements between he and his former trainer, Brian McNamee. But his buddy, Andy Pettitte, may have thrown some weight behind McNamee's claims. Yeah, he had his moments of Texas toughness--denying once again that he used steroids, declaring he had serious disagreements with McNamee (duh!), and asking how one can prove a negative. He played the concerned citizen, expressing sympathy at the death of a California representative, played the patriot, expressing the pride he felt in playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, played the victim as he was lit into by Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, and later by California Rep. Henry Waxman, but he never really played the role that made him so successful on the mound: the intimidating power pitcher. His denials just had no oomph to them.

Now he has to sit and wait while the swirls and whispers of perjury charges loom about. I know many still hold on to the hope that he is innocent in all this, but I think another sports hero came toppling down.

Quick thoughts:

So the Jason Kidd to Dallas trade gets nixed because of Devean George's contract fine print, a virtual no-trade clause. I'd love a simple explanation of this "early Bird clause", but I think I'd fall asleep in the middle of the explanation.

I wonder what the folks at Indiana are thinking, with the news that Kelvin Sampson surely will be bringing the first NCAA sanctions against the school since 1960? They will get hit hard by these violations, especially the charge that he misled the investigation. Someone needed to take Kelvin's phone away from him.

I loved the story that Frank did Wednesday on the young basketball player at Fox High School, Cory Dunning, who played on despite cancer and even bypassed chemotherapy because his family have no health coverage. There will be much more to come on Cory's story on Sports Plus this Sunday, but already we've had many inquiries about how they can help Cory's situation. This is one reason why I love the power we have to reach others, and one reason why I love this area. Sure, we get picked on by the coasts for being too sentimental towards our athletes, but in a situation like Cory's people bypass their cynicism and jump to the cause.

Cardinals spring training officially begins Thursday with the first pitchers and catchers workout. I've always looked forward to this time of year, but I don't have the usual anticipation this year. Could be because although the end of last season seems so long ago, but I get the feeling it'll be more of the same in 2008. Play ball. Ho hum.

Until next time...... ¶ 11:25 PM