"When the Commissioner asked me to get myself together to go out there, and the league asked me to put USA on my chest and represent my team, my country, I did everything I could do to get ready. They pushed my date up to try get me ready sooner.
I told them, I could shake hands and wave flags and sell tickets for you if you want me to do that, but if you want me on the field it is going to take longer to get this body going. And I did, and I went out there and I did the best I very -- I could probably do. And I was proud to have the USA on my chest.
When a player went down in the All-Star Game in Chicago, I happened to be on my All-Star break with my youngest son at a lake house about an hour north of my house in Houston. They found me. This player was hurt, he didn't want to pitch -- collect his bonus, but did not want to pitch. They asked me if I would come pitch an inning in this game. I told them, let me talk to my family. But they found me. When all this happened, the former President of the United States found me in a deer blind in south Texas and expressed his concerns, that this was unbelievable, and to stay strong and keep your -- hold your head up high." - Roger Clemens, appearing before Congress, 2008.

"In the hopes of clearing my family name, and in the sincere desire to give my children the fair share of the American way of life, without a blemish on their name and background, I have appeared before this committee and given it all the cooperation in my power. I consider it a great dishonor to me personally to have to deny that I am a criminal. I wish to have the following noted for the record: that I served my country faithfully and honorably in World War II and was awarded the Navy Cross for actions in defense of my country; that I have never been arrested or indicted for any crime whatsoever; that no proof linking me to any criminal conspiracy whether it is called "Mafia" or "Cosa Nostra" or whatever other name you wish to give has ever been made public. I have not taken refuge behind the 5th amendment, though it is my right to do. I challenge this committee to produce any witness or evidence against me. And if they do not, I hope they will have the decency to clear my name with the same publicity with which they now have besmirched it." - Michael Corleone, apprearing before Congress in The Godfather, Part II, 1974

Labels: mitchell report, roger clemens