Roger Clemens is an arrogant prick

The BBQ Pit
1

Threatens to boycott his induction ceremony if his plaque doesn’t depict him in a Yankee cap.

Quote: “I play 20 years, work my tail off, they’re not going to tell me what hat I’m wearing (into the Hall of Fame),” Clemens said Saturday. {Sure they will. They will tell you if you’re inducted, when you’re inducted, what your plaque will say, where it will hang, what mementos will be displayed, and what cap you are wearing.}

Quote: “I became a Hall of Famer here.” {*(referring to the Yankees). Hold on a minute, bub. Last time I looked, you are still on an active roster. Active players are ineligible for induction. You are not a Hall of Famer. *}

Granted, he has all the qualifications to be inducted, 5 Cy Youngs, 300 Wins, 4000 K’s, but he seems to be putting the cart before the horse. He has not appeared on a single induction ballot, and he is not a guaranteed first ballot inductee. Something (unlikely, to be sure) could happen that would eliminate him from consideration. As it stands now, he is simply, arguably, the most dominant pitcher of the last 20 years. He has Hall of Fame caliber statistics, certainly. He IS NOT, however, a Hall of Famer.

Personally, I’d like to see him inducted without a cap, and then, only on the 2nd ballot. Maybe that will calm the ego a bit. Or in a Toronto cap, where he set the record for most Cy Youngs by one pitcher.

Induction to the Hall of Fame is a great honor, to be treated as such. To talk about it as if you are already inducted is an affront to the Hall, it’s members, and the fans. There are several former players who belong in the Hall, but aren’t inducted for one reason or another. I would think Clemens’ comments are particularly insulting to them.

Roger, just shut up and pitch. Everything else will work out.

2

The Hall took gave itself the final say on which cap to use a few years ago after some players (we won’t say who, but there was one who could cause his team to WIN on the FIELD) were “auctioning” off the honor. Could you imagine Babe Ruth going into the Hall with a Braves Cap? Hank Aaron with a Brewers cap? Willie Mays with a Mets cap? While the players were responsible enough to make the decision with an honest evalution of their careers, they were allowed to make the decision. When it came down to players trying to make a quick buck on the honor, then the Hall took back the honor.

That said, if the Hall wants to put him in there with a BoSox cap, that’s entirely within their rights. If Roger doesn’t like it, then let him walk out on the highlight of his post-playing career. He’ll never have a bigger day once he hangs 'em up than his Hall Induction ceremony.

Zev Steinhardt

3

Red Sox fan checking in here.

To me, let Roger go in with a Yankee cap – I consider him now more a Yankee than a former member of the Red Sox!!

It was just great to see that after Roger won his 300th game, he honored his current team in the post-game press conference – by wearing an Adidas hat!! (Maybe he should wear THAT into the HOF.) That about says it all for Clemens, he only cares about himself, not about the team. (I believe he even has a contract with Reebok to promote their footwear!) The only two reasons why Clemens signed with the Yankees in the first place was (1) the money & (2) the Yankees gave him the greatest chance & the fastest route to 300 wins (the only thing he really cared about). Now that he has this, he’ll retire at the end of the year (but still be paid $1M/year for the next 10 years by the Yankees).

Roger Clemens is the antithesis of the team player. What else would you expect from him?

4

He’s rich, he’s famous.

Of course! he’s an arrogant prick!

What could have possibly made you think otherwise?

5

sir viks, I think that was a Mizuno logo. He uses their gloves.

6

Another Sox fan here – dear God, please staple the Yankees cap to his head. We don’t want him. Amen.

7

Another Red Sox fan here, and we don’t want him! Perhaps the good people of Boston need to rally behind the cause of Roger’s Yankeehood. Go to hell, Roger.

8

Actually, he came to the Yankees mostly for the World Series ring, He does come across as rather arrogant and a prick at times (see Piazza, Mike).

He’s also a guaranteed first balloter for the HoF. At 40, he can still throw 99mph strikes (most are 93-95 though). He eats, drinks, sleeps and dreams baseball. His conditioning routine is legendary, as is his dedication to being the best he can be.

I can be both arrogant and a prick at times myself. IMO, he’s earned the right more than me to act so.

9

I don’t see how the hall has any right to use a person’s name and likeness to promote their museum without that person’s permission, or in a manner that person doesn’t approve of.

From Roger’s perspective (presumably) the Red Sox organization considered him washed up 6 years or so ago, and let him go to Toronto. Why should he want that team’s logo over his head in a museum? I can very much understand a guy like him, or Wade Boggs, who has said similar things, wanting the logo to be from a team that respected their accomplishments and didn’t just cut them loose as they approached the end of their careers.

If Dave Winfield wanted to sell the space over his noggin to the Padres, why not? He’s the one who has to live with his face under that cap for all time, right? He’s the one who will be snickered at, embarassed by the connection, not anybody else.

10

I’ll admit I don’t know much about basebore, but it seems it is pretty much the antithesis of a team sport. With all the individual superstars and stats, wins credited to the pitcher only and all the glory to the homerun hitters it seems this guys attitude is right in line with the sport.

But what the hell do I know? I could not care less about all of it.

Fagjunk Theology: Not just for sodomite propagandists anymore.

11

In other news, the Pope announced he is Catholic, a bear was seen squating in the woods and Bill Cosby said he is black.

12

What, is he meaner than Ty Cobb? Seriously, that’s who he reminds me of.

13

It’s a museum that specializes in the history of baseball, not legally or financially connected to the major leagues in any way. Museums are certainly within the rights to portray historical figures in a manner they consider historically accurate.

So far as I am aware this decision has not been formally made yet. Clemens is years away from HoF induction, and might still be given his wish of a Yankees cap. It wouldn’t be a ridiculous travesty like having Boggs wear a Devil Rays cap.

14

Well, his case was the other one which prompted the rule change by the Hall. Reportedly, Boggs agreed to a contract with the Rays that required him to go into the Hall with a Devil Rays cap. Fortunately, the decision is no longer his.

Zev Steinhardt

15

This is fair, I suppose. Of course, Roger (and Wade) should not be under any obligation to promote or celebrate the museum’s portrayal of them if they don’t like the manner under which it is done.

A lot of people seem to think that players should accept whatever the hall gives them without question or even input into the process.

16

The Hall has said that they will take the players’ wishes into consideration. But in this case, it just doesn’t matter. Clemens should go in with a Red Sox cap, it’s just more historically accurate - acrimonious parting or not.

And no, Clemens is not and should not be legally obliged to go, but it would still be really selfish and unclassy as it gets. But then, that’s Roger.

17

However they will be more than happy to be introduced as Hall of Famers when they go to autograph signings and the like.

If they don’t like the way the HoF portrays them then they should not use the recognition that comes with it. The HoF does not need Clemens or Boggs in their museum. Boggs and Clemens want to be recognized for their accomplishment by the HoF.

The HoF has the upper hand and the final say with this. If they don’t like it they don’t need to attend the ceremony. The HoF will still go on without them.

BTW, Clemens should wear a BoSox Cap.

18

Here is an ESPN Classic article from 2001 on the whole cap issue.

http://espn.go.com/classic/s/2001/0802/1234345.html

19

The most appropriate cap would be one with a big dollar sign on it. Do they have those?

20

Clemens will go in as a Yankee, you can bet the house on it. Why should he go in as a memebr of the Red Sox particularly, he has played a significant amount of his career in New York and his only World Series victories were there. I don’t think this will be an issue.