Roger Clemens defended himself on national television and said he never took steroids. It was not a shining moment. Roger has pitched better. Now he needs a relief pitcher to mop up.

One of baseball's best pitchers ever, and certainly the richest pitcher ever, has been accused of using steroids and human growth hormone to boost his performance on the field and extend his illustrious career.

Roger and his accuser appeared before Congress and national television cameras and told their side, opposite sides, of wickedly sordid story of performance enhancing drug use.

Frankly, Roger didn't look so good. He perspired heavily, was obviously nervous, had difficulty reading a prepared script, did not answer questions with convincing authority, stammered, stuttered, and stuck out his thirsty tongue at least 127 times.

Roger looked more like Roger the Liar than Roger the Rocket.

Meanwhile, his accuser was calm, cool, and collected and looked every bit as innocent as Roger looked guilty.

Who told the truth? It's possible that neither one of them told the whole truth, and it's probable no one will ever know. It's possible that Roger's former trainer injected him with illegal drugs without Roger's knowledge. Therefore, Roger is a victim, not a perpetrator. Or, perpetraitor. I get those two mixed up.

Either way, it's over for Roger the Rocket. He couldn't save the Yankees and win them a pennant or a World Series, and he probably can't save himself, either.

It's a sad, sordid affair, but I don't weep for Roger the Rocket. The Yankees gave him $28-million to help them lose the pennant.