Brian McNamee (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) – The man at the center of Roger Clemens’ perjury indictment railed against the notion that he’s a “rat” during an interview on WEEI radio.
“I’d like someone to define rat,” Clemens’ former trainer, Brian McNamee, said on Monday morning. “To me, I believe a rat is, being a former New York City cop, that’s a big word, someone who would have an ax to grind or would go tell things that normally wouldn’t be told because they’re either in trouble or there’s an ax to grind, so on and so forth.”
He added, “I didn’t give up anything. I got caught up in a situation and I did what was right.”
When the Mitchell Report came out in December 2007, it revealed that under the threat of federal prosecution McNamee had implicated Clemens in the use of steroids and human growth hormone and also said Andy Pettitte used HGH. In February 2008, McNamee repeated his accusations in testimony before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Clemens made his denials under oath.
McNamee insisted he had no experience with illegal performance enhancing drugs until he started working with Clemens.
“None whatsoever,” he said. “I had to get educated on it, to a degree. It was a culture that existed. I made some serious mistakes and I paid for them dearly. I’m pushing forward.”
Barry Bonds’ former trainer, Greg Anderson, was imprisoned last week on a contempt-of-court citation issued for refusing to testify at the slugger’s perjury trial. McNamee said he has “mixed feelings” about Anderson’s decision.
“I don’t judge him, I don’t know him. I just believe he’s doing it for a reason. That’s him,” McNamee said. “Whether it’s good or bad, I’m not sure yet.”
What are your thoughts on McNamee? Add your comments to the fray below…
(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
