Major League pitcher Roger Clemens invested more than four hours of his time before a Congressional Committee denying the use of performance enhancing drugs.  About a week later, his former teammate and friend Andy Pettitte spent less than an hour talking to the media about his admitted use of Human Growth Hormone (HGH).   When you do the math, Pettitte got a much better return on his investment of time and effort. 

Both Pettitte and Clemens were among the 89 current and former Major League baseball players named in the Mitchell Report as users of steroids and HGH.  Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell took 20 months to investigate the use of illegal drugs in America’s pastime.  For the most part, players like Clemens and Pettitte did not meet with Mitchell or answer questions for the report.  In the case of Clemens and Pettitte, their former trainer Brian McNamee was the source for much of the reports very damning information that the two elite pitchers, one a sure Hall of Famer, had used performance enhancing drugs. 

In the court of public opinion you are judged by your deeds (or alleged deeds).  This is balanced by something else that is often difficult to measure: your bank of good will.  Using the controversy surrounding the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports is a very good way to explain this concept.  Let’s start with Barry Bonds.   

 Even before the Mitchell Report, Bonds was not a beloved figure.  (Except with San Francisco Giant’s aficionados who have a big blind spot when it comes to BB.)   Bonds has been hostile to the media (big mistake), booed by many fans that otherwise would be respectful of such a great player and Bonds has not exactly been an ambassador to the community.  Much has also been said about how much money Bonds has left on the table by not taking advantage of his status as an elite player to land endorsements.  Of course, much has been implied about Bond’s alleged use of performance enhancing drugs.  A well documented book by two San Francisco Chronicle writers, Game of Shadows, details the allegations against Bonds.  While Bonds has denied using drugs to improve his on-field performance, he has been judged harshly by the media, commentators and the public.  Even if Bonds wanted to “come clean” or act like a human being at this point, he has so much of a deficit in his brand equity that it would take the public a long time to find him likeable or believable.

Next, look at Clemens.  He has not been reviled like Bonds.  Had he not been mentioned in the Mitchell Report, chances are he would have punched his ticket to the Hall of Fame and few people would think of him has a “cheater.”  But Clemens exposed himself in the days after the release of the report, and certainly in the glare of the Congressional hearing.   At first he issued news releases denying the use of drugs.  He did interviews with 60 Minutes and his hometown Houston Chronicle.  But it was his lengthy testimony before Congress that likely caused many people to question Clemens’ honesty.  While his accuser Brian McNamee was less than the perfect witness in his own testimony, so much of what Clemens said seemed to be at odds with facts, logic and common sense.  Without detailing or analyzing those facts here, it was the admission of HGH use by Pettitte that put Clemens in such a poor light.   Pettitte made his confession immediately after the release of the Mitchell Report and in his closed-door Congressional deposition.

Pettitte’s admission makes him no less shameful than any of the other accused drug users.  But somehow, he’s been given a pass.  As a player, Pettitte has always been a hard working and effective contributor to his team.  His bank of good will has never been tapped.  Making the admission early, stating he made a mistake, apologizing and then saying he would work to discourage kids from taking drugs has made Andy Pettitte both credible, and yes, likeable.  In fact, Pettitte almost appears to be one of the victims of this whole scandal.  A victim when compared to Clemens who continues to beat the drum that he did nothing wrong and that his former teammate simply “misremembered” conversations that the two of them had around HGH.  Pettitte has yet to address the discrepancies between Clemens testimony, and Pettitte’s sworn deposition and affidavit to Congress.  Reporters questioning him in the news conference at spring training seemed to let him slide on that one too.

What is in Roger Clemens bank right now?  The bank of good will is nearing a zero balance.  There are too many unanswered questions.  There are too many inconsistencies.  There is a sense of entitlement, maybe even arrogance that came across in the testimony given at the Congressional hearing by Clemens.  That’s a lot of debits.  You have to admire Clemens persistence.  He’s either the most persecuted man on the face of the earth, or he’s the world’s best liar.  As innocent as Clemens might be; at this stage of the game Andy Pettitte’s stock is higher.  Like the stock market, there will be more ups and downs for all of these players.