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August 2009
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February 2008 ArchivesPro Boxer is a new business partner of the Houston Dynamo MLS team ... and he told me in a one on one interview that his number one priority now is to get a stadium deal done with the city for his new team. Prior to a downtown rally at lunchtime today ...... De La Hoya pledged his support to the sport of soccer in Houston in a big way. ...There was a note hanging in Phil Garner's locker this morning when he arrived at Victoria's Riverside Stadium, it read: "Gar, don't screw it up. This big machine is rolling. T.P." ...The ownership changeover for the Dynamo is beginning to happen. According to my sources ..... Golden Boy Promotions ... owned by pro boxer Oscar DeLoya .... along with Brener International Group .... has agreed in principle to buy 50% of the Dynamo team. How this will affect the current negotiations to get the team's new stadium built downtown is up in the air ..but this would seem to be a positive step in that regard. AEG ...the current owner of the Dynamo ... has been hedging on putting up anymore money to build the stadium at this point ...and the City of Houston .... apparantly just wants to donate the land ... The jersey number is #36 ..and the name on the back is Niekro. No, it's not one of those throwback "rainbow" jobs from the 80's in a salute to the late pitcher Joe Niekro. No ... this time it's hanging in the locker of a current Astros player. Just across the room from that locker ...hangs the jersey of Jose Cruz Jr. and just seeing those names on the backs of Astros jerseys ...... summons up images of the past. ...On Thursday night, I watched Rockets general manager Daryl Morey talk about his team's Coach Rick Adelman is giving guard Bobby Jackson the keys to his car again. In the past, When you watch Astros manager Cecil Cooper observe Carlos Lee, Miguel Tejada and Lance Berkman take batting practice ..... you can also see a smile come across his face. He calls them his "Big 3" .. and with those three in the heart of his batting lineup .... he's confident about going to battle with any team. ...Now that the Mitchell Report has brought illegal performance enhancement drugs into the spotlight ...... each individual Astros player is dealing with it in a very personal way. When Miguel Tejada arrived in camp yesterday ......there was a urine sample cup waiting for him on his lockeroom chair. Wednesday .... relief pitcher Doug Brocail .... was worried he'd be late on the field for the morning workout ....because he couldn't go. Ya know ....go. He'd been main-lining bottled water since arriving at the training facility today .... but it didn't make a difference. ...That's what a report out of Colordo is saying. A Greeley, Colorado newspaper is reporting that Shawn Chacon ...who pitched for the Pirates the past couple of seasons .. is on the verge of signing a one year deal with the Astros ...There's all kinds of news coming out of the Astros camp today ...as GM Ed Wade just announced that the team had prevailed in it's arbitration case with infielder Mark Loretta. ...Hunter Pence ...the starting right fielder for the Astros in 2008 .... will miss the first week of spring training workouts ..... after sustaining numerous cuts and lacerations on his hands and knees .....while accidentally jumping through a sliding glass door last night. ...Here's the other story coming out of Astros Spring Training Camp in Kissimmee. Hunter Pence was admitted an an area hospital's emergency room overnight ....after he crashed through a sliding glass door. He was seen wearing a bandage on his hand this morning. ...The Astros new shortstop Miguel Tejada arrived in camp this morning much to the delight of his manager ...Cecil Cooper... and his teammates. Tejada would not talk about the Federal investigation going on though ... .concerning his alleged lying to investigators back in 2005. ...The Astros pitchers and catchers went through their 5th Spring Training workout Monday ..and 12 position players were also on hand. No......as of Monday afternoon .... Miguel Tejada isn't here yet. ...I have watched Roger Clemens pitch in games and workout on practice fields enough to know that no one who's ever been a competitive athlete ....... has the ability to focus mentally on the task at hand better than him. But Wednesday ... in front of a Congressional Committee ... called to investigate illegal use of banned substances in Major League Baseball .... Roger got a "no decision." ...Davis ...says he thinks it's been a just discussion .... but he thanks the witnesses for coming. I have to run out ..and try to talk to the witnesses ...I'll have a live report on 11 News at 5 & 6. See you then.!! ...Watson is a Democrat from California. Says McNamee's acts basically are those of a lying drug dealer. ...The Republican from Connecticut is talking ....and talking ....and talking ....but asking no questions. He says he views McNamee as a police officer who turned into a drug dealer. He says Pettitte has more credibility than either Clemens or McNamee. Clemens responds ...by saying,"If Andy Pettitte thought I was using HGH ....he would have come to me and asked me about it ...and he didn't" But his comment was cut off by Cummings .....Cummings says,"Why would McNamee lie about you ..and not lie about the other two.??" (Pettitte & Knoblauch). Clemens is responding ....saying,"Pettitte asked him what he was going to say to reporters ..what would you say if they asked you about using steroids." >> Continue reading: Rep. Cummings Now Has The Floor..... Foxx says she believes that Scheleer and his investigators jumped to conclusions about his use of performance enhancement substances. Scheleer is refuting that. mishandled this investigation. Clemens answers by saying the Players Association and MLB management are now headed in the right direction. Murphy .. a Democrat from Connecticut ... is asking the federal investigator, Charlie Scheleer ... if Clemens and others received sufficient notice that Senator Mitchell wanted to talk with them. Scheleer now has glasses on and reading from a prepared statement. She shows pictures to the committee and says she doesn't see any changes in his body type through that time period. Roger reads a statement from his wife. REp. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina says to put in the record that this committee's job is not holding hearings on baseball. But while we're here she says ....let me ask a few questions. She mentions the fact that several times during this testimony ....the reps have had to leave for votes on the house floor. ...Westmoreland is asking what Clemens thinks of current drug policy of MLB. Massachusetts Rep. John Tierney is back in charge of the discussion. Issa was cut off ...his time is out. Issa ....comments that after McNamee admitted that he lied about having a PHD in physical conditioning .... Issa said," It seems to me that many times PHD stands for Piled Higher and Deeper. " He is asking Clemens if baseball's testing policy ...current policy ... is good for the game and the players involved. He says he believes MLB is headed in the right direction. Issa is asking Scheleer is he is still standing by the Mitchell Report. Braley is a Democrat from Iowa. Clemens acknowledges that McNamee gave him chiropractic adjustments instead of a doctor. Clemens says that McNamee claimed he had his PHD. He later found out he was ly... Duncan ... is a Republican from Tennessee. Clemens now explains that he was never told by his baseball agent or the players association to go meet with Mitchell. He now is telling about how he got ready to play for Team USA in the World Baseball Tournament a couple of years ago. He said he has represented the country whenever asked ...and Bud Selig... Davis is a Democrat from Illinois ....and he's asking investigator Charlie Scheleer ... questions. McNamee claimed at one time he had falsified his work record. He said in the past that he had a PHD in physical conditioning and Davis pointed out that the inaccuracy of that. Davis says he never appeared in advertising material saying he was Clemens and Pettitte's doctor. ...Clemens has been asked about how he reached his former nanny. He said he hadn't talked to her in several years. Davis pointed out that the committee would not have found the nanny if it wouldn't have been for Clemens and his representatives' efforts. Clemens is now explaining why he might have been seen dropping his wife or a golf partner but ,"I was not holed up with someone making a drug deal." ...We're waiting for Clemens' party to return. And I think everyone needs it. ...Clemens says he trusted McNamee totally during the training process. Clemens is answering. He says McNamee apologized to him about injecting Debbie ... and he says thought he had a PHD ... when he actually didn't. Clemens says people try to deceive him on a regular basis. Clemens answers ..and Norton finishes by saying that she's sure Clemens is going to heaven!! ...Waxman is concerned about this. He thinks Clemens pressured the nanny to form her answer for her. Clemens' attorneys are now standing behind him......and Hardin is visually upset. Waxman is questioning Clemens about the alleged meeting in Florida with Jose Conseco. Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay has the floor ...and is allowing Clemens to talk about his past. He talks about losing his dad at an early age ....age 9 ....and how he didn't have a car while attending high school. He ran to and from school. He's now telling the history of his family and it's trials while he was growing up. He says .. there's someone in this room ..that is trying to break my spirit ...but I won't let him. McNamee is now saying that he's never denied to federal invetigators that Clemens used steroids. McNamee's answers are yes and no ... at this point. Clay is asking McNamee i... Souder is a Republican from Indiana. Souder chaired the Narcotics Commission at one time ..... and he's now grilling McNamee about the dirty syringes and gauze pads. He is asking chairman Waxman to release the depositions. Souder is chastising MLB players for the "wall of science" from players about drug usage. Maloney ... a Democrat from New York .... acknowledges his accomplishments with the Yankees ...but then presses in. Clemens says he was never told by his baseball agent that Mitchell wanted to see him. Questioning Brian McNamee. He asks McNamee about the syringes and gauze pads stained with blood. McNamee says that at DNA test will prove that the blood is from Clemens. The Winstrol ... was a milky looking liquid steroid ...' Clemens now is telling Mica that it's untrue that McNamee injected him with steroids. Schleerer continues to defend the Mitchell Report .... and that the Mitchell Report didn't say illegal drugs were discussed at that lunch party ....but McNamee does. ...Kanjorski ...is asking attorney Charlie Scheleer ... about the accuracy of the report. McNamee claims he injected Clemens with Winstrol ...a steroid. Davis is disputing the line of questioning by Rep. Lynch. McNamee says he injected Clemens in Tampa Bay while Clemens was playing with the Toronto Blue Jays. McNamee is being asked about alleged injections in Tampa. He's being asked was it June as McNamee says ...or in August as the schedule reads from that season. Davis is making it clear ....other training staff members of Toronto don't remember any injury to his buttocks ....but McNamee says he does. McNam... Doctor says the study in compatible ti the Winstrol injection .... as the inflammatory component is prominent by report. Not complication from B-12." Clemens' attorney tries to inject a comment ....but it's disallowed. Lynch says he just wants to find the truth. He's asking Clemens to comment on the mass of skin on his buttocks. Clemens' attorney just handed a note to Roger. Clemens says ..."I don't want to get on Dr. Taylor ..but if he gave me a bad shot ... he gave me a bad shot." Lynch is a Democrat ...and has an HGH bill in the works in Congress. This could get really detailed... the questioning that is. Lynch is saying that there was a bulge of skin on Clemens buttocks .... Lynch ...says the MRI done on Clemens ... "likely related to the patient's prior intermuscular injections." ...Burton asks McNamee how Clemens can get his reputation back. Burton says he doesn't believe McNamee. ...The questioning so far ... is falling down party lines. Burton .. is a Republican from Indiana ....and he's asking McNamee about why he kept syringes and gauze pads....5 years after he allegedly injected him with steroids. Burton is asking him why he would do this ...even though he didn't stop working for him. Clemens says McNamee regularly left luggage at his place ...and that's why he went through McNamee's luggage. Clemens says he didn't research HGH .... even though Debbie was injected with it ... because she had circulation problems. Roger says she was having itching problems.... Clemens is being asked about his testimony that he said,"I never talked with McNamee about HGH." Clemens countered that he had no "detailed" conversations with McNamee about HGH. But Tierney is pressing Clemens saying..."You said you never discussed HGH ...but here in later testimony ....it's obvious that you did discuss HGH with McNamee. Clemens ....turns to ask his attorney something ....and then continues. ...Tierney ..a Democrat from Massachusetts ... is asking Clemens about his testimony concerning the use of HGH. Tierney says Clemens gave false testimony .... Davis is still asking about that alleged meeting in Florida with Conseco. Now ....Clemens is explaining why he takes B-12 and other vitamins every other day. Congressman Davis ends his questioning ....but not before ....Clemens says McNamee injected him several times with B-12 in both Toronto and New York. McNamee says he never injected Clemens with B-12. He says,"The first time I heard of Roger taking B-12 was on 60 Minutes." >> Continue reading: Clemens Still Talking With Davis ..... McNamee says Clemens was there talking with Jose Conseco about steroids. McNamee says he saw Clemens' nanny grabbing one of the kids outside the pool ....and then later saw Roger and Debbie at that pool party. In his deposition ...pointed out by Rep. Davis ...McNamee says at one point ... McNamee says one time after he injected Clemens he bled through his designer pants. Mike Stanton ... according to McNamee .... took HGH. Clemens says he's surprised to learn of that. From Brian McNamee .... Davis begins by asking Brian McNamee questions about the number of injections he gave these Yankee ballplayers. Pettitte, Clemens and Knoblauch. ...Cummings now asks McNamee ...if he remembered a conversation with Clemens about illegal drugs. McNamee says he remembers ....and Cummings time runs out. Clemens says he doesn't know anything about his wife using HGH. He says Debbie read an article about it in HGH ... maybe it was 2005. Pettitte claims he talked with Clemens about HGH during spring training in Kississimmee, Florida during spring training. ...Cummings is now reading what Laura Pettitte ... Andy's wife ....said about her husband talking to Clemens about HGH. Clemens continues to say they were discussing HYDROXY CUT which included ephedrin.... which Clemens says they all later learned that after a Baltimore Oriole player died ..... they thought they should stop taking it. Clemens is still saying Andy must have misheard him. ...Clemens is asked if he thinks Andy was lying when he talked to the committee. During this conversation .....his version of it ... anyway. Clemens says Pettitte is his friend and always will be. He says Andy misheard what Roger said during a workout at his house in the Piney Point area. Clemens is asked if he realizes he's under oath. McNamee says he never injected Clemens with B-12 and the pain killer Lydacaine. He repeated that he injected Clemens with steroids and HGH. He says he hopes ... he now can become part of the solution to solve the problem with illegal drug use in baseball. He first admitted that he also made mistakes using these illegal drugs. ...He didn't ever take steroids of HGH. ...Clemens originally was going to say he never had taken HGH and steroids. Opening statements are starting ..... beginning with Clemens. Still Photographers are lined up two deep .... squatting in front of Clemens and McNamee ... snapping pictures. ...I described this statement before ..... Pettitte's testimony includes telling about HGH conversations with his wife, Laura. Waxman says Clemens gave false statements during depositions. Waxman now is pointing out that Clemens has visited with members of the committee. Waxman repeats ... that it's obvious that someone here is lying. Waxman says Knoblauch was a help to the committee and he lauds Pettitte for the god-fearing honest man that he is. Waxman ... the chairman of this committe is making his opening statement. Clemens is wearing a dark suit with a red-striped tie. His wife Debbie is behind him ...... McNamee says in his opening statement that he injected Clemens numerous times with steroids and HGH. He says,"I have helped taint our national pastime." ...Davis will outline in his opening statement what this committee is trying to accomplish. He says because of the "strenuous challenge of the Mitchell Report" the committee members felt the need to hold these hearings. ...I just got a copy of Roger Clemens' opening statement to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform .... and he once again is going to tell the Committee that he has never used steroids, HGH or any other type of illegal performance enhancing drugs. ...I'm in ..... again. I first arrived in the committee room for today's hearing two hours ago ... but I was escorted out. The media liason for this hearing told me I was too early and shouldn't be in here. Of course .... shortly thereafter ... is when the entire "backpack scare" started. ...Security officials just announced to the gathering media hoard ....that we can now move towards the meeting room. I'm moving ....more later!! ...The bag ..... according to two different people who saw him ..... belongs to a Comcast employee. No he wasn't here installing a new cable system with DVR. ...An unattended backpack ... sent everyone scurrying a few minutes ago inside the Sam Rayburn Congressional Building.. ...After flying into the Baltimore Regional Airport ... I came into Washington D.C. today by train. Imagine that ... a system that transports working commuters to places they need to go to ... in an economical manner ?? Will Houston ever have such a system?? ...Roger Clemens was back on Capitol Hill today ..... pleading his case to members of Congress. I'm writing you from inside the Sam Rayburn building. I'm in Room 2154 where tomorrow the big Clemens vs McNamee steroids showdown will take place. ...I have to go down to the field for an interview .... and then a live report on 11 News at 10. Wow .....Adolfo Bautista turned the Americans inside out witha 360 move ....and in frustration ....Ricardo Clark knocked him down ...setting up a penalty kick....that was stopped easily. Still 2-2 in the 60th minute. ...I still can't believe Eddie Robinson is not in uniform ....but Ricardo Clark has played pretty well for the US so far. we're in the 53rd minute ...and it's still 2-2. ...I got the ruling why America's 3rd goal in the first half didn't count. It's still 2-2 in the 51st minute. ...It's 2-all ....the ssist on that last goal goes to Carlos Salcido of Mexico. ...We are tied .......Jonny Magallon with a kick in the 47th minute!! ...Carlos Vela just missed a shot on goal for Mexico ....wide right. I'll have to take a break at halftime .....and I'll have to stop blogging for my 10pm live report on 11 News ....but I'll be blogging up until that point. The early action .... I thought was controlled by Mexico. Michael Bradley gets a yellow card just before halftime .....but Mexico can't score off the free kick. It's 2 to 1 .......U.S. leading at the half. ...The US weathered the early storm from Team Mexico and now most of the actioin is in the US offensive end of the field ....in front of the Mexico goal. US leads 2-1 in the 45th minute. ...the US nearly scored again .....but the ball just didn't quite get into the net. What an incredible goal ....... Drew Moor with a long pass to the middle of the box ....and Jozy Altidore ....redirects the pass with his head ....and hits the header right into the net!!!! it's turned away ...and now US on the attack........in the 40th minute. ...Just issued to Carlos Salcido of Mexico .....after he tripped Landon Donovan in the 38th minute. ...With that Mexico goal ..... that marks only the 2nd time El Tri has scored on American soil since 2000. We're tied at 1-1 in the 37th minute ........ ...Jonny Magallon just scored off the free kick kby Pavel Pardo ...... And the fans of Mexico .....are countering now with their own cheer. Stunned that the US just scored that goal ..... after Mexico had controlled much of the first part of this match. What a great header .... by Onyewu. US leads in the 33rd minute. ...Landon Donovan with a great over the back kick to Oguchi Onyewu ...who hits it in with his head for the score. 1-0 USA. ...Landon Donovan tried to b end a corner kick toward the goal ....but it was knocked away easily .... now a thorw in .....and the US is threanging ......and the header goes in!!!! ...The first legitimate shot on goal by the US was taken by Clint Dempsey ....but it was stopped by Guillermo Ochoa easily. ...most of the action is taking place on the Mexican offensive end. Towards the US goal. This time ...it was a great threat by El Tri ....but De Nigris misses high!! Antonio De Nigris's shot on goal ....easily stopped by US goalkeeper Tim Howard. It's wide and gathered up by US goalkeeper Tim Howard easily. ...Pavel Pardo takes the free kick ....and it's headed away .... and then Mexico kicks it out of bounds past the endline. ...US goalkeeper Tim Howard collides with Carlos Bocanegra in front of the US goal .....and Bocanegra is shaken up!! ...El Tri gets a free kick in their own end of the field. ...
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Dynamo midfielder Clark .... again is the only Dynamo player that will see action tonight. We're in the 15th minute. Still no score!! ...But just as Mexico kicked the ball away harmlessly .....the Mexico team also rushed to the other end ....and almost had an opportunity of it's own. No score however ..... we are still scoreless in the 11th minute. ...American free kick by Landon Donovan coming ..... but it's knocked away easily. ...To a header ....but the header wasn't even close ......I don't know if they will even call that a shot. I wouldn't if I was scoring. ...Carlos Bocanegra called for knocking down a Mexican player ......giving the Mexico team a good chance at a score ......but to no avail. ...Mexico had the first real threat of the game ....but knicked the ball out of bounds ......in the 5th minute of play. ...There are some small, red stripes on the Americans' shirts. The Americans are wearing the very pedestrian looking white shirts with blue shorts ..... while Mexico is wearing their usual green shirts .... white shorts ....and long red socks. ...U.S. has the first possession ..... ...The two teams just made their ceremonial march onto the field. The camera flashes can be seen throughout the stadium. The Mexico national anthem is being played ..... and the U.S. national anthem will follow. ...Most of the fans in the stands are wearing the green of Mexico's National team. But there is a big U.S. flag on display in the north endzone. The teams still have not returned to the field. ...Both teams have left the field .....to go through last minute preparations in their lockerrooms. The two teams just came onto the field .....the Mexico National team wearing their popular green warmups trimmed in red and white. They were cheered loudly when they came onto the field to warm up. On the other hand .... when the U.S. team came onto the field .... wearing their red warmup tops and blue shorts ........they entered with a chorus of boos. ...Maybe its finally time for all the football writers with Super Bowl M.V.P. votes to look beyond O.K, glamour boy doesn't exactly conjour up a picture of Eli Manning. He would be better cast in a Leave it to Beaver remake than the lasted Boy Band. While Eli was good, he passed for two touchdowns and led the Giants on the game winning drive, the G-Men's defensive line was better. Their constant pressure on Tom Brady was the real reason New York pulled off the stunning upset of the Patriots. ...As we watched the game in the sports office Sunday ..... sports photographer Bob Luna called it first. Bob said,"Hey look where's Belichick's grey hoodie?" ... |
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