Roger Clemens Files Defamation Suit Over Steroid Accusations

This should get entertaining. Roger Clemens is suing Brian McNamee for defamation for the claims made to Major League Baseball's George Mitchell, who released a report claiming that Clemens took steroids administered by McNamee. It's the only way that Roger Clemens can clear his name, but the entertaining part is how Clemens has to prove his case.

Roger Clemens beat Brian McNamee to court, filing a defamation suit against the former trainer who claimed to have injected him with performance-enhancing drugs.

Clemens filed the suit Sunday night in Harris County District Court in Texas, listing 15 alleged statements McNamee made to the baseball drug investigator George Mitchell. Clemens claimed the statement were "untrue and defamatory."

"According to McNamee, he originally made his allegations to federal authorities after being threatened with criminal prosecution if he didn't implicate Clemens," according to the 14-page petition, obtained early Monday by The Associated Press.

The key in these kinds of cases is the discovery. It opens up McNamee's lawyers to ask all kinds of questions of Clemens and call into question Clemens' conduct and character. Clemens has a very tough case to prove here, and going on 60 Minutes to proclaim his innocence isn't sufficient.

Going before Congress and testifying under oath would be a sigificant step, but if h says something before Congress that is contradicted by other statements made, he could find himself in trouble for perjury.

It's a very sticky situation, and one of his own doing.