FanHouse DanBurton

Yesterday, Congress decreed that by the end of the week, it would be known whether or not Roger Clemens would indeed be asked to be investigated by the Department of Justice. Well, they certainly made their deadline, as news broke today that a letter was sent from Congress to the Attorney General and DOJ recommending as such.

Some details:

"Not everybody can be right, and the preponderance of the evidence in this case points to the fact that Clemens' comments are the most incongruous," Davis told the AP. "We are asking Justice to see what was the truth and what wasn't the truth."

The Justice Department may decide to pursue or ignore Congress' request. Spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said the department "is reviewing the letter and has no further comment at this time." If an inquiry is opened, it likely would be by federal investigators in Washington.

It's interesting that the Justice Department has the option not to pursue this -- at this stage we can only take so much Rusty Hardin on our TV screens. And furthermore, who knows if digging any deeper is really going to prove without a shadow of a doubt that Clemens is guilty.

The real loser in all this? Dan Burton. He tried so hard to prove Roger Clemens is A TITAN!

The Clemens hearing is over now, and the assorted parties have retreated. The Clemens Hearing Report Card will assess the key players' performances in a way that has about as much to do with baseball as the hearing itself did. Next up: Tom Davis!

Were it not for the strident shouting of Dan Burton, Roger Clemens would not have had a better friend on the committee today than Tom Davis. Whereas Burton probably damaged Roger's cause with his name calling and good-old-boy BS, Davis remained composed and careful. It actually took the listener a minute or two to see what Davis' larger point was, and at least one listener appreciated a little nuance in defense of Clemens.

The problem is that once that nuance wore off, Davis was no better than Burton. He shouted, called Brian McNamee names, tried to create doubt about Clemens' butt abscess by calling it a "palpable mass" -- let us never utter those words again -- and completed the trifecta with the most offensive comment of the day. In regards to medical questions asked of Clemens, Davis said: "This is a new form of lynching!" That comment alone betrays the deep confusion and sadness in Mr. Davis' core, an abyss that can only be described by the letter grade directly below. But hey, at least he didn't scream.

Rep. Tom Davis: D

More Clemens Coverage:
Roger Clemens Hearing Live Blog Part 1 | Part 2
The More Talk About Andy Pettitte, the Worse It Gets for Roger Clemens
Clemens, McNamee Each Have Their Fans in Congressional Hearings

The Clemens hearing is over now, and the assorted parties have retreated. The Clemens Hearing Report Card will assess the key players' performances in a way that has about as much to do with baseball as the hearing itself. First up: Dan Burton!

The Clemens hearing had its fair share of personality launches today, but none was more overstated, simpleminded, and ridiculous than Rep. Dan Burton's. Burton, a Republican from the fine state of Indiana, not only praised Roger Clemens to the point of embarrassment -- Burton screeched "He's a ... a ... a TITAN!" -- but he attacked Brian McNamee with a zeal usually reserved for the pedophiles on "To Catch a Predator."

What was even worse about Burton's sneering attempts to brand McNamee a liar was that he largely missed the point. Brian McNamee's lied before -- as Burton asserted -- but since cutting his deal with federal investigators his story's been consistent. Lying to reporters to protect your employer is not the same as lying under oath, which Burton conveniently forgot. Combine that tiny oversight with the fact that Burton's defense did more to hurt his object of affection than help him and you've got the first, and perhaps worst, grade of the day.

Rep. Dan Burton: F

FanHouse awards you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

More Clemens Hearing Coverage:
Roger Clemens Hearing Live Blog Part 1
Roger Clemens Hearing Live Blog Part 2
The More Talk About Andy Pettitte, the Worse It Gets for Roger Clemens
Clemens, McNamee Each Have Their Fans in Congressional Hearings