In a week when the news was filled with stories about athletes violating drug policies in their sports, Roger Clemens has now been added to the body count.

Clemens has been under investigation for more than two years for testimony he gave in front of Congress in 2008.The grand jury hearing the evidence has been asked to determine if Clemens lied under oath when he denied he was shot-up with steroids and/or HGH.

At that time he was faced with his former trainer, Brian McNamee who told the legislators that he in fact injected the pitcher, not once but multiple times. He ghoulishly kept medical waste that purportedly contained Clemens DNA just for an event like this.

After the Mitchell Report was published in late 2007, McNamee became a star along with former Mets clubhouse employee, Kirk Radomski, who was identified as a source for the drugs.

McNamee trained not only Clemens but Andy Pettite, long-time friends and at the time, fellow New York Yankees.

Congress wanted to know what the heck was going on since all this had been kept on the down-low.

McNamee admitted sourcing his drugs through Radomski and injecting Clemens and Pettite. Roger went on a public relations binge, including an interview on CBS’ “Sixty Minutes”. He was righteous and outraged and continued that posture in front of the Congressional committee, but this time under oath.

In the ensuing two years, Clemens and McNamee have spent a lot of money in legal fees suing and counter-suing each other for defamation of character.

A grand jury in Washington, DC has moved with a snail’s pace to get testimony from many who might be able to shed light on McNamee’s charges and Clemens’ denials. Finally, this week the witness list contains a big fish, McNamee himself, according to the New York Daily News.

He just might determine whether Clemens is charged with obstruction of justice and perjury.

During this past week we learned that authorities believe a Canadian doctor was flying around the U.S. dispensing substances on a very personal basis to athletes who play more than baseball.

We also got the full confession, at least according to him, from disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis. He has decided to ‘fess up about his chronic performance enhancing techniques while he attempts to take down others in his sport, including the Big Kahuna himself, Lance Armstrong.

We learned that the years-long denial campaign that spanned the globe and never got Landis back his 2006 Tour de France victory was a bunch of lies.

We seem to hear that every time an athlete is the subject of investigative digging and faced with facts that can no longer be denied. They admit some, perhaps not all of their transgressions and we all move on.

And that has become the truth about the drugs in sports stuff. It’s sensational, titillating and full of celebrities crashing, but seemingly only for a moment.

Then it’s back to business and the next scandal. Perhaps it’s just better that way.

The Detroit Lions fans only hope for a future may be Congress voting through a bailout plan for the poorly-managed faltering Ford Motor Company.

Last I noticed, Ford Motor Company was asking for $9 billion of fans/taxpayers dollars while making no indications they intend to sell the Lions which are valued by Forbes to be worth $917 million.

Ford’s recent reported losses have been huge. According to their media.ford.com website they had a net loss of $8.7 billion in the second quarter of 2008 and according to CNN Money.com burned through another $6.3 billion in the third quarter of 2008. At that rate, it is possible they could eat up a loan of $9 billion in a short time.

With support from some of the local politicians and pressure from taxpayers around the country, Michiganders can present a scenario to Congress that includes the Fords being required to sell the Lions if they are included in any bailout.

I have had a few emails from people explaining how technically William Clay is not the owner of Ford Motor Company. Corporations are legally laid out however companies decide to lay them out. Ford’s website has William Clay listed at the highest position, Executive Chairman and you have to assume William Clay owns a decent portion of that stock recently valued at less than a Starbucks small coffee.

It is absurd to allow the Ford family to maintain an entity like the Lions in their portfolio while agreeing to hand over billions of tax dollars to save their auto company’s sinking ship.

If Joe Citizen is in desperate financial shape and asks a bank to bail them out of a foreclosure on their home, shouldn’t that bank make them sell his Bentley and second home on the ocean first? Even though the Bentley is not related to the house going into foreclosure, it is part of that family’s portfolio. Don’t get me wrong, the Lions are more like a rusted-out Yugo but you get my point.

If the Ford Motor Company is asking for $9 billion, Congress should minus the $917 million they are forced to acquire from the sale of the Lions then give them $8.08 billion instead.

First of all, handing these auto companies $34 billion is like flushing the money down the toilet but if Congress did approve a ridiculous bad investment of tax dollars like that, the people of Detroit could seize the opportunity and possibly get the Ford family off their field.

The Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons are great examples of how an NFL franchise can turn it around in one year if they are under the proper ownership and management.

Matt Millen, the creator of the Lions current dismal coaching staff and player personnel was sent packing the day after Mike Martz’ San Fran 49ers whipped the Lions earlier this season, earning Millen the Bitch-Slap-of-the-Week award on Sports Climax. 

Removing another cancer like owner William Clay Sr. would open the door to new ownership and a possible turnaround. Imagine, new ownership would lead to new management which leads to a new coaching staff (Google Bill Cowher) and smart draft selections, something this NFL team hasn’t experienced in a decade.

Congress, if you do bail out Ford Motor Company, remember to bail out the Detroit Lions fans as well, these poor loyalists have been through enough.

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