Quick…what is the current MLB record for home runs? Be truthful, did you instantly know that Barry Bonds has 762?

For years, the number 714 was embedded in our baseball brains. Babe Ruth held the home run record from 1935 until April 8, 1974, when Aaron hit #715. Hammerin’ Hank ended his career with 755. Most also remember that number, but I’m not sure Bonds’ record has resonated in the same manner.

Ruth’s single season home run record of 60 lasted 34-years until Maris hit #61 in 1961. Bonds currently owns the single-season record with 73. Since the inception of major league baseball until 1998, the 60 home run plateau had only been attained twice. From 1998 through 2001, 60+ home runs were accomplished six times. Welcome to the steroid era.

Steroids raise numerous questions about the Baseball Hall of Fame and its induction process. Should Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, Sosa and –  now, Alex Rodriquez – be inducted into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown?  Rodriquez has time on his side, but McGwire has already been shunned the past two years.

We all wait for MLB to comment on the record book and if recent steroid admissions or upcoming court cases will alter its current holy grail. However, MLB does not control the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Unquestionably, the two organizations work closely to honor baseball excellence and preserve its history, but it is not the MLB Hall of Fame. MLB can dictate what its record book states, but it doesn’t control the eligibility status of Baseball Hall of Fame’s candidates. Influence, yes. Dictate, no.

So, should the Baseball Hall of Fame make a statement on the steroid era and how (or if) it will affect future induction processes? Or, should it just let it all continue to play out? Remember, loosing Bonds, Clemens, et al as Hall of Famers will be very costly, as revenue during induction week in Cooperstown, plus the marketing of inductee products, is very important.

The tag line for The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is: Preserving History; Honoring Excellence; Connecting Generations. They need to figure out how to connect the steroid generation, while preserving baseball history in a manner which does not compromise excellence.

Good luck!

SI.com has reported Alex Rodriquez tested positive for an anabolic steroid and testosterone in 2003.  Rodriguez chose not to comment to a SI.com reporter. He stated, “You’ll have to talk to the Union.”

Is anyone really surprised? It’s disappointing, but not surprising. The only negative is that we’ll now be talking steroids again rather than the enjoyment of Spring Training.

So, we now have the greatest home run-hitter of all time, arguably the greatest pitcher of all-time (at least of his time), and, now, possibly the best all-around player of all-time, all tainted by the steroid era. What does the future hold for inductions into the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Is it time for Bud Selig to take a look at the record books? Should MLB begin thinking of restoring the records held by Aaron and Maris? Should there be an asterisk on Clemens’ 354 wins? These are questions that need to be asked and answered. MLB and Selig can no longer hide their heads in the sand.

Get ready… ESPN and your favorite sports talk-radio stations will be all-over this story in the coming days. If A-Rod thought Madonna was a magnet for the media, she has nothing on a good steroid story!

The Texas Con Man was a name given to Roger Clemens during his tenure with the Boston Red Sox by the late, great Boston Globe sportswriter William “Will” McDonough. Will took much grief from Sox fans and some media colleagues for what many thought a harsh title for one of the Red Sox all-time greats. Little did we know the true wisdom of Will.

Unfortunately, McDonough passed away on January 9, 2003 at the tender age of 67. However, I’m sure those who knew him – or was occasionally in his company at sporting events, as was I – know that Will has a huge grin on his face today. How right he was.

I was a huge Clemens fan. I remember the skinny kid’s debut with the Red Sox in May of 1984. I watched him pitch many times at Fenway Park and saw every one of his 20-strikeouts in the historical game versus the Seattle Mariners in April 1986. It was a masterpiece – and, to this day, probably one of the great pitching performances of all-time. I also recall numerous arguments with a New Jersey friend – a Mets’ fan, regarding who was better; Clemens or Dwight Gooden. That argument faded after the 1986 season when Clemens posted a 24-4 record and won both the CY Young and MVP awards.

For many Sox fans, McDonough’s The Texas Con Man name began gaining popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as Clemens’ words became more confounding and nonsensical. But, little did we know how much real truth there was to Will’s insightful nickname.

Has any sports hero fallen from grace as quickly as Roger Clemens? In 2006, a poll of 32 ESPN analysts voted Clemens the greatest living pitcher – and many considered him the greatest pitcher of all-time, or at least of the modern game. However, in a matter of a few months, Clemens has been accused of possible steroid use, potential infidelity, a questionable relationship with an under-age girl, and only God (and the New York Daily News) knows what’s next.

Clemens has gone from Cooperstown to OJ-town … the town of non-desirables.

My apology to Will McDonough. You were accurate from the beginning.

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Would you vote Roger Clemens into the Baseball Hall of Fame? Cast your vote on The Hall Of Fame Network poll: www.HOFN.com.

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While opinions regarding whether of not Roger Clemens used performance enhancing drugs may not have been altered by the recent Congressional hearings…you must admit, it was great theatre. And even better politics.

Make no mistake about it, good ‘ole boy politics’ was at work. The Clemens – McNamee Congressional hearings had nothing to do with gaining the truth or protecting America’s youth from drugs. It was Democrats versus Republicans. It was time to call-in political favors. Clemens’ Texas roots were prevalent. How else can one explain this becoming a battle of political parties? Do you think it was a coincidence that most Republicans came to Clemens’ defense? Do you think it was coincidence that leading Republican Tom Davis rushed to Clemens side immediately after the hearing?

American politics is often behind-closed-door deals. Unfortunately, we saw it at its worst during this hearing. And politicians wonder why Americans question the integrity of its leaders? When lobbying is allowed during depositions and prior to Congressional hearings regarding the use of illegal drugs, it has gone too far.

My opinion as to whether Clemens used steroids or HGH is irrelevant. However, I find it difficult to believe that McNamee was telling the truth about Pettitte, Knoblauch, and Debbie Clemens, yet lying about Roger. Why? I also find it difficult to believe Debbie Clemens would get a shot of HGH from McNamee without her husband’s knowledge. Plus, if Roger wasn’t getting shot-up by McNamee – nor did he ever discuss drugs with him (as he claims), how did Debbie know to go to McNamee for the injection?

In every poll I’ve seen, most American’s believed McNamee. So what did the Republicans hear that the rest of us didn’t, which led them to support Clemens? Maybe they heard a Republican “voice” who was the former General Managing Partner of the Texas Rangers.

By the way, that former Managing Partner currently lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

A three-ring circus has nothing over Major League Baseball. Whatever happened to arguments about who’s better – Mantle or Mays, Williams or DiMaggio, Koufax or Gibson? What about a good old-fashioned debate regarding the designated hitter? Or how about this one: Who hit the greatest home run ever – Bill Mazeroski, Bobby Thompson, Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Joe Carter, Calton Fisk or Roger Maris?

Nope…none of that talk anymore. This good ole baseball bar-room banter is now replaced with talks of steroids, cheating, congressional hearings, and phone-tap conversations. Thank you Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, MLB, et al.

To make matters worse, we now have a potential cheater even downplaying the importance of his election into the Baseball Hall of Fame. If he made nothing else clear in his recent press conference charade, Roger Clemens made it perfectly clear that he doesn’t give a “rat’s ass” about getting inducted in baseball’s most treasured shrine in Cooperstown. I wonder how that plays with some of the legendary players of the game who cherish their place in the Hall – or, even more so, with those still waiting for the honor like Rice, Blyleven, Dawson, or Lee Smith?

Whether innocent or guilty, I hope writers remember how important the Hall of Fame is to Clemens. A one-time first-ballot lock, I guess he now has more to worry about than Cooperstown.

As I listen to admissions and denials of players named in the Mitchell Report regarding steroid use in Major League Baseball, I am neither surprised nor disappointed. Since the McGwire-Sosa run at immortality in 1998, it has been apparent that Major League Baseball players had joined the ranks of Olympians and other professional athletes using performance-enhancing drugs. But for those thinking drugs in baseball began in the 90s, keep sticking your head in the sand – as most did during that fraudulent year the Maris family politely watch Roger’s record demolished by the two Hulk-like characters.

Denial is a trait most often used when it relates to oneself or a loved one. To be in denial regarding a baseball player’s use of steroids is bewildering. No one questioned the use of testosterone by the Soviet Union’s Olympic team in 1954. And lest we forget Dr. John Ziegler who aided the CIBA Pharmaceutical Company in the development of the drug Dianabol (methandrostenolone) in the mid-50s to help western Olympians compete with the Soviet Union. So, to think performance-enhancing drugs were only available to modern-day baseball players is naive.

How will all this steroid-use influence baseball writers who are entrusted with the privilege of voting for a player’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame? They negated McGwire in his first year of eligibility. What about Bonds, Sosa – and now Clemens? Is it a vote for all, or a vote for none? Are we to believe only Olympic athletes used performance-enhancing drugs during the Dianabol years?

So many questions, so many decisions for Baseball Hall of Fame voters.

I gotta tell ya: All the choreographed PR plays in the world and all hope that springs eternal now with Yankee fans, does not for one minute buy Roger Clemens an ounce of heartfelt excitement with me. I know the Yankees gave him $18 million reasons to come back. I know he’s one of the greatest ever to pull on a uniform (by the way, how many is that now?). I know he’s a sure-fire, first-time Hall of Famer. But for the love of God, can’t he just ride off into the Texas sunset and stay there?
Who knows? Maybe he snores at night? Maybe he leaves the toilet seat up? Maybe Mrs. Clemens finally had enough and forced him out of the house and back into the game? What I do know is we are all now subjected to at least one more tearful, heartfelt, (I really, really mean it this time) goodbye. And that makes me want to cry.

I finally got a good night sleep Sunday…”Mr. Baseball” let the world know where he’ll be calling home this summer. No, it’s not with his family in the comforts of Houston. Nor will it be in the place where it all began back in 1984 – the friendly confines of Fenway. No, in the end, it really wasn’t about family, or completing his baseball lore in Boston, or even going out a champion. Like always, it was all about the money.The Sox supposedly offered a pro-rated $18M and the Yankees a pro-rated $28M. Enough said. Hey, I’m a capitalist too, and would probably follow the money myself. However, we need these over-paid, self-absorbed, coddled athletes to stop with all the clichés and insulting our intelligence. It’s ALWAYS about the money.

The Yankees opened the bank because their need was greater than the Sox. Injuries aside, the Yankees rotation was also in need of a fourth starter. Wang, Pettitte and Mussina are a formidable top three when healthy. Adding Clemens as their #4 can only help … or will it? Clemens will be a good addition as long as the Yanks can get their top 3 to go 7-inning on a regular basis. Their bullpen isn’t as bad as it appears. They’re burnt-out because of poor starting pitching. If their starters can’t eat up innings, then Clemens’ 5-6 inning act will only add to their bullpen woes. And, since Roger will no longer be in the NL Central Division, don’t count on more than that.

But in the end, other than Yankees or Red Sox fans, does anyone really care? Well, maybe FOX Sports. Take a look at the schedule. Saturday, June 2, Fox game-of-the-week? Yankees at Red Sox. Any bets on who’ll be pitching?

It’s that time of year again. Time for Roger Clemens to posture, pose and speculate as to whether he will pitch again this year. Is it only me, or is this act growing old. No one really cares if you pitch or where you pitch. You will pitch with whomever feeds your massive ego the most. The Yankees? He can reunite with his BFF Andy Petitte, Zzzzzzzzzzzz. The Red Sox? Putting him with Schilling would make Boston the self absorption capitol of the world. The Astros? Surely he would mandate that his son be added to the Major League Roster so that they could play a game together. My money is on the Astros. It’s the most self serving of the options. Get over yourself Rocket.

It’s also PBS fundraising time of the year. Time for those great PBS music specials, with the interminable intermissions. A great endorsement for TiVo. There is a great special running now, The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before They Called It Rock And Roll. If you get a chance check it out. Great footage and interviews with Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, The Burnettes and many more. And while your at it, support your local PBS station.

HBO has a new documentary coming up in the next week on the History of UCLA Basketball. With the Bruins making another March Madness run deep into the tournament, a look back to the great days of Coach Wooden, Kareem, and Bill Walton couldn’t be more timely.

Speaking of HBO, did you catch the live George Lopez Stand- Up HBO comedy Special Americas’s Mexican? Not only did Lopez go live, he used a lot of material he had never performed in public before. That takes balls, and Lopez has them galore. It was up there with Eddie Murphy Raw and Richard Pryor Live At Long Beach as stand-up comedy classics.

Looking forward to Sunday’s results show for Grease, You’re The One That I Want. If I was casting the show it’d be Max over strutting Austin. Laura gets my call for Sandy. Speaking of Sandy’s. How sad a life has Sandra Dee had. She could have been an icon. Instead she’s a reculse. Another sad testiment to the price of fame. Sandy Bullock’s new movie Premonition is pretty interesting. Certainly worth a trip to the movies.

Last word comes from Jay Thomas who laments the state of Republican Presidential Candidates. “Republicans get to chose between Rudy Guliani who has had three wives, and the Mormon Mitt Romney who will have three first ladies.”