We have an amazing situation unfolding in America right now, where our Bill of Rights guarantee due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

Since the whole steroid saga in baseball began to unfold, fans and observers alike have wondered “why don’t these guys accused of using steroids file a lawsuit? Why don’t they try to prove their innocence?” And, until Roger Clemens came along, nobody did. As it turned out, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Rafael Palmeiro and Miguel Tejada, among others, DID use performance enhancers despite their repeated denials.

Now, along comes Clemens. He was accused, and then did what so many of us asked players to do. He filed a defamation of character lawsuit against one of his accusers, former trainer Brian McNamee, but that was dismissed by judges in Texas. He went to Capitol Hill to profess his innocence. His continued denials have become bothersome, but at least he hasn’t had a McGwire or Bonds moment, where he admits…either knowingly or unknowingly…taking steroids.

And public opinion against Clemens is almost unanimous. Pretty much every writer with a vote says they won’t vote for him as a Hall of Famer. Fans look upon him as a liar. And unfortunately for him, so do the Feds, who have a six count indictment against Clemens for perjuring himself before congress and federal investigators.

The moral of this story is that baseball players that played in the steroid era, whether they used steroids or not, are guilty. Even if you DO file lawsuits, go to Washington to plead your innocence, or try to defend yourself against federal indictment, you’re guilty no matter what. And it doesn’t matter whether Clemens was actually guilty or set up to look guilty…whatever the case was, whether he took steroids or not…he’s guilty. That’s a product of the age we live in.