Roger Clemens is losing the PR Battle

As he prepares to testitfy before Congress, it seems the public has already convicted pitcher Roger Clemens of using performance enhancing drugs to prolong his Hall of Fame career. Although there has been no concrete evidence to prove he used steroids of human growth hormone, most people believe that he must have been doing something illegal to perform at such at high level at such an advanced age.

Clemens and his handlers have done a lousy job at waging the PR war for public opinion. Although I guess it says something about our society that we are quick to to believe an accuser, not the accused, when it fits our preconceived notions (see the Duke lacrosse scandal), they have done nothing to turn the tide. Their lame attempt at a statistical analysis of Clemens’ career backfired when it was refuted by professors at the University of Pennsylania’s Wharton School. And Rusty Hardin’s ill-chosen words about Clemens eating the lunch of a federal prosecutor smacked of bullying. So did his combative press conferences when the news first broke.

Admittedly, they have a tough fight. People seem eager to tear down icons these days. For one thing, Clemens’ image-makers could have done a better job preparing him for facing the media spotlight, perhaps having him project a hurt, humbled persona rather than an aggrieved one. That would have helped shape the public’s perception very early on. He should have cried when he talked about how the accusations might keep him out of the Hall of Fame, rather than abruptly walking out on reporters. Of course, that would have been out of character for the bull-headed, hard-nosed former Texas Longhorn. But that’s exactly the kind of reaction that might have created some sympathy and encouraged people to give him the benefit of the doubt.

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