Maybe I’m the only one who bothered to read these depositions or maybe I’m just not reading the right news outlets, but for all the coverage of yesterday’s congressional hearings and Andy Pettitte’s testimony against his friend Roger Clemens, there are some key bits of information that aren’t being discussed in the public forum.

Everything we’re hearing concerns Pettitte’s recollection of Clemens admitting to HGH use, and indeed that recollection appeared to be the sole focus of the congressional committee yesterday. However more interesting to me personally is a section in Andy’s deposition in which he admits to discussing Clemens’ use of anabolic steroids with trainer Brian McNamee in 2003 or 2004. From Andy’s deposition:

PETTITTE: We were training in my gym. And I can just remember, you know, Mac telling me that Roger, you know, that he had gotten steroids for Roger.
QUESTION: Was it just you and McNamee there at the time?
PETTITTE: Yes.
QUESTION: Do you remember anything else about it?
PETTITTE: I just — I remember that Mac was upset. I just remember that Mac was upset and he was venting and he was — you know, he was telling me that, you know, that Roger, you know, had done steroids.

Nervous stuttering aside, I find this testimony extremely damaging to Clemens’ credibility. Andy goes on to describe the circumstances of the conversation, in which Andy and McNamee were discussing a vitamin supplement from a company called Invite. McNamee was working with the company at the time, and they wished to promote their product by advertising Andy’s and Roger’s use of it. Pettitte states that he loves the vitamin and was receptive to the promotion in exchange for a supply of the vitamin, however, Clemens evidently felt differently and wanted to be compensated handsomely - a stance which aggravated McNamee and prompted the trainer to vent to Pettitte about Clemens’ ingratitude in the wake of all he had done for him.

Regardless of whether this conversation took place in ‘02, ‘03, ‘04, or even ‘05, it was clearly prior to McNamee’s troubles with the federal government, eliminating any motivation the trainer could have had to fabricate the story. Instead, it reads like a man who, in a frustrated moment, betrayed his client’s confidence in the presence of their mutual friend.

Why this segment of the deposition wasn’t a focal point yesterday, I have no idea. I can only speculate that the members of congress present did not read the witnesses’ statements thoroughly, which should surprise no one who has watched these clowns operate.