Who to believe?

Brian McNamee, the cop turned personal trainer turned drug dispenser turned narc, insists he wore out Roger Clemens' rear end with a needle for a few years around the turn of the century.

Clemens, the iconic pitcher turned suspect, insists McNamee is a fraud and an accomplice to a setup perpetrated by the feds and George Mitchell.

McNamee's lawyer told the New York Times he'd sue if Clemens accused his client of lying.

Clemens' lawyer, Rusty Hardin, has said anyone who accuses his client of taking steroids would require the services of "a hell of a good lawyer." And on Thursday, he added, "In his interview with '60 Minutes,' Roger told the truth. It is that simple. I encourage Mr. McNamee to watch the program."

CLEMENS AND STEROIDS

• Jeff Passan: Depositions paint a complex portrait of McNamee (Feb. 14, 2008)

• Jonathan Littman: McNamee's puny credibility good for Clemens (Feb. 13, 2008)

• Jeff Passan: Clemens, McNamee takes hits in hearing (Feb. 13, 2008)

• Dan Wetzel: Clemens shelled by Congress (Feb. 13, 2008)

• Jeff Passan: Hearings: Untruth or consequences (Feb. 12, 2008)

• Steve Henson: Clemens drama worthy of "Sopranos" (Feb. 11, 2008)

• Dan Wetzel: Innocent or stupid (Feb. 11, 2008)

• Jonathan Littman: Clemens-McNamee duel has BALCO roots (Jan. 8, 2008)

• Tim Brown: Telephone tap dance is unpersuasive (Jan. 7, 2008)

• Tim Brown: Clemens drowns in hopelessness (Jan. 6, 2008)

• Jeff Passan: Clemens to testify under oath (Jan. 4, 2008)

• Tim Brown: Who to believe (Jan. 3, 2008)

• Dan Wetzel: Denials by proxy make Clemens look worse (Dec. 18, 2008)

• Dan Wetzel: Clemens is no different than Bonds (Dec. 13, 2008)

Here's the thing about all this legal, saber-rattling pap; hasn't Clemens already accused McNamee of lying? Hasn't McNamee already accused Clemens of pulling his pants down?

So, have at it, boys.

Do your lawyer stuff. Go to court. Run the trial against Barry Bonds'. Stop the threats and the grandstanding. File something.

And isn't this the hidden beauty of steroids? Isn't this what the cheats sign up for?

Goodbye, dignity. Goodbye, reputation. Goodbye, Hall of Fame.

Hello, private investigators. Hello, "60 Minutes." Hello, Mike Lupica stalking you on a beach in the Bahamas.

It is, ultimately, the life they choose.

Unless they are Jose Canseco, and then they get to stay tan and famous, make a few dollars and – what a world – accrue credibility.

The dignity thing is still shot, but, hey, what price glory?

So, Clemens' interview with Mike Wallace airs Sunday night, and the pitcher will meet with reporters Monday afternoon in Houston.

I'm curious if he knew his best friend, Andy Pettitte, took human growth hormone; if he knew his loyal trainer – McNamee – injected his best friend personally.

I'm curious about the scenes in the Toronto and New York apartments, and the lengths Clemens will go to discredit McNamee, and if he'll expect us to believe he employed a trainer who administered illegal drugs to teammates and friends and knew nothing of it.

I'm curious if he knew McNamee was a "troubled man" – his lawyer's words – before McNamee (allegedly) laid out the cycles of Winstrol and HGH.

I'm curious if what we'll get is workout programs and diets, sympathy plays, claims of ignorance.

I'm curious if we'll get anger or tears. Both, maybe.

And I'm curious which we'll believe.