The quote is as much a part of his resume’ as his nine years as General Manager of the Boston Red Sox.

I’m talking about Dan Duquette, native of Dalton, varsity catcher for Amherst College and former Red Sox GM from January 1994 until February 2002 when the new owners of the team thought change was in order. Two World Series titles later, it appears John Henry and company made the correct decision.

Red Sox Nation has never missed a chance to remind anyone within earshot of Duquette’s quote in 1996 after Roger Clemens opted to bolt Boston for free agency. The Dalton native, in his defense for letting him walk, said that the Rocket was in the twilight of his career.  Then Clemens won back-to-back Cy Young awards with the Toronto Blue Jays and Duquette became the longest running laughing stock in Sox history since Harry Frazee. 

Until last week.

The Mitchell Investigation released last week contained the name Roger Clemens more than any other athlete. Even more than the player who has become the poster child of today’s cheating ballplayer, Barroid Bonds.

I say ‘today’s’ because cheating is right up there with hot dogs and soda pop as staples of the so-called American Pastime.  Think sign stealing, pine tar, sandpaper, and corked bats.

But I digress. 

The Mitchell investigation found that Clemens’ personal trainer, Brian McNamee, was the source of the Rockets ‘roid juice. Guess where Clemens and McNamee first hooked up? Right, Toronto in the late ‘90’s.

Perhaps it’s time to offer Dan Duquette an apology.