Max in Trouble with Feds ?

[shawn306]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3352834

While federal agents are meeting Tuesday with Jose Canseco in connection with their probe of Roger Clemens on possible perjury charges, a person named "Max" might also be part of the conversation.

In "Vindicated," his second book on the performance-enhancing drug scandal in baseball, Canseco wrote that he introduced New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez to a steroid distributor that he only identified as "Max." Canseco said the supplier later told him that A-Rod had "signed on."

Rodriguez has refused to comment on the allegation, while Canseco has refused to discuss the identity of "Max." When ABC's "Nightline" interviewer Martin Bashir challenged Canseco to identify "Max" or provide other evidence of the account, Canseco responded that "the timing's not right."

Greg S. Emerson, a lawyer for Canseco, said his client intends to answer all questions posed to him by investigators. While he doesn't know exactly what they will ask, he has a feeling that "Max" will be part of the conversation, he told The New York Times.

"Jose intends to speak truthfully with authorities and I cannot comment on the identity of Max, how that may come up or anything else that may be discussed," Emerson said, according to the report.

Despite writing two books about steroid and HGH use and testifying about it before a congressional committee, Canseco has until now never been questioned by federal agents about performance-enhancing drugs, The Times reported.

Canseco is not believed to be a target in the Clemens probe and may choose not to answer certain questions when he is interviewed on Tuesday. That could change if a grand jury is convened in the Clemens case, in which case Canseco could be subpoenaed and compelled to testify under oath and answer all questions under the threat of criminal prosecution.

Canseco is being questioned in the FBI's investigation of whether Clemens testified truthfully to federal agents and before a congressional committee when he said he had never taken steroids or human growth hormone.

Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee, told federal investigators and former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell that he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone on several occasions, leading to Clemens being named in Mitchell's report on performance-enhancing drug use in baseball. Clemens has repeatedly denied ever using steroids or HGH.

One of the questions posed to Clemens and McNamee dealt with a pool party at Canseco's house in 1998. McNamee has said Clemens spoke with Canseco at the barbecue and soon after approached the trainer about using performance-enhancing drugs. Clemens said he didn't attend the party, and Canseco corroborated Clemens' story in an affidavit to Congress. But a photograph allegedly shows Clemens in attendance, and IRS agent Jeff Novitzky, who has been the federal government's top steroid investigator, wants to talk to Canseco about the picture.

Another lawyer for Canseco, Robert Saunooke, has said Novitzky has described two photos to him -- one of Clemens and an 11-year-old boy in Canseco's pool and another of Canseco with the same boy. From the description, the undated photos in no way linked Clemens to the specific party in question, Saunooke said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[Maxman]

I can neither confirm nor deny these allegations.

Mods, please lock this. LOL.

[Blackout]

snitches are no good

he's just jealous A-rod banged his breezy

[Blackout]

NEW YORK - The person Jose Canseco claims was a steroids dealer he introduced to Alex Rodriguez was a trainer named Joseph Dion, Sports Illustrated reported on its Web site Friday.

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Dion, in an interview with SI on Tuesday, said he was against the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Speaking before the New York Yankees played at Baltimore on Friday night, Rodriguez acknowledged knowing Dion.

"He's a Christian man, a good man. A great man, actually," Rodriguez said. "I'm very friendly with Joseph. But I don't really see him that often. I've probably seen him this winter, four or five times in passing. ... In passing, (we talked) maybe three or four times a winter."

Rodriguez has repeatedly denied using performance-enhancing drugs, and Canseco has said he has no knowledge of drug use by A-Rod. Rodriguez said he didn't speak with Dion about steroids.

"I had no idea he knew the other guy," Rodriguez said, referring to Canseco. "We both know what the truth is. Again, I have absolutely zero to say about this matter."

Rodriguez met Dion while A-Rod was playing for the Seattle Mariners, his team from 1994-00. He said Dion tried to get him into better shape — through running.

"We started running six, seven, eight miles a day. We just kept running, running and running," Rodriguez said. "All of a sudden, I got to spring training and I just couldn't run. I'd do my sprint and I was in jog mode. The first time (Seattle manager) Lou Piniella gives me the green light to steal a base, I took off, but my (butt) never took over. .. I said, 'What are we doing?' and I never went back to jogging."

Canseco had identified the person in his book as "Max."

"That's gotta be me," Dion was quoted as saying by SI.

That account was confirmed Friday by Gregory Emerson, Canseco's new lawyer.

"Jose can confirm that that's the name of the individual he was referring to in the book `Vindicated' when he used the name Max," Emerson said. "However, Jose has not spoken with him to confirm that the person he knows as Dion actually spoke with these reporters. ... The information that appears in that article would suggest to Jose that that probably is in fact the Joseph Dion that he referred to."

Dion told SI he trained Rodriguez for four years when A-Rod was with Seattle. Dion denied Canseco's account in "Vindicated" that "Max" was a "fan of steroids."

"That's really, really funny because I am the one person that hates steroids," Dion was quoted as saying. "I'm against it 100 percent. And, A-Rod, at the time that I trained him — and this I swear to God — was 100 percent against steroids. He was one of the hardest working guys, and most natural guy, that I've met in my life. He hated steroids. We talked about it."

Dion said he would speak with federal investigators if they wanted to interview him, SI reported. Canseco is scheduled to meet Tuesday with federal agents probing whether Roger Clemens lied during testimony to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs and refuted claims by Brian McNamee, his former trainer.

"Jose stands 100 percent behind what he wrote in the book. He's not going to retreat from that at all," Emerson said. "I think that the timing of the disclosure is somewhat suspicious, although it could be very legitimate, just coincidental that the disclosure is made on Friday, four days before Jose meets with federal investigators. It almost seems like an attempt to discredit him."

Canseco now says he doesn't think Clemens used performance-enhancers.

[Thai Jet]

I can neither confirm nor deny these allegations.

Mods, please lock this. LOL.

This is BS Max. Come on open up, SPILL YA GUTS.