A pitching lesson from Roger Clemens

The following is a teriffic article on pitcher Roger Clemens. It appeared in USA Today, Monday, April 17, 2006 and is titled, "Clemens leaves mark on many fellow hurlers." Maybe you saw it in print. I've highlighted some of the points that stood out to me about Clemens's workout routines, his running and conditioning, and his work ethic, which is arguably second to none. But you can also follow the link below to read the article in its entirity.

Roger Clemens, 44, left his mark on today's pitchers by teaching them to love what they do, work hard, pay attention to detail and be hard-headed while trying to reach goals that most think are unattainable.

"Roger is the pioneer that showed us that if you eat right and take care of yourself, you can pitch into your 40s," says New York Mets lefty Tom Glavine, who turned 40 last month.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling will never forget a "90-minute butt-chewing" Clemens gave him once during an offseason workout in Houston when Schilling was trying to establish himself. Clemens scolded him for not respecting the game and his teammates and for not working hard enough with his natural gifts.

"It was a pivotal time in my career, and fortunately for me, he was interested in me," Schilling says. "That says a lot about him. ... I still watch video of him. I still learn from him. Just odds and ends, whatever I can pick up."

Aaron Sele, a teammate from 1993-96, says Clemens helped him balance his commitments.

"If you weren't doing what you were supposed to be doing, he'd let you know," Sele says. "The two things I take away from him: His work ethic is second to none and his drive to get better. He was always running, always working."

Part of Clemens' routine was running outside Fenway Park, along the Charles River. There were three-mile and seven-mile routes, and on Commonwealth Avenue, he ran sprints on the grass sections between stoplights.

"Roger was creative," Sele says. "Running circles in the ballpark gets routine."

(Click here to read the complete article at USA Today...)