Roger Clemens, the former Yankees pitcher who was a Hall of Fame lock before allegations claiming he had a buttfull of steroids surfaced, now has another character crisis to deal with: According to the Daily News, the generally despised ballplayer started a decade-long affair with country crooner Mindy McCready when he was a 28-year-old married father of two and she a 15-year-old karaoke bar singer.

Clemens' lawyer admits that his client and McCready are close friends, but denies that the relationship was ever sexual in nature. The Daily News respectfully disagrees:

"One time, McCready attended a Yankees game at the Stadium and jokingly donned a catcher's mask near the home dugout. During another Big Apple excursion, the two holed up in the trendy SoHo Grand and later partied with Monica Lewinsky and Michael Jordan. McCready, according to a source, even bummed a cigar off His Airness to give to Clemens. There were personal love missives to Clemens hidden in McCready's album liner notes."

The Daily News stops short of calling Clemens a statutory rapist, but the allegations are nonetheless seriously problematic for the still-married Clemens, who is currently under investigation for committing perjury during February's Congressional investigation. The Rocket's primary defense thus far has been that he's a stand-up family man of unassailable moral character who has never lied or cheated in his life, a claim that could be ever-so-slightly undermined by today's accusation.

As for McCready, well, her 2007 DUI mug shot might provide some perspective. There's some near prescription drug overdose and battery thrown in for good measure, too.