Floyd Cheated

[mebisonII]

I know, I know, get back up on the chair you just fell out of. :p


Nearly four years after he began waging a costly, draining, and ultimately losing battle to discredit his positive test for synthetic testosterone at the 2006 Tour de France, Floyd Landis told ESPN.com on Wednesday that he used performance-enhancing drugs for most of his career as a professional road cyclist, including the race whose title he briefly held.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=5203604


I'm curious about the logic that leads people to spend millions of dollars defending yourself against allegations that you know are true, especially when its obvious that absolutely no one believes your defense. I guess you just figure because some people (*cough* lance *cough*) get away with it, you can, too.

This guy seemed like a humble hero for all of about 15 minutes after he won the TdF, and quickly slid to looking like a slimey.

That being said, I'm not big on "everyone else is doing it" as a defense, but in cycling, that sure looks to be the case.

[onbison09]

I know, I know, get back up on the chair you just fell out of. :p



http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=5203604


I'm curious about the logic that leads people to spend millions of dollars defending yourself against allegations that you know are true, especially when its obvious that absolutely no one believes your defense. I guess you just figure because some people (*cough* lance *cough*) get away with it, you can, too.

This guy seemed like a humble hero for all of about 15 minutes after he won the TdF, and quickly slid to looking like a slimey.

That being said, I'm not big on "everyone else is doing it" as a defense, but in cycling, that sure looks to be the case.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Notorious]

I know a mid-level pro from CA who opened up to me once...dirtiest sport in the World...bar none. 99.9% are doing something...PEDs, doping, street drugs....

[BlueBisonRock]

I know, I know, get back up on the chair you just fell out of. :p

I'm curious about the logic that leads people to spend millions of dollars defending yourself against allegations that you know are true, especially when its obvious that absolutely no one believes your defense. I guess you just figure because some people (*cough* lance *cough*) get away with it, you can, too.



Interesting that these same drugs (in *cough*'s case) are also a necessary component to chemotherapy used to treat and in some cases kill / cure the beast. I can't state that Lance did or did not continue using the growth hormone, but I can state that I am damn glad that these drugs are available and used.

Regarding Floyd . . . . Agree, Dumber than the red dot UNI posters who periodically come by.

[mebisonII]

Interesting that these same drugs (in *cough*'s case) are also a necessary component to chemotherapy used to treat and in some cases kill / cure the beast. I can't state that Lance did or did not continue using the growth hormone, but I can state that I am damn glad that these drugs are available and used.



Agreed absolutely that it is a good thing these drugs exist, with your family having proven the case recently!

[mebisonII]

And in semi-related news, Lance crashes:


It hasn't been a good Thursday for Lance Armstrong.

First disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis accused the seven-time Tour de France winner of doping and later Armstrong crashed in the fifth stage of the Tour of California and was taken to the hospital.

Armstrong, 38, collided with several other riders during a narrow stretch of the route in Visalia. All the riders, including Armstrong, got back on their bikes and continued the race, but after a few miles Armstrong was forced to retire.


http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/floyd-landis-admits-doping-PEDs-fingers-lance-armstrong-052010

[Bisonguy]

I know a mid-level pro from CA who opened up to me once...dirtiest sport in the World...bar none. 99.9% are doing something...PEDs, doping, street drugs....


Sounds about the same as any other professional sport.....

[DjKyRo]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/nondoping-cyclists-finish-tour-de-france,2268/

[met1990]

I know a mid-level pro from CA who opened up to me once...dirtiest sport in the World...bar none. 99.9% are doing something...PEDs, doping, street drugs....

Is it the dirtiest sport in the world, or is it the only one that has effective drug testing? Do cyclists have a large income potential compared to other sports where they're willing to risk doping? I'd be interested to see what NFL/NBA/MLB/etc. drug testing standards look like compared to cycling.

[Bisonguy]

Is it the dirtiest sport in the world, or is it the only one that has effective drug testing? Do cyclists have a large income potential compared to other sports where they're willing to risk doping? I'd be interested to see what NFL/NBA/MLB/etc. drug testing standards look like compared to cycling.

Top cyclists can earn up to about $4MM/year with their team contract, plus plenty of Euro endorsements.


I'm pretty sure that MLB and the NFL have very strict testing standards [/sarcasm]. I doubt that more than 1% of the NBA could pass the drug test to work at Home Depot. Don't know about the NHL, but when nearly 50% of college hockey players admit to using amphetamines, I'm guessing the NHL isn't much cleaner.

[NorthernBison]

I think most would agree that Lance is the only person in this sport that the typical American gives a rip about. So, if the sport has an effective and comprehensive drug testing and blood doping program AND Lance has been tested as much, or more, than anybody else in the sport AND he has never failed a test, WHY would anybody believe Floyd when he rats on Lance?

I don't follow the sport. I'm not a Lance Armstrong fan. I would LIKE to believe he is clean. So, I'll continue to think that he is until there is some evidence that he isn't.

[Notorious]

I think most would agree that Lance is the only person in this sport that the typical American gives a rip about. So, if the sport has an effective and comprehensive drug testing and blood doping program AND Lance has been tested as much, or more, than anybody else in the sport AND he has never failed a test, WHY would anybody believe Floyd when he rats on Lance?

I don't follow the sport. I'm not a Lance Armstrong fan. I would LIKE to believe he is clean. So, I'll continue to think that he is until there is some evidence that he isn't.

I would like to believe that, as well, but it is highly unlikely....which is too bad. From what I hear, the culture is ridiculous.

[mebisonII]

Yeah, its amazing Lance has never failed a test, but when you absolutely dominate the TdF for 7 years and then virtually every one of your competitors gets busted for drugs, its pretty hard to believe that you are clean.

I don't know much about cycling or drug testing, but from what I hear the testing technology is always pretty reactionary and one step behind the drugs themselves.

[NorthernBison]

Yeah, its amazing Lance has never failed a test, but when you absolutely dominate the TdF for 7 years and then virtually every one of your competitors gets busted for drugs, its pretty hard to believe that you are clean.

I don't know much about cycling or drug testing, but from what I hear the testing technology is always pretty reactionary and one step behind the drugs themselves.

Good points. Like I said, I'm not a Lance fan or even a racing fan. Here's another perspective. I've heard people say that virtually everybody in the sport is "cheating". OK. If true, then Lance gains no advantage over the competition by cheating. The playing field is essentially level. He might be ahead of the testers but he didn't win because he was cheating and his competitors were clean.