Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Hue- The Human Side Day 3

Mr. Campbell is left handed and sits to the right of Brunet, who is right handed. McLaren is right handed and sits to Mr Brunet's left. That narrows up their work space a lot.

Floyd's mom, who has to be the most cheerful person here, taking pictures in the Press Room commenting that the children at home would like to see everything happening and that she is amazed "so many "intelligent" people are working on her son's case". God Bless her!

[MORE]


What happens when a break is called and everyone here needs a bathroom break? They all go to a single rest room, which can only take 4 people at a time. So you see Floyd, the lawyers from each side and sometimes the arbitrators all at the same place. TBV, being a smart guy, understands that a Law School has to have many bathrooms and has scouted out a spot he can go to, where he can get whatever needs to be done, quickly. Smart man. But then he can't pass that awkward time with Floyd himself!

Parking on campus looks like it is a real adventure. The grades here are probably 15 or 16 percent, with each inch of parking taken up by cars. Parallel parking is probably very hard. USADA and Landis have a flat area, in the faculty lot that they access by a passcard. The press also have a roped off flat area across the street from the Law School. Probably 100 spaces are roped off for the 20 cars that park there so I feel very sorry for someone who must park on the grade because so many spaces are reserved for us. Each day, before the short but very steep climb to the Law School, we stop at the guard gate where we receive a parking pass for the day that allows us to park anywhere legal not controled by an access passcard.

USOC has also set up a small hospitality room with coffee and licorice for anyone who needs to recharge. The cafeteria is decent and fairly reasonable, with a good selection for lunch. After most day's session, my wife, Laura and I get to do some climbing on our bikes over the many beautiful vistas surrounding Malibu. It is beautiful here for us but it must be much less pleasant for the Landis family.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've always thought that Pepperdine must have one of the most beautiful ocean views of any college in the world.

AJ

Laura Challoner, DVM said...

It is very pretty here. Deer roam the lawns (the babies are very cute!) and the views of the Ocean in front and mountains/hills in the back are spectacular. Yesterday, eagles were flying over the hills.

strbuk said...

Thanks again for your comments Bill, you make me almost feel as though I were there.

str

Anonymous said...

Yes, Bill, thank you!

First, let me say that I adore Floyd's mom. She gives me such hope that Justice will prevail in spite of everything.

Second, question for you: I think you or TBV said earlier that people from the AAA were there. Can you tell us what if any pressure that places on the arbitrators to do the right thing? If everyone in the room, hearing the same evidence, feels it's obvious that USADA has no case, etc, will Brunet and McLaren still be likely to vote against Landis because they feel like it? Or do you think that with the AAA watching (as well as the rest of the world), that Brunet and McLaren will feel pressure to do the right thing?

Laura Challoner, DVM said...

The Michael Powell we referenced as being the former FCC Chair is actually the AAA observer. he has been here every day watching the proceedings.
I doubt that Brunet or McLaren care about his presence very much at all. This case is more about politics than it is a discplinary case.

daniel m (a/k/a Rant) said...

"This case is more about politics than it is a discplinary case."

Bill,

I think that is about the most succinct summary of the Landis case I've ever seen.

- Rant

Anonymous said...

I wonder if sending someone the stature of Michael Powell means that the AAA is taking this seriously. Can they refuse to provide further arbitration services until the anti-doping prosecution system cleans up it's procedural act?

AJ

Anonymous said...

Just to be clear: the Michael Powell here is not the FCC guy and the son of Colon Powell. He is a AAA employee, to wit: "Michael Powell is the Vice President of the American Arbitration Association’s (AAA) Los Angeles Regional Office that administers cases from San Luis Obispo south to Orange County and east to Nevada. He currently manages the third largest office in the AAA’s 34-office nationwide system, including a Los Angeles Roster of 250 Arbitrators and Mediators." (from some website where he was going to be a speaker at an upcoming event)

Anonymous said...

thank you for the clarification, I thought this was the FCC guy.

AJ