Sunday Roundup

News
LancasterOnline posts a book review about hometown boy Floyd Landis and his new book "Positively False" with the eye catchingly ironic headline,‘The worst thing that ever happened to me in my life was winning the Tour de France.’" . It goes on to say that even though Lancaster has produced more than a few miscreants over the years, Floyd doesn't appear to be one of them. Book reviewer Jo-Anne Green takes note of the circumstances now surrounding the former Mennonite cyclist whose life has been turned upside down by doping allegations:

Criticizing some of the legalistic but inherently unfair rules of World Anti-Doping Agency, he writes that it "is similar to the way my church applied the words of the Bible when I was growing up in Lancaster County. If you do something wrong — even if you don't know you are doing something wrong and 'wrong' isn't hurting anyone — what you've done is an absolute sin. You're guilty. End of story."

The Contra Costa Times runs a David Letterman Top Ten List in obvious anticipation of Floyd Landis' appearance on Letterman scheduled for Tuesday evening:

Top Ten Floyd Landis Excuses:

10. "High altitude in the Alps made daddy dizzy."
9. "Who can resist Balco's delicious 'spicy chipotle' flavor."
8. "I was trying to impress Sheryl Crow."
7. "Uh ... global warming?"
6. "The world hates Americans already, so does this really matter?"
5. "French bastards must have dosed my quiche."
4. "Wanted to give 'New York Post' excuse to run hilarious 'Fink Floyd' headline."
3. "Hulk no need excuse."
2. "Frankly, I'd rather be a disgrace than a loser."
1. "(Expletive) you -- I'm Floyd -- damn -- Landis."

The Morning Call of Allentown, PA writes extensively about the Lehigh Valley Velodrome noting that thus far the Floyd Landis scandal hasn't put the kibosh on it.

AFP Tour preview incorrectly claims the race is starting without a champion from the year before.

Eurosport via Yahoo gets it right, noting Landis is still the official winner, though under dispute.

The Miami Herald hates the title Positively False, and snarks the forward might be by Barry Bonds.


Blogs
Finger Food writes that Mrs Finger stole his copy of "Positively False" and so the review of the book is hers. Even though she cannot understand that obsessive selfishness exemplified by professional athletes, she sympathizes with Floyd Landis and liked the book:

One thing that has always bothered me about men who spend their lives playing games is that it ultimately seems like an incredibly selfish pursuit. The older I get the more I feel like my life is not my own. I am constantly thinking about working a full-time job for someone, taking care of someone, cleaning up after someone, or saving money to buy food, clothes, or diapers for someone else. Floyd even admits in his book that he “put training first, even before (his) family. When you want to win, you eat, drink, sleep and breathe cycling.”

The Science of Sport is still talking about doping in cycling and digs a little further into the long history of using PEDs in the Tour de France.

Chronic SF really talks about sustainable energy, but works in a "climbs faster than Floyd Landis on steroids". Still in the metaphorical lexicon, it seems.