Monday Roundup
News
The Sunjournal.com, in its page 2 TV listings, makes comment on the fact that it misses Floyd Landis looking pasty white in yellow, who doesn't?
ESPN/DeSimone a few days ago did a well-written and heartfelt a piece about the press coverage of the Tour we'd missed, and caught up thanks to an emailer. She notes how small the corps from the US is that covers the tour, and the dismissive attitudes of the occasionals. She speaks of the dissonance of talking to people she knows are lying, and of the betrayal successive national press pools have felt as their respective riders have been exposed. Her conclusion is that it's a fascinating time to be doing serious coverage.
AFP via Velonews says the UCI is now asking support personnel to also sign the "pledge".
PR Week makes note of the fact that cycling is not hiding its' face in the sand when it comes to doping, even Versus used a reference to the UCI rider pledge in ads for this year's Tour de France coverage.
ABC7Chicago.com gives a heads up on tonight's book signing in Wheaton, Il. plus a review of "Positively False".
EMail
A reader tells us (edited):
Watchedthe first episode of a Dutch TV “talk show” that is supposed to air every evening during the TdF and I was shocked. Leading theme of the first night: doping.
They had both Patrick Lefevre and doping scientist De Boer in the studio. De Boer was involved after Landis testing positive, being Landis' expert at the B-sample test? He also was assisting Theunisse way back when in another testosterone case.
Towards the end of the programme, the interviewer asked De Boer for his opinion “as a scientist” regarding the possible outcome of the arbitration. His answer however depicted a complete lack of scientific insight: De Boer thought that Landis was not going to get cleared by the arbs, because (make sure you’re seated) well, you know…even Greg Lemond testified against him. (what?!?!) Well, either this man just said what the interviewer had pre-broadcast asked him to answer, or I’m beginning to understand why Theunisse did NOT get his name cleared while this scientist was on his defense team.
Another emailer says Landis was on the Mancow radio show today:
Flipping through stations I heard “Positively False” … so it caught my ear. I only heard the first few mins of it with Mancow being really annoying and interrupting a lot. I looked online and you can listen to today’s show free. I realized that David Walsh was on earlier. I have yet to listen to the whole thing (either Landis or Walsh) so don’t have much to report.
This sounds about as productive as the Carola appearance early on.
Cycleops/Saris, one of Landis' continuing sponsors, are doing different tour web event this year, passing on various tips and answering questions. Allen Lim is among the experts. Registration req'd.
Blogs
Spinnin' Wheel is waiting like a lot of others for the Landis verdict and is hoping that it will not overshadow the current Tour de France.
Blah Blah Shut this Guy Up is torn about taking his very young sons to see Floyd Landis tonight in Wheaton,Il. If Floyd is found "guilty" by the arb panel what kind of example would Blah Blah set for his kids by taking them to see a doper? What kind of example would he set for them by taking them to meet someone who stood up for his rights against all odds? Good questions.
Rant is near-live blogging the book signing in Wheaton. They're sold out of books already, and Landis hasn't shown up yet.
Whatever People Say I am... says "don't dope", and of course cites Floyd Landis as someone who did. He talks about motivation a.k.a. cash, and provides a youtube video of a Lance Armstrong Nike ad, still hoping that Lance at least is clean.
The Source says "Vive le Tour" and in a sort of snarky way is still kinda thinking that Floyd Landis is innocent, either that or Floyd is too stupid to admit he did anything wrong.
Active Expert is excited by the prospect of a Lance vs Landis showdown at Leadville.
Backpedaling says something nice about Levi Leipheimer, but to do so snarks on Floyd Landis.
Maillot Blanc gives us a Tour de France 101, and still lists Floyd Landis among the jersey holders.
The Elegant Variation posts a "Monday Round Up" with a short note referring to "Positively False".
The Chelsea Drugstore in the scattergun approach, is happy to not have to hate Discovery Channel anymore and feels good about it. She also thinks that after the Landis affair in LAST summer's Tour de France cycling went to hell in a hand basket.
Zach's 2007 RAGBRAI Journal reports,albeit a little late, on his attendance at last week's Washington, DC Floyd Landis "Positively False" appearance, plus Zach is working hard to get in riding condition. In any case, now that he has heard Floyd speak in person he is interested in reading the book.
Steve Lavey 20 Million Minutes reminds us that Floyd Landis will be in Chicago tomorrow night at 7 at the Michigan Ave. Borders to promote his new book "Positively False". Thanks for the plug by the way.
Glendora Mountain Road watches this year's Tour de France while patiently waiting for the arb decision in the Landis case. Better to have it right than to have it fast.
Rant has an arb decision watch to talk about today thinking that perhaps the panel has not closed the Landis case making the time they take any length they desire, as long as they come to a conclusion 10 days after the case is closed. He also talks at length about the Ziegler article from yesterday in which perhaps further inside character assassination against Floyd Landis is seen.
Boulder Report passes on rumors we may get the decision this week.
ClintCJ reads Positively False, and has a conversion:
Anyone who says “everyone is doping” can only justify why they are not good enough to be great
Gale Bernhard runs down some possible story lines for Leadville.
Southern California Aquatic thinks Landis is a despicable cheater, and lays into Zabel's Atlanta Olympic appearance, which was after his admitted start of using EPO.
10 comments:
Well, if the decision goes against floyd then it has been said that the decision will not be appealed by floyd because he has already lost too much money, and the end result will be the floyd is gone from procycling.
but what happens if the verdict comes in his favour ? will there be an appeal ? would we see floyd racing anywhere in the meantime ? I wonder if floyd would then show up at the tour (assuming the verict comes before the tours finish) ? or is floyds reputation and credibility so damaged that he is gone no matter what ?
Re: the email above by DeBoer. I think DeBoer was stating that even though he as a Scientist doesn't think Landis is guilty, it doesn't really matter because the Arbs aren't smart enough or don't care to consider the science involved. Heck, even GL thinks Landis is guilty therefore he must be...
If the arbs rule in favor of USADA, and assuming no appeal to the CAS, the expected penalty is 2 years exclusion from racing, and 4 years from a UCI pro tour team? Could Floyd give up the CAS appeal for a reduced penalty? And when would the exclusion period run from? The date he last raced with a USA Cycling license?
Maybe Judge Hue can weigh in?
I don't see any reason why USADA would agree to a shorter penalty, should Landis be found guilty. They are quite clearly irked with his fighting back, and have pulled out most if not all of the stops against him.
Why would they back down now?
TBV
I think that the arbitrators are permitted to make the "penalty" retroactive to the date FL stopped competing in late July/August 2006.
He could then conceivably ride with a Pro Continental team (Slipstream?)in August 2008. That might negatively impact Slipstream in their attempt to get a Tour wildcard invitation in 2008. Speculation is interesting.
Interesting. When I first read the headline "UCI asks support staff to join riders in signing anti-doping pledge", I thought the UCI wanted UCI employees to sign the document. Silly me!
While it is a step forward to ask the Team Directors and the rest of the staff from the teams to join the riders in making a pledge against doping, the "what is good for the goose is good for the gander" is still incomplete.
This is esentially a pledge to follow the rules. The UCI, WADA, various national federation folks (those that have probably been involved in leaking confidential testing information to the press) need to reaffirm that they will obey the rules that apply to them under a one year salary penalty too. Fair is fair. Don't hold your breath.
The Mancow interview is actually not too bad. Mancow knows a little more about cycling than he lets on (he's been to the Tour), and he is sympathetic to Landis, and knows his story a little. He even calls him "Kid Rock" at one point. Landis of course says LNDD is incompetent, but he also gets a chance to say more specifically that they don't know what they measured. He gets in a few other of the common statements, but in my view he could use these interviews better if he was quicker with the talking points (as Lance always is, of course). He really blows a stupid caller question about S17. He ought to be able to get his story out there more effectively. There are lots of plugs for the book. We learn the fascinating detail that Floyd has an i-Phone.
The Landis interview starts 2 hours 31 minutes into the show. You have to download the whole thing, but you can skip right to 2:31.
I've never heard Mancow before. The guy is all over the place. At one point, Landis is on at the same time as Gab Kaplin (of Welcome Back Kotter). Weird show, but then I'm not much of a pop radio fan.
So, am I supposed to believe that Floyd stood in line to get an iphone? :-)
str
One reason the USADA might back down is the prospect of a CAS appeal. That costs *them* money too, and the arbs decision, even if favorable in terms of outcome, could be very damaging to USADA's reputation. They very well could rule 2-1 but say something along the lines of "we are reasonably satisfied in this case, but the methods used here are very suspect." USADA might feel the arbs give lots of ammo for the CAS appeal, and might prefer it not proceed.
These sorts of settlements are common in "real" US court cases. But this is not such a proceeding.
The speculation is indeed interesting.
I will be at the 7/12 Seattle/Bothell book signing. Think it would be too over the top to ride there in my Smith&Newphew kit? :-)
If you have Smith & Nephew kit, wear it, dude. Just be to clear though, it would be over the top to have Floyd sign it while still on your body.
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