Thursday Roundup

News
The VeloNews reports that a sponsor is actually staying in the sport of cycling, T-Mobile.

Bicycling recently did an interview with Floyd Landis as he prepares for the Leadville 100 on Saturday. Floyd comments on watching a bit of the 2007 Tour de France until all hell broke loose and he had to turn off his phone and "check out". He feels that no one handled the doping situation in the Tour this year well:

"Once that information is leaked, the damage is done," said Landis. "The bottom line is that the guys enforcing the rules make them up as they go along, so the cyclists and the public have no respect for them. You can't leak information on a test until the B-sample confirms it."

"It was a totally different experience watching it form the outside," said Floyd. "It wasn't handled well by the UCI, WADA, the Lab, the ASO. No one came out of that looking good. They seemed interested in airing all their problems with one another through the press, which I don't think is the way to do it."

He also is inevitably asked about his own hearing and why it's taking so long for a decision to come down:

"I'm still really hopeful about the outcome of the case," said Landis. "I don't know what is taking so long, but I'm glad they are studying the facts and looking at the science and trying to understand all of it."

CBS5 says that Google is working on a way for people mentioned in news stories to provide their own prominently featured comments and responses.

ABC12.com says that the athletes we support and are suspicious of at the same time deceive is, and we love them anyway. Sounds like a show theme for Dr. Phil.

The Amherst Bulletin establishes new sports awards for a new age, and Floyd Landis is the lucky recipient of one of them:

Fastest Tour de France by a Rider Enhanced by Testosterone, Blood Transfusions, or Other Performance Enhancers (not including sex, margaritas, or Jack Daniels.) - Floyd Landis, USA.

The IHT has breaking news, a sponsor actually stays in the sport of cycling.

Washington Post has no Landis, but some excellent observations about Barry Bonds.

ESPN/Forde equates Landis with Palmiero, putting words into his mouth saying has no idea how he tested positive.

Sacramento Bee snarkily writes:

Congratulations to Barry Bonds. He has broken Hank Aaron's home run record. An enormous weight has been lifted from his unusually large shoulders. His name will now stand forever in the record books, along with champions such as cyclist Floyd Landis and track star Marian Jones.

Blogs
The Guardian Unlimited Sports Blog says that American have a long history of loathing fallen sports heroes, and Floyd Landis among many others gets a mention.

Comment here by Michael passes a rumour that Lance will do Leadville.

Noogler in Paradise is putting an end to daily blogging unless something really interesting happens. He works for Google and got to see Floyd Landis there, but really has had it with the everyday "grind" that bloggers face, and blogging about meals is getting old.

Racejunkie is waiting to see exactly what Alberto Contador will say tomorrow in his announcement. RJ is also delighted that Floyd Landis did not "bail" on Leadville as some have done, and will still participate, but those arbitrators:

There Was No Joy in Leadville/Mighty Armstrong Has Bailed Out: but far better, Floyd Landis *will* be riding, and I must confess to mad jealousy of anyone who has the good luck and close proximity to see him back in action on a bike where he belongs. While we're at it, can the arbitrators please cough up a decision soon, so long as it excoriates the horrid incompetent lab monkeys and repugnant pitchfork-wielding leak-freaks at UCI and WADA and, if nothing better, at least let you off the hook on technical grounds? On the other hand, if they're just going to fry you anyway out of sheer embarrassment at having to admit the depth of this farce, they can wait. Either way, Allez Floyd!

Adam Wakefield of Activate is pissed that cheaters and dopers get all the headlines and attention while honest athlete are somewhat forgotten.

The Daily Spin gives us cycling headlines on Alberto Contador and Floyd Landis among others.

IcelandElf has stories of the strange and weird which of course must include a mention of Floyd Landis and how stupid he must think the American public is.

Vert provides today's "doper update".

Rant feels level heads have prevailed and wonders what Alberto will tell us tomorrow.

War on Drugs 1 wants hypnosis to replace PEDs in sports.

Nobodysmiling.com thinks that the main lesson we teach our children thorough sports at this time is how to cheat. I always thought the lesson was that officials can be arbitrary, wrong, and there's not much point arguing about it.

Integral Options thinks Landis has been stripped of his titles, and that drugs are the rule, not the exception in sports.

Garvey's Ghost thinks criticism of Bonds is racist, and that Landis has gotten a free pass.

It's the Blog defends Bonds, and kinda defends Landis.

Harry's Beef Trust equates Lab Error with theft, hallucination and other excuses.

It Glitters read Positively False and thinks Lance and Floyd can both be assholes.

GlendoraMtnRoad is in Leadville looking forward to Saturday.