Tuesday Roundup

News
The San Bernardino County Sun posts comments from local friends and fellow cyclists who feel depressed and disappointed in the 2-1 arbitration decision that went against Murrieta resident Floyd Landis last week. Bike shop owner Scott McAfee , who had held a fund raising event for Landis in June said:

"If you're going to ruin someone's career,you better have your procedures straight."

Amen.

The NYT further expands yesterday's story of a DEA crackdown on steroid labs which have an extensive connection to China.

ESPN has Pat McQuaid quoted as saying that Spain may be the root of many doping evils and needs to not only enact laws on doping but vigorously enforce them as well.

The Times Argus had Floyd Landis as the answer to an obscure clue in a sort of word game. You'll need to look far down the piece to find it.

The San Diego Union Tribune says that even though no one in golf is likely using steroids or HGH it's a good idea to test since, "line between honor and cheating these days is as thin as Floyd Landis' yellow jersey." Seems you gotta get your cheap shots in where you can these days.


The Boulder Report comes to the conclusion that after all the time, money, drama, heartache, and PR disasters, what the Landis case taught us is that the anti doping system no longer works:

I have written before about how disappointed I was with Floyd’s defense, which I saw to be aggressive to a fault, overly technical and relying too much on public relations. The circumstantial evidence surrounding cycling indicates that it’s entirely likely that he did use synthetic testosterone. I still think all of that is true. However, after the trial, and looking at the opinions, I think the case could as easily have gone Floyd’s way and, in the interest of the system’s integrity, maybe it should have. Did he do it? I don’t know. But neither can I be sure that the anti-doping community convincing proved its case. And that we all must live with that question is unacceptable. The problem that remains then is whether we have the political will to change the establishment, and if so, what would we do?

It's rather long winded but worth the read.


MSNBC posts an AP Eddie Pells piece which dissects the Floyd Landis statement of appreciation to donors that was posted on the FFF yesterday.

The Glenwood Springs Post Independent asks various readers which sport is doing the best job of policing itself where doping is concerned. Jeremy Simon seems to have a reasonable answer, but a lot of the respondents think that cycling is the worst.

GMA News TV posts a chronology of the Landis case, from the beginning.

The VeloNews Tuesday Eurofile has plenty to say covering the Bettini vs McQuaid story, as well as the idea that the pro cycling teams have agreed to cover the significant costs for the testing of their riders. This latest anti-doping initiative was suggested by the International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT) association and is in part a reaction to the internal programs established by CSC and Slipstream. The silence of "the Lance" is also covered


The IHT reads like a soap opera script as it describes the machinations that accompany the beginning of the World Cycling Championships. Paolo Bettini won't sign "the pledge" which has the UCI's Pat McQuaid in a snit. Meanwhile McQuaid is still trying to keep Alejandro Valverde from participating, but if the CAS rules in Valverde's favor McQuaid concedes that he will be allowed to ride. And, local officials in Stuttgart are crying out for the exclusion of admitted/reformed doper Erik Zabel. Sounds like fun.

Blogs
CFA unequivocally states that if Lance Armstrong thinks he is now only a cancer crusader and can spend the rest of life denying he has any interest in cycling, thus allowing him to refuse comment on the Landis decision, he is nuts!:

This is his new mantra, and you better believe it is paying off for him in big ways that have nothing to do with cancer. He is earning himself vast reservoirs of goodwill that insulate him from any and all doping accusations that might still linger and follow him. So good for Lance, he may have suddenly and mysteriously lost any ability to multi-task, but before long he will surely be granted sainthood and permanent lifetime immunity from any and all negative innuendos. He might have been ruthless and arrogant, but he never was dumb.

Veloguy passes on a piece with more non comments from Armstrong


Steroid Nation hops on the "Armstrong will not comment on Landis " bandwagon:

Frequent champion Lance Armstrong, almost as frequently questioned about doping, says he don't know and he don't care about his former bud Floyd Landis' doping conviction last week.

Thoughts of Hazel Mae calls Floyd Landis a chump and then is chagrined to not be able to come up with a good punchline. That's OK,really.

Chuck the Cyclist fears that he sadly may have to look for another American hero.

cwdtrek82 has too much to write about and too little time now, so comments on Floyd Landis will have to wait. But there was time to write lots about the current Genesis tour and Dad.

Edocblog got to hang with mountain biker Dave Wiens,winner of this year's Leadville 100 where Floyd Landis came in second . Kent and Dave were manning an aid station together at the Vapor Trail event and Kent got to hear the blow by blow of the battle between Landis and Wiens at Leadville.

CrystalZENmud sent another open letter to all of the WADA laboratories urging reform in light of the Landis ruling and the upcoming WADA summit in November.

In further ZENmud news, a new blog is born. WADAwatch will concentrate on WADA news and discussions and leave the old CrystalZENmud blog to talk politics and other current issues. WADAwatch will keep its' eye trained on WADA.

team raceAthlete provides three perspectives on the Landis arbitration decision. One is pro Landis, one thinks Floyd got what he well deserved, and the third one is that oldie but goodie (?) from "The Onion" about a drug free Tour de France.

Rant puts together the "The Science of it all" giving a GC/MS/IRMS primer for the scientifically challenged with descriptions of how the tests work, and highlighting as well potential problems with retention times ect. Rant explains the relevance of this to several internet discussions that have ensued since the announcement of the Landis decision.

Clearly Sports obviously thinks that for Floyd Landis it's all about the dollars, claiming that not only was Landis rumored to have been a rampant drug user before the 2006 Tour de France began, but that Floyd is also so arrogant he assumes the public will just believe him when he says he is innocent. To say this is "snarkworthy" would be a gross understatement, but it's obviously representative of at least some sports fans.

The Outdoor Weblog notes that Floyd Landis continues to maintian his innocence.

Where I Stand thinks that Floyd Landis deserved punishment. No one feels sorry for Landis now who must face the consequences of his actions. That's one way to look at it.