Thursday Roundup

News
Christine Brennan at USA Today says that Roger Clemens already knows he has lost the game and can never prove that he has not taken banned substances, he is sounding desperate. She says he is more Floyd Landis than Lance Armstrong whatever the heck that means.

The VeloNews Wednesday Mailbag continues to be full of angst about Rock Racing with one note suggesting some new programming for the networks in these troubled times:

Dear Editor:
Why aren't Michael Ball's adventures with the Rock Racing cycling team being made into a wonderfully engaging reality TV show?

Obviously, the cable networks are dropping the ball (sorry) on this one. Versus? A&E? Any of the ESPNs? Hell, Cycling.tv or VeloNews.com could even do a webcast/video on demand.

The team's training camp starts on January 18. Someone film the damn thing. We'll watch it.

Brent Kametz
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

Sounds like it could be akin to the old "Real World" on MTV, it might be a hit!!

Cycling Weekly states that CONI, the Italian Olympic Committee, will reopen the Operation Puerto investigation after receiving new evidence:

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport website, those implicated in Operacion Puerto will (be) summoned for questioning in February and whoever refuses could be banned from competing or working in Italy. This would have huge consequences on the 2008 season because the Tour de France visits Italy in July and the world championships are scheduled to be held in Varese, north of Milan, in September.

The CyclingNews also reports on CONI reopening OP, and also reveals that former WADA head Dick Pound wanted an investigation into an Austrian lab to find if systematic doping had occurred there:

L'Equipe reported on Thursday that an Austrian laboratory, Humanplasma, is currently being investigated as it is suspected to be practising in blood doping. Roland Achatz, representative of the Austrian government, revealed that the investigation was opened following a written query by then president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Richard Pound. So far, the lab director, Dr Lothar Baumgartner, has denied being involved in any blood doping affair whatsoever.

The NY Times writes this morning that the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is looking into the use of PEDs in baseball, has postponed hearings next week in which Roger Clemens and his accuser were to testify. The committee will begin its own investigation into Clemens’s denials that he used PEDs, and will take sworn depositions in the matter. Congress is now scheduled to hold the hearings on February 13.

Blogs
Draft Rantings wants somebody to tell Michael Ball...well a lot of things.

The Strongest of the Strange writes about training obsession and motivation and can't help but turn a possible Floyd Landis compliment into a snark.