Tuesday Roundup
News
AP/Yahoo has Hank "chip off the old block" Steinbrenner whining that Baseball is being singled out. Possible snappy rejoinders:
- as if!
- yeah, right.
- if only.
- add your own in a comment!
USA Today writes a thumbnail of Michael Ball and Rock Racing with an interesting fact or two, as well as a comment from High Road's Bob Stapleton.
The CyclingNews says that the IOC is pleased with the reopening of OP and is not surpisingly anxious for sanctioning to commence.
The VeloNews notes the reshuffling of Astana's racing schedule now that it is "persona non grata" at ASO events.
ESPN reports British sprinter Dwain Chambers, who was banned for two years for testing positive for THG, missed the deadline that would have allowed him to appeal his suspension from this summer's Olympics which stemmed from his ban.
Eurosport passes on word that the ever diplomatic Mr. Pound doesn't think it will be Landis', or Gatlin's fault if the US doesn't get another Olympic games. He doesn't mention Jones, though, so it maybe it will be all her fault. Or maybe the writer reached for names Pound never actually uttered.
Video
Fora.TV has put up Greg LeMond's Feb-17 appearance in Palo Alto to pitch "Ethics, Doping, and the Future of Cycling". We're too busy watching the ToC and doing paying work to view this, but if someone wants to summarize in a comment, we'd be obliged.
Blogs
WADA Watch gives it's February "Tipping the Scales of Justice" press award to Ann Killion, of the Mercury News, for her factually challenged article on Greg LeMond.
Over at Rant, there are some great conversations going on in the comments, accurately and fairly representing many positions. We particularly like this one by Michael. Some others yesterday noted the irony of a screen grab from yesterday's ToC finish, won by JJ Haedo:
In the future, maybe the finish shouldn't line up right with PEDestrian crossing markings, lest people draw implications the organizers and sponsors would rather avoid.Eddie O gives us a blast from the past '94 NORBA Nationals, where some kid Landis was 2nd in the "senior expert" (up to age 24) race.
Coal Miner's Longjohn's is reminded of Landis' "bonk" on an XC skiing excursion.
Planet Quirky re-captions a snapshot of Landis and Suh in Palo Alto on Sunday:
Sausalito, CA – Word on the streets today is that Team Rock Racing owner, Michael Ball had an altercation during the pre-prologue press conference in which words were exchanged with former Star Trek star George Takai. Ball was quoted as referring to the former star as “Space-Age Queer” and “Floyd’s new Toy Boy”. Some time later, Takei and Landis were reportedly seen smashing windows of one of Rock Racing’s controversial Cadillac Escalade team vehicles. A melee ensued between the pair and three Rock Racing riders that organizers had not allowed to start the race. Tensions were high but the scene quickly dispersed as Guarda Civil sirens could be heard in the near distance
At least it's a new joke, and most of the names are spelled correctly.
Free Rolling is no fan of Floyd Landis, and even implies that Floyd left an injured cyclist by the side of the road without offering any help. FR snarks that Floyd may have doped or not, but the REAL reason he is so disliked is that he yelled long and hard about being treated unfairly.
ViciousLifeCycle thinks in ASO vs UCI, riders lose. No argument there. Points (a), (b) and (c) look eerily familiar.
StL.Today illustrates some head scratching about Michael Ball with a vintage video of David Essex lip-syncing Rock-n-Roll, Part III.
Nucleus also snapped Landis in Palo Alto, in leather. Don't know if the big guy in green is the bodyguard.
21 comments:
I know Ball is poorly regarded by many, but I actualy like what he's saying and, unlike Bob Stapleton, I like the way he says it. Cycling needs a good kick up the backside. Who cares if he's trying to make some money out of it. Everybody else is but at least he's upfront about that. Good luck to him !
OP has been dragging on for years now. The fact that it is still affecting Hamilton's career is outrageous (is this a human rights issue ?). What's he supposed to do, hang around twiddling his thumbs until somebody eventually decides to close the case ? Maybe he'll get lucky and get to race again before he hits 40.
No, Ball's right on the money IMHO.
Cancellara just dropped a notch or two in my book of high regard with his latest statements. It also makes me wonder if he was coached by someone.
Whareagle, what did he say? I think I missed it.
Thanks for the help Sunday!
TBV
I don't know if this is what Whareagle meant, but I found this article at Cycling Weekly. Apparently, he's unhappy with Hamilton, Botero and Sevilla.
That PED crossing picture is hilarious.
syi
I await an open file at UCI based on the "PED" crossing photo. I smiled, but it's also sad.
And whatever one thinks of Michael Ball, kudos to his kit designer for an outfit that stands out in the peleton. I can't miss the lime green and barbed wire/rose thorns. There's enough policing in cycling that I dare not suggest an aesthetics cop, but my post-bifocal eyes are tired of trying to guess who is who from the side/back of the riders when the kit isn't distinctive.
Hear that Quick Step, Milram and Gerolstiner? CSC, you should be thankful Predictor/Lotto changed as you both looked alike from the camera last year.
FC doesn't like the Rock 3 staying at the ToC. It's covered in Velonews and other sources.
Another un-named ToC competitor doesn't have problem with it. He figures they don't have numbers pinned on, so no harm and no foul.
To each their own.
I knd of like that they are sticking around, getting in some training and doing PR work/making themselves available for autographs....
Maybe there is a rule somewhere that states they have to stay away from the race? Kind of doubt it. That would cover a lot of Cali. Besides, they just were not allowed to start this race (dubious reasons). They are not under suspension. They have not been sanctioned. ToC doesn't own the public roadways, although they get use of certain road for a specified time.
If the Rod 3 (4) want to train on the course, when it's not closed to the public, before the race goes thruogh, then that seems to be their right.
Jonathan T interviewed Tyler Hamilton yesterday -- the audio was posted to The Fredcast. Tyler sounds ticked about his exclusion from the AToC.
Here is a link to Cancellara's comments: http://beta.velonews.com/article/72391
I was rushed before and didn't include it then. Sorry also for all the typos in my previous post.
Dick Pound & IOC can take a hike. If a thorough witch hunt wrt PED’s is the litmus test for hosting the Olympic games, they can keep them.
Isn’t Dick, at least, partially responsible for the next edition being in China? Perhaps someone could remind him (or clue him in) that an athlete can’t eat the local fare without putting themselves at extreme risk of testing positive for T, only as a result of eating the local fare. Contaminated food products seem to be the norm, rather than the exception, wrt nourishment procured locally at the next games.
Correction:
s/hank/george
Hank the whiny son...
We stand corrected!
TBV
Haha nice fix TBV!
Now if you could fix the text over on the right in the "Comments" section..
S/milage/mileage
Sorry it was driving me wacky! Everyone in my family (except me) was a teacher so I can't help it. Of course I work for the evil empire...
In the comments section of the Anne Killion article "Laurent" says "Sandro Donati accused Dr. Ivan Van Mol of giving Greg LeMond prohibited substances during the 1991 Tour de France." Alas no citation. Is this true? Is this statement located in the 1994 EPO Dossier? If you know where this statement is located mention an http:// or a reference.
THANKS!
On a serious note...
I haven't seen any mention of this anywhere until tonight but it's interesting read:
Hammer Nutrition sued for contamination
Jon,
"Laurent"'s post ref'd 1989, the 8 second year, not 1991:
Greg the saint? I'd encourage those interested to read "The Donati Report" from Italy from over a decade ago. It was a report written by Sandro Donati who is italy's biggest doping crusader. Some may say it's Italy's and Cycling's equivalent of the Mitchell Report. Greg was featured there as someone who received BANNED substances from Dr. Ivan Van Mol during the !989 season. The year he won the Tour de France by 8 seconds...At least worth an investigative look.
I have looked and been unable to find a copy of the 1994 report, though it seems to be widely known and cited. Perhaps its existence is known, but there aren't copies in the wild.
That LeMond might be implicated in his own PED use is curious, but not something I'm going to pursue with vigor.
TBV
Here's some leads, such as they are.
(1) a Cyclingnews story from '97 that appears to quote the '94 report in translation, which says the Donati shrouded some names with false initials. link
(2) a series at play the game by Donati that runs down a lot of stuff, but doesn't have the report. It does explain why WADA wasn't a bad idea. We note that Donati doesn't talk about due process protection, only enforcement, a widespread blind-spot, it seems.
So, I see no smoking gun that says LeMond was implicated by Donati in this early report. Maybe someone else can find it and report.
TBV
This has totally nothing to do with anything...but keeping an eye on Floyd's competition for the upcoming mtb 100 milers...Dave Wiens rode on a team with a freind of mine at: http://www.azstarnet.com/sports/225637
Cool story and reading, anyway....
Aloha! Hooray for team SlipStream!
Kate
Beeble -
That's a serious lawsuit. The DSHEA act really was an oxymoron that put the burden of proof on the Feds to prove that something was or wasn't in a product, and then Senator Hatch gutted the FDA's regulatory budget for supps. As a result, most supp companies are making lots of money, and the FDA has very little ability to test for Purity, Potency, and Delivery.
While I do like Hammer, I'm honestly not surprised that something like this could happen. I think the same thing was mentioned in the 2002 Winter Games, which happened to be in SLC. Think about it - it's far too easy to let something slip in or not thoroughly clean a supp batch machine from one batch of dirty supps to a supposed batch of clean supps. And given the amount of money to be made, even if it's only from a heightened sense of improvement, can far outweigh a true double-blind study with lots of augmented research.
I better git. DQ is poking me in the DPF forum.
TBV:
What if "Laurent" turned out to be Laurent Fignon? I have plenty of vigor to go after Greg LeMond, I assure you.
Fignon said, "Areodynamics cost me the Tour de France." Perhaps Oliver Starr was right, if LeMond used questionable equipment advantages (Scott Bars) why would he stop there? EPO was available at the time although there was no test. HGH was available.
Okay, Greg, the fates were against you. Get over it.
I'd rate the likelihood of Laurent Fignon posting a comment on a Mercury News article as virtually nil, but we've seen some pretty strange things on this fun-ride already.
If you ever do find the 1994 Donati report, let us know.
TBV
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