Floyd Landis: My thoughts on the controversy
Yesterday was one of the biggest media days in American pro cycling in a long time. Unfortunately, the news story had nothing to do with any big American victories. Once again, pro cycling has been plagued by doping allegations. Yesterday, Floyd Landis finally came out that he was doping during most of his pro cycling career; after four years he was striped of his Tour de France title for doping. He also named many top cyclist for doping. On Floyd's black list included ex-teammates such as Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, and Dave Zabriskie, all of whom are currently racing in the Amgen Tour of California this week.
In the last four years, Landis claimed his innocence by raising money and wrote a book about his innocence. He raised millions of dollars and made lots of money from his book. Many Americans (including myself), and other pro cyclist (including the ones he threw under the bus) believed his innocence. He lied to the public about his cheating in the sport and took millions of dollars from people. In a press confrence yesterday in California, Lance Armstrong spoke about the allegations that were made about him from his ex-teammate/friend. He was very angry with Landis and said that he fooled all of us including him. Armstrong ended the press confrence by saying "we have nothing to hide."
This controversy is bigger than any sports related controversy in the last year. Bigger than the Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods cheated on his wife, not his sport; Landis cheated his sport, ied to the public, took millions of dollars from his fans and now he's trying to take others down with him. I'm sure more will come of this in the next couple of months leading up to the Tour de France. This is not over yet.
A few weeks ago I saw Floyd Landis at the Joe Martin stage race in Arkansas. Never of thought that this might be the last time the public will see him on a bike. I imagine that Landis will no longer race again, or ever be caught riding a bike.
Floyd Landis at rider sign in, before stage 1 of the 2010 Tour of Missouri
Jens Voigt having a friendly chat with Landis. Wonder how this conversation would go now.
Landis, almost running me over at Joe Martin
Video of Landis last road race finish? He's at the end of the pack of this finish.
Almost forgot:
Video Pick for the day: Ben Folds Five - Song for the Dumped "give us our money back you BITCH LANDIS"
In the last four years, Landis claimed his innocence by raising money and wrote a book about his innocence. He raised millions of dollars and made lots of money from his book. Many Americans (including myself), and other pro cyclist (including the ones he threw under the bus) believed his innocence. He lied to the public about his cheating in the sport and took millions of dollars from people. In a press confrence yesterday in California, Lance Armstrong spoke about the allegations that were made about him from his ex-teammate/friend. He was very angry with Landis and said that he fooled all of us including him. Armstrong ended the press confrence by saying "we have nothing to hide."
This controversy is bigger than any sports related controversy in the last year. Bigger than the Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods cheated on his wife, not his sport; Landis cheated his sport, ied to the public, took millions of dollars from his fans and now he's trying to take others down with him. I'm sure more will come of this in the next couple of months leading up to the Tour de France. This is not over yet.
A few weeks ago I saw Floyd Landis at the Joe Martin stage race in Arkansas. Never of thought that this might be the last time the public will see him on a bike. I imagine that Landis will no longer race again, or ever be caught riding a bike.
Floyd Landis at rider sign in, before stage 1 of the 2010 Tour of Missouri
Jens Voigt having a friendly chat with Landis. Wonder how this conversation would go now.
Landis, almost running me over at Joe Martin
Video of Landis last road race finish? He's at the end of the pack of this finish.
Almost forgot:
Video Pick for the day: Ben Folds Five - Song for the Dumped "give us our money back you BITCH LANDIS"
Labels: Floyd Landis
posted by dashmasterp at
11:01 AM
4 Comments:
I have so many mixed emotions on this topic, not sure I can even clearly communicate them. Maybe I'll hold out a few more days or weeks and see what comes about in the matter. I will say this...I'm disappointed. I spent some time w/Floyd at the TOM this past year and really liked him, in a weird kind of way...and man, dis-a-freaking-pointing. Either way, his allegations, true or false, it took some HUGE kahunas to say what he did...because "black-balled" is what he now is.
Kudos on the song/video choice.
I wonder if the protruding chin is due to his HGH use ?
Disappointing for sure. Landis did the good thing about coming out with his use of doping. I'm sure there's more to the story with Armstrong and others he named, than what the media is saying. It'll be interesting on what these next couple of weeks will bring. No matter what the out come is (true or false), the sport of cycling will loose.
floyd is a douche...and don't forget to give me back my black t-shirt
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