At some point -- and maybe you've already reached it (Tooth did long ago) -- the ongoing saga of Bad Boy Floyd's own personal hell is going to begin to bore you.Personally, I don't know what to think. I don't know Floyd Landis. I don't know what he would do if driven to desperation, as he no doubt was on the decisive 17th stage of the Tour de France.
I want to believe.
It isn't hard to imagine.
But there is an old saying: If something is too good to be true, then it probably isn't.
There are two stories of interest this morning:
My friend Sal Ruibal of USA TODAY appears to be the only journalist to have interviewed Floyd on Sunday. Basically, Landis says that the UIC and WADA are treating him unfairly and not giving him sufficient time to defend himself.
And John Spivey has an interesting opinion piece on BlogCritic.org based on Daniel Coyle's chapter on Landis ("The Book of Floyd") in his book, "Lance Armstrong's War."
Finally, Floyd and his wife, Amber, were interviewed by Robin Roberts of "Good Morning America" on ABC-TV this morning. As it turned out, it was the first a number of morning show interviews (see links below). While Roberts asked several direct questions, and Landis answered directly, the interview didn't really add anything. Floyd is sorry he (and his lawyers) answered developments piecemeal; it made him sound like he was offering excuses. He also feels there is an "agenda" against him.
Armen Keteyian of CBSNews conducted the best of the interviews, and Landis came across most naturally and comfortably during that session. Keteyian, not surprisingly given his journalistic background, asked the most precise and intelligent questions, so if you watch just one interview, watch this one.
I would like to understand why Landis tested positive just once for high, external levels of testosterone. Where did it come from? And why just this once? Could the sample have been tampered with? If not, why was Landis positive just this once, and what could he have done that would have resulted in a one-time, one-stage boost? Those are the questions I need answered.
So, the saga continues. If you read this blog, tell the Cranks what you think.
MSNBC video: 'Nobody in their right mind would take testosterone just once,' cyclist says
FoxNews video: Floyd Landis Defends Himself to Media, Maintains Innocence on Doping Charges
CBSNews video on Landis: I Earned Tour Title
IHT's Samuel Abt on Cycling: Landis on offensive 'to defend myself'
NYTimes Harvey Araton: The Burden of Failure Puts Athletes at Risk
Rocky Mountain News Bernie Lincicome: To tell the truth? Outlandish excuses rule
3 comments:
so crantks, here's something I've always wondered:
if a guy like Tyler or Floyd really didn't cheat (at least not related to their charge), then why wouldn't they submit to a lie detector test (limited questions to the charge) to at least win in the court of public opinion?
and agreed '03 - a single high/external test makes we wonder (and even like to believe that maybe someone in the lab tainted the sample - although I'm not ususally a conspiracy guy)
and by the way, I ride (and love) a Lemond Maillot Jaune, so hope you'll take it easy on the YBL & Greggie Nascar-like coverage :-)
To Newbie Rider's point:
I just can't see Floyd doping over a long period of time. One time out of desperation? Maybe. But over time? No, if I'm any kind of judge of character (even indirectly). And a one-time screwup IF he was doping regularly? On THAT stage? I don't think so?
Why didn't he come up positive in any of the other numerous tests?
Just what can he do (I don't know the science) to spike like that on just one day?
To Rider: There was a story on VeloNews in which some guy out in California offered Floyd $100K to take a lie detector test.
I don't know what Floyd should do. I don't know what he can do, other than unravel the science and the process.
So my No. 1 question remains: Exactly what can cause a one day spike in external testosterone like this?
Floyd explained the "excuses" in his media interviews this morning, and I'm satisfied with that. He was just trying to serve the media, and that was a mistake. IF he didn't dope, then he's as mystified as we are. So, could some one have spiked his sample? I just don't know ...
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