Granted, there is way too much commentary on doping in cycling but let me add mine to the steaming pile. I feel personally slighted after so many years of commitment watching the Tour De France and its fantastic cheats from the comfort of my lounge chair. The highs, the lows, the drama, the excitement, the disappointments - it's stressful being a fan.
Two points.
First, the 'Voice of Cycling' - Phil Liggett - continues to be an apologist for Armstrong and the cycling establishment. Full disclosure, watching the Tour without Phil (and Paul Sherwin to a lesser extent) is like listening to an audiobook narrated by a supermodel. OK, bad analogy, I don't listen to audiobooks. It's like...anyway, not the same without Phil as it is with him.
Which brings me to my point. For years Phil has studiously defended Lance Armstrong and whenever doping allegations about the Tour are brought up, he is quick to say he hopes they have gone away or, like this year's Tour, dismiss them as publicity seeking by disgruntled has-beens and assorted hangers-on. Well, sorry Phil, I'll still listen to your dulcet tones during the Tour but get your head out of your 70 year old ass/arse (he's English). If anyone has been around for long enough to know exactly what's going on - it's you.
Note to Phil - as the guy that is half the fun of watching the Tour and such a well respected commentator on all things cycling, you have a responsibility to stop the charade. Sure you are under contract and cannot walk away as a result but maybe start with not dismissing doping allegations and work up to questioning Armstrong, the UCI, the Tour organisers, the corporate sponsors etc. Small steps Phil but your failure to acknowledge the truth makes you look a fool. If you retire, I'll be stuck with Bob Roll, Craig Hummer and the other hopeless US commentators talking endlessly about the 36th placed US rider's win in the US Pro Tour de Whogivesafuck. Save both of us further pain and get back on the right path.
Second, the flow-on effect to the amateurs who delude themselves that it's OK to make fucked up moral choices because the 'pros' do it. Amateurs adopting the same immoral attitude is pathetic. See David Anthony, the amateur cyclist whose ambition to move up the ranks of the amateur categories ended with being busted at the ultimate nothing ride - the Grandfondo NYC. However, there is now news that doping has a long history of infecting low level semi-professional/amateur running with an article in the NY Times outlining the banning of Christian Hesch.
Hesch apparently won around $40k a year in prize money at small time events where his chances of not being caught, and of winning some money, were greatest though it is not clear whether that is net of the cost of his drugs and transport costs to Mexico to collect them. Either way, a tough way to earn a living - no glory and earns the same as a NY cop. At least they get a gun, licence to run every red light and endless free donuts. Hesch gets a two year ban and early onset arthritis - what a dick. I like his comment that he did it to recover from an injury - what an injury to the oxygen carrying capacity of his blood? Give me a break - just another hopeless cheat. Get a real job and run in your spare time. No one gives a shit about who won the 10k at Buttfuck, CA except the other runners you beat that weren't doping. Dickhead.
Hesch apparently won around $40k a year in prize money at small time events where his chances of not being caught, and of winning some money, were greatest though it is not clear whether that is net of the cost of his drugs and transport costs to Mexico to collect them. Either way, a tough way to earn a living - no glory and earns the same as a NY cop. At least they get a gun, licence to run every red light and endless free donuts. Hesch gets a two year ban and early onset arthritis - what a dick. I like his comment that he did it to recover from an injury - what an injury to the oxygen carrying capacity of his blood? Give me a break - just another hopeless cheat. Get a real job and run in your spare time. No one gives a shit about who won the 10k at Buttfuck, CA except the other runners you beat that weren't doping. Dickhead.
Another disappointing week with presumably many more to follow.
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