in praise of USADA

[johnr]

So what's the chances of USADA bringing out their own line of cycling clothing? Adidas would probably be willing to partner up. don't you think?

 

[007fair]

I'm still prepared to believe that he doesn't believe he is guilty. I think he believes he was just doing that which was necessary to prepare himself properly and to make sure the playing field was level.

It was only recently that I was made aware of how close Armstrong's era was after the Festina scandal. Festina was supposed to be the point where the sport had hit rock bottom, fully exposed as thoroughly corrupt - and the year after this was going to be the new dawn of a clean cycling era. Enter stage left Mr Armstrong who calously saw this situation as an opportunity to take systematic doping and deceit to a whole new level. He knows how guilt he is .. he knows.

 

[philipbh]

Travis Tygaart ? He seems a pretty low key guy. Perhaps he can go on to WADA or another sporting institution but the very fact that hardly anyone knows who he is/they are means I think it's a long shot for public office.

The Eliot Ness of Professional Bike Racing...?

 

[Smokin Joe]

It was only recently that I was made aware of how close Armstrong's era was after the Festina scandal. Festina was supposed to be the point where the sport had hit rock bottom, fully exposed as thoroughly corrupt - and the year after this was going to be the new dawn of a clean cycling era. Enter stage left Mr Armstrong who calously saw this situation as an opportunity to take systematic doping and deceit to a whole new level. He knows how guilt he is .. he knows.

He knows he doped, but he doesn't believe he did wrong. Armstrong believes that it is the rules that are wrong, just as the robber believes that he is doing no harm to the people he robs because the insurance company will pick up the tab, and if his victim is not insured it is "His own fault". And if he hurts anyone who tries to stop him that's there fault for sticking their noses in.

The more I read about Lance the closer his DNA seems to a gangland boss than a sportsman.

 

[Red Light]

All very laudable but after a summer in which cycling hit a new high globally, it is now been pulled down lower than at any time in its history following the publicity and media frenzy surrounding Hamilton and USADA. Rabobank is probably the first of many sponsors that will pull out of the sport before the next season and cycling will take years to recover if it ever does. As a memorable line went from a medical publication "The operation was a technical success but unfortunately the patient died"

 

[Smokin Joe]

All very laudable but after a summer in which cycling hit a new high globally, it is now been pulled down lower than at any time in its history following the publicity and media frenzy surrounding Hamilton and USADA. Rabobank is probably the first of many sponsors that will pull out of the sport before the next season and cycling will take years to recover if it ever does. As a memorable line went from a medical publication "The operation was a technical success but unfortunately the patient died"

Rubbish, the patient is in no danger of dying. Sponsors come and go, they always have done and there will still be a Tour de France next year plus a full set of classics and all the minor races. If the sport diminishes in commercial value so what? The fact that fewer riders retire as multi millionaires won't make a jot of difference to anyone with a genuine interest in racing, and if fewer bandwagon jumpers buy a Boardman or a Trek that won't either, just as it didn't when TV coverage was limited to twenty minutes on World of Sport on a Saturday and you had to search the Telegraph for the column on yesterday's stage report. If you think a high media profile and shedloads of cash sloshing about of is a price worth paying for leaving the sport in the hands of a despicable c*nt like Armstrong that's your problem.

 

[Smokin Joe]

From Cycling Weekly -

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/blog/535201/how-armstrong-tried-to-bully-us.html

 

[Red Light]

Rubbish, the patient is in no danger of dying. Sponsors come and go, they always have done and there will still be a Tour de France next year plus a full set of classics and all the minor races. If the sport diminishes in commercial value so what? The fact that fewer riders retire as multi millionaires won't make a jot of difference to anyone with a genuine interest in racing, and if fewer bandwagon jumpers buy a Boardman or a Trek that won't either, just as it didn't when TV coverage was limited to twenty minutes on World of Sport on a Saturday and you had to search the Telegraph for the column on yesterday's stage report. If you think a high media profile and shedloads of cash sloshing about of is a price worth paying for leaving the sport in the hands of a despicable c*nt like Armstrong that's your problem.

Time will tell which of us is right. There probably will be a TdeF next year but the Rubicon was crossed many years ago and the TdeF is now heavily dependent on sponsorship from the towns paying to be included on the route to the team sponsors. I doubt it could now make the transition back to being a low budget race. But we shall see by the end of this winter how many teams still have sponsorship. Its clear from the Rabobank decision that its not a budgetary issue because they will still be paying the team next year. They just don't want their name being associated with road cycling any more which is why the riders will ride without their name on the team or clothing. If one of the staunch long term sponsors of cycling makes that decision what do you expect the transient sponsors will do? Its a bit like Ferrari or McClaren pulling out of F1. I can't see it being anything other than severely career limiting at the moment for a marketing man to stand up in front of a Company Board and suggest they sponsor a cycling team.

 

[DogTired]

Time will tell which of us is right. There probably will be a TdeF next year but the Rubicon was crossed many years ago and the TdeF is now heavily dependent on sponsorship from the towns paying to be included on the route to the team sponsors. I doubt it could now make the transition back to being a low budget race. But we shall see by the end of this winter how many teams still have sponsorship. Its clear from the Rabobank decision that its not a budgetary issue because they will still be paying the team next year.
They just don't want their name being associated with road cycling any more which is why the riders will ride without their name on the team or clothing. If one of the staunch long term sponsors of cycling makes that decision what do you expect the transient sponsors will do? Its a bit like Ferrari or McClaren pulling out of F1. I can't see it being anything other than severely career limiting at the moment for a marketing man to stand up in front of a Company Board and suggest they sponsor a cycling team.

What is presented as clear here is supposition.

1. You don't know its not a budgetary issue with Rabobank as opposed to a minimum contractual notice - when Honda pulled out of F1 for budgetary reasons they funded the team post exit.
2. Rabobank are still funding amateur teams so they're still interested in cycling, not expensive cycling.
3. Its a good idea to sponsor a cycling team now as you have a better chance of winning by cycling, not cheating.
4. Dave Brailsford made a point of being a clean team - fairly prescient and bankable - do you think the public view of Sky, Wiggins, Cav is harmed by the LA scandal? Next year's a new season - the public can hardly remember who won the last X-Factor.

 

[400bhp]

Rubbish, the patient is in no danger of dying. Sponsors come and go, they always have done and there will still be a Tour de France next year plus a full set of classics and all the minor races. If the sport diminishes in commercial value so what? The fact that fewer riders retire as multi millionaires won't make a jot of difference to anyone with a genuine interest in racing, and if fewer bandwagon jumpers buy a Boardman or a Trek that won't either, just as it didn't when TV coverage was limited to twenty minutes on World of Sport on a Saturday and you had to search the Telegraph for the column on yesterday's stage report. If you think a high media profile and shedloads of cash sloshing about of is a price worth paying for leaving the sport in the hands of a despicable c*nt like Armstrong that's your problem.

You know what - this is so so true of life generally.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Whenever a pocket of corruption is unearthed in the police it inevitably reflects badly on the public's perception of the police force in general.

The reality though is that there's a continuous process of renewal going on: the good and the bad overlap. Exposing the bad gives the good a chance to fight for the upper hand. I suspect it's much the same in cycling but there are a good number of exciting young riders coming through and there's plenty of room for hope.

 

[thom]

I think he doped.
I think he thinks he doped.
I think he thinks everyone thinks that he thinks he doped.

Will he confess ? Perhaps. Maybe he won't because he's perjured himself in the SCA case so he'll never confess for fear of jail time. Maybe he will. Who knows what goes on in La-La land ?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Travis Tygaart ? He seems a pretty low key guy. Perhaps he can go on to WADA or another sporting institution but the very fact that hardly anyone knows who he is/they are means I think it's a long shot for public office.

I wasn't thinking he'd stand for President. Lots of other public office jobs in the good ole US of A. People will build careers on the Pharmstong case, even nice-guy-eddie, low key types.

 

[Crackle]

Maybe he will and take a few people with him who he thinks have let him down, UCI president's for example. How much of a hero would he be then. I'm still not holding my breath.

 

[thom]

I wasn't thinking he'd stand for President. Lots of other public office jobs in the good ole US of A. People will build careers on the Pharmstong case, even nice-guy-eddie, low key types.

I think his first concern after this case will be protecting the mandate of USADA against Congressional restrictions. Cycling clearly isn't the only sport with doping issues - perhaps he'll try to look into these next.