Manure de France

[g.c.]

I'm going to take a bit of heat on this one, but I'm interested in an opinion or two.

With the most recent doping scandle are you over the "Tour"?

A black day for the Tour de France - International Herald Tribune

In a nut shell, top contending team thrown off of the tour, current leader also suspected, all of the past known doping and former cyclists claiming that you have to dope to be in the front of the pack.

I've Tivo'd the manure but am deleating them instead of watching. I'm done. Heck, with the baseball scandle, the organized crime on and off of the court in basketball, football's criminals, thugs and dopers, I think I'm over pro sports as a whole.

What say you?

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by g.c.

I think I'm over pro sports as a whole.

What say you?

Yep I agree with ya.

Dean

[Burner]

it's a sad state of affairs, very sad. I think many of us actually like sports so we want to turn a blind eye to this stuff, but at a certain point, I guess we all have to accept the fact that sports have evolved, and they ain't what they used to be on many levels, not just on the player side, business minded owners, free agency, no loyalty anymore, etc etc

[allison]

Nah. We got up a little early to watch the stage today.

I'm just wondering when Moreni and his French team are going to leave the Tour since he tested positive for testosterone. Only fair to do the same to him and his team as happened to Vino and Astana.

FWIW, they're all doping most likely. Some just don't get caught.

[Pho'dUp]

Originally Posted by allison

Nah. We got up a little early to watch the stage today.

I'm just wondering when Moreni and his French team are going to leave the Tour since he tested positive for testosterone. Only fair to do the same to him and his team as happened to Vino and Astana.

FWIW, they're all doping most likely. Some just don't get caught.

On Moreni/French Team, well that would make TOO MUCH COMMON SENSE for that to happen.

[Neccros]

At least now Vinokourov is free to go get drunk in a bar with Borat

VERY NICE!!

[S54MCoupe]

I think I'm over pro sports as a whole.

I was gonna disagree with your post until I read that. I think too many people are jumping on the "screw cycling" bandwagon yet not holding other mainstream sports to the same standards.

I still enjoy watching it, though. It's exciting and MUCH better than any other sports out there.

[MTBMaven]

Like a fellow STR member stated, 'I don't care if they are on crack I just want to see them ride their bikes.' Who cares? I sure do not.

[dstepper]

I think you would change your mind if you ever saw how I ride while on crack.

Dean

[CeeDubb]

I think the entire peloton should get a mandatory shot of "super-juice" at registration so we can do away with the whole testing thing.

Just an idea...

[BrewMaster]

I still love pro sports because lately we have seen that, as the saying goes, the cheaters do not prosper. This has been true the major team sports though not so much in cycling.

Look at the Super Bowl this year. Peyton and the Colts won. They are the closest thing to "America's Team" that we will have for a while.

In basketball we had the Spurs, another bunch of good guys.

In baseball, the 2006 World Series champs wore the Cardinals, with class acts like Pujols et al.

Sure, there are the Barry Bonds and company in baseball, Michael Vick, Tank Johnson and Pacman Jones and Bengals in football, and the wagering ref in basketball to go with the doping cyclists, but in the long run, I am still a fan. I can never write off sports.

[CPATCRASH]

Originally Posted by g.c.

I'm going to take a bit of heat on this one, but I'm interested in an opinion or two.

With the most recent doping scandle are you over the "Tour"?

A black day for the Tour de France - International Herald Tribune

In a nut shell, top contending team thrown off of the tour, current leader also suspected, all of the past known doping and former cyclists claiming that you have to dope to be in the front of the pack.

I've Tivo'd the manure but am deleating them instead of watching. I'm done. Heck, with the baseball scandle, the organized crime on and off of the court in basketball, football's criminals, thugs and dopers, I think I'm over pro sports as a whole.

What say you?

I don't know. If they want to take the risk then let them. It makes the sport more exciting to watch. Who wants to watch a bunch of guys wobbel up a climb. It would be much more fun to see them fly up and then have there heart explode.

[khai]

Michael Rasmussen is out of the race..........sad sad sad

opps, heres the link, http://www.velonews.com/tour2007/det...s/12944.0.html

[soul rider]

if all the riders are taking "enhancers" is it still cheating?
have them ride up the mountain on road bikes, then when they reach the top hit 700 home runs, now jump on a mountain bike and take this sick line down the mountain.

[Wrecker]

There are drugs in EVERY sport, even at equestrian events--you'll see a guy walking around with a cup at the end of a long metal stick to test the horses

It's only unfair to those that aren't using them--but, I think the above ideas would be great fun to watch as well

PS totally don't condone drugs and all, but I'm so sick of the drama of users--sucks the fun out of the competition--it's NOT JUST cycling--either be strick dicks and suck up the critiques that go with it, or accept this shyte

Personally, I think they should kick the coaches off with the riders--there's no way in hell they don't know when a rider suddenly, suspicously improves--look at the criticism of Astana, who was accused of having a whole doping program last year (surprise, they're out now)--it's NOT just the riders, they aren't punishing enough people to affect this "war" and by not doing that, they are, in a way, condoning it

I'm waiting to see the new leader out (he was with Astana last year)

[project_d]

Originally Posted by MTBMaven

Like a fellow STR member stated, 'I don't care if they are on crack I just want to see them ride their bikes.' Who cares? I sure do not.

Wow, I think I need to remove any thanks I've given you.

To each their own, I guess, but there's no way in hell I would waste my time watching or supporting any cyclist, or other sports figure for that matter, who does drugs. Why would I? All they're doing is contributing to a style that degrades the society as a whole. Why would I support that? If I did, that's just my way of saying "Even though you're doing some sort of steroid, ilicit narcotic, etc., that destroys your body, or eff-s with your head to where you physically harm others, or indirectly brings down society, I'm still here to support you."

Screw that.

[g.c.]

Originally Posted by project_d

To each their own, I guess, but there's no way in hell I would waste my time watching or supporting any cyclist, or other sports figure for that matter, who does drugs.

Screw that.

What he said.

What happened to the good old days of, "work hard, keep your nose clean, save your money and be loyal"?

I must be old...

[S54MCoupe]

Originally Posted by project_d

Wow, I think I need to remove any thanks I've given you.

To each their own, I guess, but there's no way in hell I would waste my time watching or supporting any cyclist, or other sports figure for that matter, who does drugs. Why would I? All they're doing is contributing to a style that degrades the society as a whole. Why would I support that? If I did, that's just my way of saying "Even though you're doing some sort of steroid, ilicit narcotic, etc., that destroys your body, or eff-s with your head to where you physically harm others, or indirectly brings down society, I'm still here to support you."

Screw that.

Truth is, you should stop supporting ALL (and I really mean all) professional sports if you have a problem with drugs and/or illicit activities.

If they aren't on drugs (which most of them are) they're probably spreading (or recieving) STD's to all the whores that follow them around... that, without a doubt, is an activity that further contributes to the degradation of society. What about the strikes that professional athletes go on because of their unhappiness with their $30million/year contracts? Does that not send a horrible message to kids? The stories that come from their activities off the field (dog fighting, anyone?) aren't too honorable, either.

Now, in no way am I justifying drug use, blood doping, any of that, I think it's 100% shitty, and I totaly understand where you're coming from...

...but I also understand where MTBMaven is coming from...I'm still going to watch the Tour all the way to the finish, and enjoy it regardless of any scandals. I can still enjoy the tactics, the scenery, and the cycling in general. Sure, the drugs are putting a bit of a damper on it, but I am a cyclist, not a politician, and my best hopes are that the UCI and the orgainzers of the Tour can start getting their shit together and put an end to all of this garbage.

They're either going to have to test EVERYONE and clean the sport up, 100%, or they're going to have to let everyone use drugs as much as they want and level out the playing field that way, because there's no third position here. It's full bore one way or the other, and I think common sense tells us which direction they need to move in.

Their lack of solid testing and horrible testing procedures, plus their lack of professionalism in public relations only casts an even darker cloud over cycling.

Hell, at least I'm clean, unless you're testing for alcohol

[Hoosierdaddy]

They need to level the playing field... give them all drugs, the same ones, that way there's no doubt if you're doping!

That's my solution!

[bjammin]

"does anyone know a good