Tour In Crisis: Leader Pulled Out Of Race

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Off Topic
Posted on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 05:55:11 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

"Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?" - Paul Simon

With a cloud of steroids hanging over Barry Bonds as he is poised to break Hank Aaron's home run record, with Michael Vick indicted for dog fighting, with NBA ref Tim Donaghy implicated in a gambling scandal, sports seems to be at a new low. It goes lower today in France:

Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen was removed from the race by his team after winning Wednesday's stage, the biggest blow yet in cycling's doping-tainted premier event. "Michael Rasmussen has been sent home for violating (the team's) internal rules," Rabobank team spokesman Jacob Bergsma told The Associated Press by phone.

Can the Tour survive this? I suppose it will but where have all the sports heroes gone? It is like the entirety of sport is suffering a BlackSox scandal. Say it ain't so Joe.

< Why The You Tube Debate Was Poor | The WH Fighting On Bad Ground On Executive Privilege >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

Tour In Crisis: Leader Pulled Out Of Race | 40 comments (40 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

Iraqi soccer team (none / 0) (#1)
by Miss Devore on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:04:13 PM EST

would beg to differ.

Did they make it to the finals of (none / 0) (#2)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:06:53 PM EST

the Asian thing?

Iraq has a fairly good soccer tradition.


While the team and fans were celebrating, (none / 0) (#3)
by oculus on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:11:18 PM EST

several car bombs killed many of the celebrants. So, you see, the surge is really, really working.


yes (none / 0) (#4)
by Miss Devore on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:11:30 PM EST

they are playing Saudi Arabia on sunday.


: Saudi Arabia (none / 0) (#5)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:12:23 PM EST

also has a relatively good tradition.

it's even a little worse than the post lets on (none / 0) (#6)
by scribe on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:19:58 PM EST

Over the weekend, after the first incident of doping-related problems surfaced in the Tour, the two leading German TV networks, ARD and ZDF, dropped their live coverage of the Tour. Like the proverbial hot potato. Because of the doping, they said, they could not in good conscience continue to devote their airtime to it.

Apparently, an all-sports channel's coverage got a spike in ratings, but not as much as the number of ARD/ZDF viewers had been.

After watching Floyd Landis last year and having my doubts with his miracle comeback and then seeing him prominently drinking a beer - the alcohol consumption being later cited as having jiggered his testosterone levels sufficiently to have made the tests a false positive - I came to accept that competitive cycling is as much dependent upon pharma tech as it is upon composite materials for the bikes. His fate - particularly given his backstory - saddened me. Sadder to say, I'm one of the lost viewers this year.

I heard a radio talker the other day remarking on something he heard years ago from a colleague, the latter now a household-name sportscaster: "We all get into this business of sports because we're fans. But, the closer you get to the business, the players and the people associated with sports the less of a fan you can remain, because you see all that goes on behind the scenes. And that stuff is the appalling part."

it gets worse (none / 0) (#27)
by scribe on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 08:21:09 AM EST

German radio reports that:

today's 17th stage is being run without any rider wearing the yellow tricot - the leader's jersey. The race officials will award one to the leader, tomorrow.
there is serious discussion - and on-line polls - over whether this year's Tour should be ended now, without completing it, because of the doping.

The poll (on MDR) reads like this:
Sollte die Tour de France abgebrochen werden? Should the Tour de France be broken off?

Ja. Die Rundfahrt hat sich zur Farce entwickelt.
Yes. The race has turned into a farce.
Stimmen 456 in % 76
Votes: 456 = 76 percent

Nein. Das wäre ungerecht gegenüber den ehrlichen Fahrern.
No. This would be unfair to the honorable racers.

Stimmen 142in % 23
Votes: 142 = 23 percent.

- France Soir, a prominent "serious" newspaper, today led with a first-page obituary for the Tour de France, noting it was over a hundred years old, but died from doping.


Let's hear it for Tony Gwynn, who played his (none / 0) (#7)
by oculus on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:21:38 PM EST

entire MLB career with the San Diego Padres, has never had a whiff of suspicion of drug use, and is a credit to the sport.

singles hitter . . . (none / 0) (#10)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:36:18 PM EST

Heh, he's on the Wheaties box! (none / 0) (#11)
by oculus on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:37:32 PM EST

And he was the starting point guard... (none / 0) (#14)
by Dadler on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 07:14:49 PM EST

...on San Diego State's basketball team during his college days. In fact, that's what he was more known for then, was recruited as a cager.


As for being a singles hitter (none / 0) (#19)
by Dadler on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 07:22:55 PM EST

He also won five gold gloves.


Anyone who hits that many singles (none / 0) (#26)
by scribe on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 08:11:17 AM EST

is a sure winner in my book.

Besides, I saw him hit what turned out to be his last home run, into the capital "P" worked into the grass of the hitter's backdrop in dead center of the new Pittsburgh ballpark. So, don't tell me all he could hit were singles. That Pods team (and game) had Gwynn playing alongside Rickey Henderson - another guy who didn't hit a lot of homeruns (though most of them, it seems, were to lead off the game) but was (and still could be) a heck of a player.

Finally, if you had to choose, would you take (A) a guy hitting .528 with runners in scoring position with two out, but not a lot of homers, or (B) a guy with 500 career homers, but a lot of them in meaningless spots in the game (i.e., making a 9-1 game 9-2, or 10-1)?


Ricky Hendu.... (none / 0) (#31)
by kdog on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 10:36:19 AM EST

is more than just a "heck of a player"....he is baseball's all-time leader in stolen bases and runs scored, as well as being the greatest leadoff hitter of all time by most estimations.


He had to officially resign as a player to (none / 0) (#32)
by oculus on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 11:17:27 AM EST

accept the Mets' first base coaching position. You can tell from watching him coach that he'd really like to still be on the field. He can't stand still.


His major flaw..... (none / 0) (#35)
by kdog on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 12:14:00 PM EST

was/is dogging it and his attitude....I was not thrilled my Mets signed him as a bench coach...this is the guy who got caught playing cards in the clubhouse during a playoff game.

But you're right, he wants to play...I bet he's busting Willie Randolph and Omar Minaya's chops to activate him....and with the Mets outfield injuries piling up they might have to.


: He looks 30 from the upper view section. (none / 0) (#40)
by oculus on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 05:40:49 PM EST

He was eyeballing exactly where the first base runner had his feet, angled his body weight, etc. Only thing is, can he remember the signs? I always enjoyed Rickey when he played for S.D. Fun to watch and listen to.

Not in the Real Football (none / 0) (#8)
by Randinho on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:33:44 PM EST

No problems that I'm aware of in the real football.

Oh (none / 0) (#9)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:35:58 PM EST

There have been many. The Italian League problems of a few years ago? Come on.


: Not at the Moment (none / 0) (#13)
by Randinho on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 07:10:19 PM EST

At the moment there aren't any major issues with football.

: I Might Add This (none / 0) (#16)
by Randinho on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 07:17:26 PM EST

Italy is very nearly sui generis with regard to corruption in football It has nearly always been corrupt, but for what it's worth, the matter was adjudicated and people were punished.
Bear in mind that rules are very strictly observed. Rio Ferdinand was banned from all competition for missing a drug test. Another player was fined $2,000 for being late.

The problem w/"real football" (none / 0) (#12)
by oculus on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 06:38:36 PM EST

is the rabid fans.


No football problems? (none / 0) (#23)
by bernarda on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 12:49:39 AM EST

"A 1994 study of 7,000 former players by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found linemen had a 52 percent greater risk of dying from heart disease than the general population. While U.S. life expectancy is 77.6 years, recent studies suggest the average for NFL players is 55, 52 for linemen."

I doubt that that has changed much.

"Yet, only recently did the NFL toughen its limits for testosterone levels. The league does not check for the Human Growth Hormone, awaiting a reliable urine test rather than a blood test. And designer steroids are developed to avoid detection.

In March three members of Carolina's 2003 Super Bowl team - including offensive tackle Todd Steussie, who spent the past two seasons with Tampa Bay - were identified on CBS's 60 Minutes Wednesday as having filled steroid prescriptions written by a South Carolina doctor. None of the players tested positive."

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/29/Sports/A_huge_problem.shtml


: The Real Football (none / 0) (#30)
by Randinho on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 09:46:43 AM EST

The real football where they use their feet primarily, not gridiron football, where they rarely use their hands.
I certainly have no dispute with you about gridiron football.

And, you say the German ref fixing (none / 0) (#39)
by scribe on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 01:53:13 PM EST

games in collusion with some Balkan gangsters is, um, not a problem?

Or the activities of some of the first-rank Italian clubs, resulting in their getting knocked out of Serie A entirely was, um, not a problem?

The German 2d Bundesliga scandal was a real mess - and very similar to the allegations in the NBA scandal. The ref would call the game to make his gangster buddies more likely to win in their gambling. The biggest difference between there and here (other than the sports) was that in Europe, the leagues are also the bookies. You used to be able to go to the Bundesliga's offical website and place a bet (though I strongly doubt the legality of that act if performed in the US and recommend against trying it and finding out).


Greg LaMond was/is right (none / 0) (#15)
by Dadler on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 07:16:22 PM EST

Lance Armstrong was/is a giant fraud

: Of course that should be LeMond with an e (none / 0) (#17)
by Dadler on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 07:18:49 PM EST

Philistine.

: Genius comment (none / 0) (#18)
by manys on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 07:20:57 PM EST

There seems to be room for doubt when after all this, top pros are still getting knocked off for having a little extra asthma inhaler in their blood. While there may be doping problems in cycling (as in many sports), the issue has reached such a fever pitch that I'm starting to suspect the rashes of doping allegations.

One NBA Ref -- Our government should be as clean. (none / 0) (#20)
by aztrias on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 09:25:50 PM EST

The Bonds steroid issue is simple -- he's been tested and not one positive result.

No I'm not naive but this blog set a standard for the accused and Bonds deserves the same treatment as anyone accused for which there is still no conclusive proof.

The NBA ref is one isolated guy who his peers disliked and there isn't any indication he threw games.

Much ado about very little.

Fair point (none / 0) (#21)
by Big Tent Democrat on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 09:43:42 PM EST

You're right.


: Not entirely a fair point (none / 0) (#24)
by bernarda on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 01:15:32 AM EST

Testing can be a difficult process with "designer" steroids. And Bonds has admitted use.
"According to Victor Conte, founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), the cream and the clear contain steroids. Bonds has openly admitted to using them. However, no charges have been filed against Bonds despite the fact that obtaining steroids and human growth hormone without a doctor's prescription is illegal."
"So, the issue is not whether Bonds used performance-enhancing drugs, but whether he did it intentionally. And if he were charged, would his claims of ignorance hold up? This answer could mean the difference between Bonds' status as a baseball god or baseball fraud."
http://www.legalzoom.com/articles/article_content/article13642.html

different standards apply (none / 0) (#28)
by Deconstructionist on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 08:30:58 AM EST

in different contexts.

Ranging from:

proof beyond a reasonable doubt established with evidence admissible under stringently enforced rules and with adherence to all constitutional protections in criminal cases where the GOVERNMENT is seeking to deprive the accuse of his LIBERTY--

to reasonable folk using common sense conclude that cheating has so tainted something or someone that they view it with distrust and derision and act accordingly in making PERSONAL judgments which negatively affect the accused in terms of his ability to earn money, acclaim etc.

You are free to ignore the vast accumulation of facts suggesting that many sports are tainted and many athletes are cheaters but you should accept that many others are not so sanguine and that their views will have an impact.

The integrity of the game is at issue (none / 0) (#22)
by Dadler on Wed Jul 25, 2007 at 11:23:02 PM EST

At the start of the 2007 calendar year, Bell said, there were 10 straight games in which Donaghy was part of the officiating crew and the point spread moved a point and a half or more before tip-off, indicating big money had been wagered on the game. In those 10 contests, according to Bell, the big money won all 10 times.

Formula 1 (none / 0) (#25)
by bernarda on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 03:45:53 AM EST

There is also the investigation of the McClaren team on charges of industrial espionage against the Ferrari team.

: Former Navy Seals were hired to (none / 0) (#33)
by oculus on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 11:20:34 AM EST

spy underwater when the America's Cup was based in San Diego. They would hang out at Spanish Landing and check things out, then dive to examine changes to the keel of competitors' boats. Great first person story in the S.D. Reader years ago. Bored Vietnam Vets find new thrills.

Here's a sports hero.... (none / 0) (#29)
by kdog on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 08:41:14 AM EST

as I mentioned in the open thread....Curtis Martin is retiring today. To me, he represents everything that is beautiful about sports.

Give it up for #28.

Really too bad about the Tour. (none / 0) (#34)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 11:57:40 AM EST

It's a damn fun thing to watch - very strategic.

Great sportsman traditions as well, like when the leader needs to pull over and take a leak, the whole peloton pulls over and does the same.

I remember reading a story a couple years ago where the peloton leader missed a turn coming down a steep incline and went off the road into the trees. The rest of the peloton slowed down to a crawl and waited to see if he was OK, and when he was, they still waited until he pedaled back up to the front.

I also love watching the French countryside as they cruise along.

I'd love to believe that Lance didn't dope, after all he's a Big C survivor, but I really have my doubts.

Whatcha' gonna do? There's big money at stake. I think I read that Lance was making about 40Mil in his heyday.

I wonder when pro golfers will start juicing...

Already have..... (none / 0) (#36)
by kdog on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 12:20:10 PM EST

If you believe Gary Player.

: Thanks kdog (none / 0) (#37)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 12:30:15 PM EST

Gary sounds like a wise man...
I said really I've done everything I wanted to do in golf. I've got 20 grandchildren, I want to enjoy my life with them and I don't want to take it [HGH] because I'm not sure what it will do to me.

Cheating... (none / 0) (#38)
by desertswine on Thu Jul 26, 2007 at 12:59:08 PM EST

has been a human trait forever. No sporting event is too small or iconic that someone won't cheat to win it. My favorite (or rather, least favorite):

Pretending to be stupid generally has minimal benefits, but the Spanish Paralympic Committee saw otherwise. They produced fake documents for 10 of the 12 members on their 2000 Paralympics basketball team, falsely claiming that they had IQs below 85. With an amazing performance, their intellectually able team captured the gold medal in a tournament for the intellectually disabled. It was soon discovered that the majority of their team members had no mental deficiencies to speak of and their medals were stripped.