Since it is football Sunday – The documentary below is what the “whole world” is up in arms about today. You see, Payton Manning’s name was mentioned in using HGH (growth hormone) and everyone goes apeshit. Plus, Clay Matthews and lots of other professional football/baseball players are named. But, never-the-less, it is interesting seeing how big a business it is and how many different people are involved in this lucrative endeavor. The sanctions are obviously not effective in deterring the usage.
If you want to just stick with doping in cycling, Luca Paolini has admitted cocaine usage because he was addicted to sleeping pills. The beat goes on.
Not that I doubt the allegations, but with the exception of Taylor Teagarden admitting use on hidden camera, every other name mentioned is just an unsubstantiated allegation by the chemist.
Article i read mentioned percocet as well.
Hi Steve,
I am not sure the Paolini thing is doping. I think it’s more of a personal concern that we should be appreciative of.
Doping or not, use of illegal drugs is emblematic of other issues that we should all be better at communicating.
Trying to make $$ is not the only reason to do this, not by a long shot, and we should not gloss over serious personal issues.
Driving this morning with the radio on and I hear a commercial for a young NFL cancer survivor. The man speaking is also a former NFL player and cancer survivor. I think, “hmmm there sure are a lot of athletes under the age of 35 that have brushes with cancer.”
Maybe it’s time the “survivors” stand up and say something to the young people who might be interested in “suppliments” and getting on the “program” rather than playing the hero “I battled cancer and I’m winning.”
How about Paolini had cocaine in his system when he drew some blood to store for later use like on a rest stage of the Tour? You would draw blood for later use in the off season while your RBCs are high because you are rested. Would be the same time Paolini was able to do a little partying because again it’s the off season. Does this scenario sound logical? More logical than Paolini doing some blow while racing the Tour?
James-I understand your concern. But these guys have been getting jacked up to race for decades. And with that, they need to get “unjacked”, thus they use sleep aids. It become a crazy vicious cycle. Remember when Virenque testified in the Festina deal that he took 1000 injections that year? If you can’t sleep, racing bicycles would be nearly impossible.
I very much doubt it was just life issue as a cause. These guys become nearly like junkies. The way they feel when they race is their new normal. Anything less feels bad.
I always laugh at people who think that the NFL actually tests AND that their favorite players are clean.
I ask them a very simple question.
In you everyday life when was the last time you came across someone who is 6’6″, weighs 280 or more, is ripped, and runs a 40 in 4.4 seconds?
If you are like me, the answer is “never”.
People like this do not exist in the everyday world.
Gee, I wonder how they got that way??
What are your thoughts on Tejay Vangarderen? His implosion at the tour is totally indicative of a rest day transfusion gone wrong. There is no way possible someone could be sitting in 3rd on GC and then all of a sudden forget how to pedal a bike. The media coverage was nothing short of a joke. As in “just a little sick. Nothing to see here folks” it just just doesn’t pass the smell test
They ARE junkies. That’s what is not properly appreciated.
Good luck. It’s cultural within the sport now.
TOOA (= talking out of ass)
I’ve had sudden, REALLY bad days during stage races. I also found myself in the middle of a horrendously bad performance in a very big race (30 minutes down on GC), and then suddenly having a STELLAR day. The latter one I’m thinking of is when I literally dropped the entire field (that had been kicking my ass or days-on-end) going up an 11,000 mountain pass, and taking the KOM category. Strange physiological shit happens in stage racing, and you don’t need PEDs to encounter it. When you’re only doing weekend crits, you very rarely get the chance to experience this.
Some guys were fortunate enough not to have their bodies quit on them during 3-week stage races, and no amount of “proper” training could have accounted for the difference.