Weasels Ripped My Flesh

Today on cyclingnews, we have a reported gem from Quick Step manager Patrick LeFevere:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/aug06/aug09news2

This genius suggests sueing Landis for "tarnishing the reputation of cycling" with the latest drug scandal. Isn't that kind of like Paris Hilton sueing someone for calling her a slut? The spin-doctoring from all sides on this one is bad enough, but give me a break. After Quick-Step's dismal performance in the tour, I can only guess that LeFevere is pissed that only he (and apparently Discovery) chose to suspend systematic doping of their riders during this year's tour. What a dink. In this entire mess, do we have a single voice actually suggesting how to stop doping?

On the spin doctoring thing, I know I keep beating this to death, but the Armstrong civil case is the best example. Armstrong held a press conference and declared that the ruling in his favor exonerated him from the doping allegations. No it didn't. The arbitration ruling was that the insurer had to pay him whether he doped or not. Period. They chose to settle for the full $5 million plus attorney's fees, and the judgement phase of arbitration never took place. Yet Armstrong succeeded in convincing everyone that he somehow proved in court that he did not dope, just by going on TV and saying so.

No wonder Floyd keeps saying over and over that the leaks, unfollowed protocols, and general cluster-phuck nature of this entire affair has forced him to deal with this in the media. Once again, I must say it: we are hearing everything about this except the truth. Thanks for reading.