Hamilton caught again!

[tifosa]

It's about time someone played the Tugboat card. Yet another reason to pull the heart strings.

Hell no!

Depression is bad. Doping in sports is also bad. It's unfortunate that Hamilton suffers from Depression. It's also unfortunate that cyclists suffer from succumbing to illicit means of enhancing their cycling performance.

But that doesn't mean I have to feel an ounce of pity for Hamilton or cyclists who dope. When life deals you lemons, you make lemonade. When life deals you depression, you seek professional medical help and counseling. When life deals you the temptation or pressure to dope in your sport of choice, the sport you do for a living, you "grow a set" <well said roadiemtl!> AND DO THE RIGHT FUXING THING!.

Life is hard. People's stupid choices make it much harder than it has to be. Hamilton made many stupid choices in cycling, and in self medicating his clinical depression.

Hamilton is wrong - but you will never get a confession from him. All anyone will get is another explanation posing as an excuse - and not one admission of guilt.

Alas, the lad lacks cojones. And that character flaw will not be overcome.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Do some research on clinical depression and you will see that it is a REASON for a lot of irrational things people do. They are not 'stupid' but sick. If he is sick, he needs help because, with everything on his plate, it can be deadly.

Agreed, using the word stupid was harsh. I know depression is a sickness as I mentioned before I have a family member that is clinically depressed, but there is a support system around Tyler that failed as well. And as more information is coming to light about this, his teammates and bosses over the years were his support system and they failed him, big time. On one hand I fell so sorry for the kid because he was one of the more gifted cyclists to come out of the U.S. in the near past, on the other, he doesn't exactly have a glittering track record when it comes to being very forthcoming. Depression does make people do and say irrational things, depending on the severity and how heavily medicated they are, we'll see what happens.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

But he had help. He had a doctor who had been working with him for over five years on his depression. He was one phone call away from getting help. He could have picked up the phone and said, "Doc, it's bad with Haven leaving, Mom dying and all, I need help" and the doctor wouldn't have questioned his condition at all and helped him. He also could have gone to the RR physician directly who had to have known Tyler was already on a prescription for Celexa and known what it was for and been able to get him near immediate help. Instead, he decided to self-medicate. Why? Even after he took the DHEA and said he was aware of what it was, he still could have gone to either of these physicians and told them what he did and gotten both further help, and the paperwork needed so he wouldn't test positive for it. But he chose to do none of that.

Either he's lying to a strong degree (even to himself), or a lot more mentally ill and unstable than anyone wants to admit. Or quite possibly both.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

He said cycling isn't done with him yet. Maybe he'll join the ranks of disgraced former pros and start a bike company like Johan Museeuw did and have a 2nd lease on life.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

At least Museeuw confessed, and even said he wanted to help make things right, though perhaps a bit vague about it.

The more I read Tyler's admission here, the more hollow it seems. I have this sinking feeling he's delusional here and thinks this "confession" is not going to be viewed as dirty or cheating, but only as an honest mistake and a need for help, and he won't have to confess to anything else in his past and still live the lie, and somehow he'll find a place in the sport in the future and be welcomed back as a coach, commentator, etc. after he gets help.

Am I just being cynical here, or does anyone else see this too?

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Am I just being cynical here, or does anyone else see this too?

Alpe,

If you think you're cynical, read the DOPE SHOW by The Service Course. You'll get a kick out of that.

http://www.theservicecourse.com/2009/04/dope-show.html

 

[theod rittapucci]

Sad

I wish Tyler Hamilton the best in dealing with his depression and, since I don't know what he is going through or has gone through, must give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't think it is appropriate for the cycling community to pile on when a man is down, regardless of circumstance.

Best of luck in finding good health and balance, Tyler.

As for the rest of us, we must back off because we don't know, and probably never will. Otherwise we become as immoral as the authorities who fail due process and leak test results, etc. There remains a serious imbalance in the relative power and ability to prosecute v. defend between the cycling organizations / drug czars and the individual riders. Organizations are funded and make the rules, while riders accused often accept guilt simply because they have no capacity to mount a balancing defense. The cyclist will always be the 'little guy' facing the goliath, guilty or innocent.

 

[Pietro]

I reckon if I took the cocktail that Ty took I have some servere comedowns. If really has depression & it's not just another smoke screen then it's self inflicted. The guy took more gear than a Columbian cargo train. He only has himself to blame.... well maybe Tugboat helped as well.

Depression isn't 'self inflicted' any more than any other illness.

 

[speedmerchant]

You know, you can usually tell when some of the so-called "lovers" of the sport of cycling open their mouths (or posts) that they really and truely have NO CLUE as to the stresses that this beloved sport places on a rider's body...both Physical AND Mental. Now, I'm not saying what Tyler did was correct...IT WAS'NT; and he's admitted to that. But as we are "quick" to pick up and run with the fact that he was "caught" with a banned steroid in his system...let's ALSO, and with the SAME "enthusiam", note the fact that he is,(and has been) suffering from a serious illness; DEPRESSION. This disease has proven to have a profound effect on the average person....one can only imagine what effect it can have on a professional cyclist, competing at a professional level, and being expected to peform, comensurate to that level. AT EVERY RACE! Now, this is the accepted status quo for a HEALTHY athlete, but since 2003, Tyler has not been healthy, and probally not been himself. It is so easy to stand on the side of the road near the summit of a 15% graded climb and yell:"DOPER! DOPER!" But, stop, for a moment, and put YOURSELF in that rider's cleats, with the team director barking threats of what will happen to him if he dose'nt catch that breakaway in his ear; and how the sponsors are expecting to see the team "get some press" that day. Normal stresses of a mentally healthy pro cyclist....but a seemingly insurmountable "mountain" for a athlete riddled with self doubt, insecurity, and mounting personal worry of his mother under going cancer treatment.
We need to realize that these are HUMAN BEINGS we're talking about; human beings that are sometimes asked to do some superhuman feats of athletism, often suceeding. Tyler has admitted his wrong. This is good, both for HIM and for the SPORT of cycling. He has also retired; but let's not say "GOOD RIDDANCE, you CHEATER, you DISGRACED, piece of worthless baggage!" Let's rather look at what the "healthy" Tyler so selflessly GAVE to the sport....super domestique to Lance at U.S. Postal, the solo breakaway and win at Liege-Bastone-Liege, 2nd at the Giro WITH a broken collarbone!
THESE are the acomplishments that we should thank Tyler for and wish him a speedy treatment and recovery from a devestating and life claiming illness.
I wish him well, and thank him for all the GOOD that he has given to the Sport. In hindsight, if similar compassion had been rendered, maybe one Marco Pantani would be thankful to hear such appreciation.....in hindsight.

 

[titan_90]

I wish Tyler Hamilton the best in dealing with his depression and, since I don't know what he is going through or has gone through, must give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't think it is appropriate for the cycling community to pile on when a man is down, regardless of circumstance.

Best of luck in finding good health and balance, Tyler.

As for the rest of us, we must back off because we don't know, and probably never will. Otherwise we become as immoral as the authorities who fail due process and leak test results, etc. There remains a serious imbalance in the relative power and ability to prosecute v. defend between the cycling organizations / drug czars and the individual riders. Organizations are funded and make the rules, while riders accused often accept guilt simply because they have no capacity to mount a balancing defense. The cyclist will always be the 'little guy' facing the goliath, guilty or innocent.

+1

Depression can be a very debilitating and deadly disease. And can take a lifetime to overcome if ever. I hope Tyler can get himself healthier and I look forward to see him helping other athletes with this disease.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Depression isn't 'self inflicted' any more than any other illness.

You're so right. I'm sorry. I'm going off to inject heroin & if I feel bad afterwards it's not the drugs. It's just my depression. Get real mate. Ty Is a drug addict. Tugboat was not. He lived a good life.

 

[whiteboytrash]

Cool your jets. Tyler wasn't saving lives. He was riding a bike. Well his was riding his bike & taking a bucket load of drugs at the same time. It's that simple. It's not any more complex than that. Any attempt to make it something else is just a bs which is just like this cox smokers life.

You know, you can usually tell when some of the so-called "lovers" of the sport of cycling open their mouths (or posts) that they really and truely have NO CLUE as to the stresses that this beloved sport places on a rider's body...both Physical AND Mental. Now, I'm not saying what Tyler did was correct...IT WAS'NT; and he's admitted to that. But as we are "quick" to pick up and run with the fact that he was "caught" with a banned steroid in his system...let's ALSO, and with the SAME "enthusiam", note the fact that he is,(and has been) suffering from a serious illness; DEPRESSION. This disease has proven to have a profound effect on the average person....one can only imagine what effect it can have on a professional cyclist, competing at a professional level, and being expected to peform, comensurate to that level. AT EVERY RACE! Now, this is the accepted status quo for a HEALTHY athlete, but since 2003, Tyler has not been healthy, and probally not been himself. It is so easy to stand on the side of the road near the summit of a 15% graded climb and yell:"DOPER! DOPER!" But, stop, for a moment, and put YOURSELF in that rider's cleats, with the team director barking threats of what will happen to him if he dose'nt catch that breakaway in his ear; and how the sponsors are expecting to see the team "get some press" that day. Normal stresses of a mentally healthy pro cyclist....but a seemingly insurmountable "mountain" for a athlete riddled with self doubt, insecurity, and mounting personal worry of his mother under going cancer treatment.
We need to realize that these are HUMAN BEINGS we're talking about; human beings that are sometimes asked to do some superhuman feats of athletism, often suceeding. Tyler has admitted his wrong. This is good, both for HIM and for the SPORT of cycling. He has also retired; but let's not say "GOOD RIDDANCE, you CHEATER, you DISGRACED, piece of worthless baggage!" Let's rather look at what the "healthy" Tyler so selflessly GAVE to the sport....super domestique to Lance at U.S. Postal, the solo breakaway and win at Liege-Bastone-Liege, 2nd at the Giro WITH a broken collarbone!
THESE are the acomplishments that we should thank Tyler for and wish him a speedy treatment and recovery from a devestating and life claiming illness.
I wish him well, and thank him for all the GOOD that he has given to the Sport. In hindsight, if similar compassion had been rendered, maybe one Marco Pantani would be thankful to hear such appreciation.....in hindsight.

 

[badboygolf16v]

If you sympathise with Tyler's plight, show your support here...

http://www.cafepress.com/believetyler

 

[Anonymous]

Pig Pile...

Folks need to ease up here about Tyler Hamilton...talk about a damn pig pile... yeah, the guy made mistakes...he has certainly paid...and paid more than most out there life wise via his mistakes... whether that is about cycling or just life...via his open admission that he suffers from depression I would just ask everyone to remember Obree and his suicide attempt from depression, Dupovery and Ocana as to getting it done, ie this is real and goddamn scary and people become DEAD and there are many others ...let's just keep our mouths shut via judgement and folks suffering thru their own nightmares, can we? The man admitted it and has RETIRED...Yeah, it's our sport, but we can be goddamn brutal...Christ, would some of you folks get some class?
Hey Tyler...thanks and good luck mate...wish you the best...

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I agree that depression is a sensitive subject here, but you're just lambasting the lambasters. What's the difference? Dude messed up....again, it's open for debate and everybody is entitled to their opinions yes/no?

 

[BroDeal]

I think the whole thing has been pretty unseemly. I say that as someone who has written literally thousands of posts on various cycling boards, many of which deal with doping. Years ago when the majority of fans were still naive as to what was going on, you had to deal with a lot of abuse for talking about the doping problem. People would get personally offended that their hero/idol could possibly be anything but clean. There was certainly some pleasure being proved right by seeing riders finally get taken down. But the nastiness of the current rage against those who are caught makes me uneasy. It has tipped into extremism and it makes me feel uncomfortable being associated with that "side" of cycling. Extremism always kills rational thought.

I can understand the hate for the UCI, the team managers, the doctors, and Armstrong, who we know from ex-temmates encouraged others to dope and personally enforced omerta, but the rage against a few poor *******s unlucky enough to get caught tends to focus attention on single individuals instead of the wider problem.

There is also an issue of fairness that is hard to reconcile. The situation is really F-ed up when riders breaking the same rules have radically different outcomes. One riders is financially destroyed and living at a friend's house while another is tooling around in private jet, and the whole time the UCI acts as though it is fair. There is a stench of injustice.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Agreed, and there really only is a handful of WUMs that duck in and out of these discussions trying to get a rise out of us. Once the controversy is gone, the punters that feed off this schit usually leave when there is no more garbage to stir up.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

If you think you're cynical, read the DOPE SHOW by The Service Course. You'll get a kick out of that.

Yeah, this line was really amusing, "The goofiest son of a bjtch to ever hold a Swiss passport".

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

... and the line right after that is genius: "wins the 1996 Atlanta road race and starts an unfortunate trend by putting his remedial art skills to work designing himself a commemorative jersey"

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

How many threads on this do we really need?

Yes, Tyler make bad decision.

Yes, doping problem bigger than Tyler.

Yes, need stop doping suppliers to help sport.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I've seen uglier (like Castorama). What's wrong with being goofy anyway?!

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I miss Pascal. That picture is a great representation of his demeanor. He always looked like that, even on a bad day.

 

[Anonymous]

jose maria jimenez, charlie gaul...keep going folks with your bull**** anger...do you ever just ease up?

 

[Greg Johnson]

Keep it at one on Hamilton

Guys,

I've merged the two Hamilton threads. If you've something to say, say it here. Lets not flood the forums with a bunch of threads that just discuss the one topic - that way other, perhaps even non-doping, topics will get a chance to run.

Cheers
Greg Johnson

 

[davidg]

More to cycling than doping

Guys,

I've merged the two Hamilton threads. If you've something to say, say it here. Lets not flood the forums with a bunch of threads that just discuss the one topic - that way other, perhaps even non-doping, topics will get a chance to run.

Cheers
Greg Johnson

Novel idea. I hadn't realised that there was more to cycling than doping. I thought the idea was to start a thread about something, then look at how many ways you can turn the conversation around to doping and then Armstrong.