Landis "retires", done with cycle racing

[fatandfast]

44 you are wrong. Landis typed all kinds of desperate things to LA-RS,Bahati,ToC and USAC all of it dumb but not criminal. He wishes he would have used his fame to get out years ago and is depressed as he walks through the scorched earth he created. He knows everything about cycling both on and off road this is total waste. With all his eggs in the whistleblower basket only Novitzky can give him a future that doesn't include tons more humiliation. He thoght things looked bright but that was just the light cast by all the burning bridges behind him. 6 degrees of cycling now make him the cancer..people from Ekimov,Hindcappie and others would not pee on him if he were on fire. landis could have been at a trade show pitching product or doing clinics showing people climbing technique or how to shave 5 min off a 40k TT..he knows it all..now he will probably be pushing a mower and picking up camel crap at the SD Wild Animal Park..good luck Falndis..don't apply at Mello Jonny's

 

[BotanyBay]

good luck Falndis..don't apply at Mello Jonny's

Livingston says it has an excellent 401K plan. And every so often, Lance pulls up in a Chevy Suburban and takes the whole crew to Austin's best strip club.

 

[flicker]

2006 Tour de France winner Floyd couldn't come back after his 2 year vacation without the juice, simple as that.

He can blame blackballing by the cycling mafia, but look at his placings in races he had won domestically for instance the Tour Of California. He was nowhere and far behind our better domestic riders.

He was 4th best on the OUCH team. TdF winner.

That tells me he was a DOPER or his hip operation was unsuccessful.

Floyd is an embarassment to himself, the USA sporting world and cycling.

To bad, Floyd is a really nice guy like Tyler Hamilton who was married to a 10 and a blood bank.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Cool.
That's finally consequent. Finally.

Desperate end of a desperate man.

 

[lean mean &green]

While I have little love for Armstrong and am okay with seeing him go down... I have little love for Landis either.

Similarly, I have little love for Joe Papp.

Coming clean after you've been busted for riding dirty and can't find another dirty ride isn't all that great in my book. I suppose it's slightly more moral then a Tyler Hamilton who stays silent even when his career is over... but it's a very slight thing.

I understand it... but I don't think it's worthy of celebration. Someone like Lemond is much more of a worthy figure... he (apparently) didn't engage in the doping culture and is brave enough to speak out about it. I'll never forgive Landis for how he went after Lemond... even if Lemond did.

that's understandable but if you followed those events closely, landis never gave the ok for his lawyer to attack lemond in that way. landis immediately fired that representative and tried to apologize to lemond. it's a great example of people arriving at an opinion the way armstrong's PR people would like you to - rapid lazy judgement without looking at all the details. greg and floyd are totally cool and have been for a long time. it's not just because the enemy of my enemy is my friend either.

i agree that there needs to be some perspective. floyd isn't a hero and i'm not suggesting that but he's clearly learned his lesson and has done everything right since at least last spring. 7 or 8 months isn't a long track record but it's better than, well...all but a few people who've participated at the top of the sport. he's become a real ally to anyone interested in cleaner competition.

 

[lean mean &green]

whats funny is that you all forget that he sent letters back and forth to armstrong saying he would say nothing if allowed a job with there outfit thats whats called black mail. not the actions of some man trying to come clean for moral reasons his blackmail failed and he did what he told armstrong he would do rat everyone out and he did naming names. again clearing your consciounce does not involve naming others in the sport where you made a lot of money your self he came out because of failed blackmail and frustration if you cant see that then you are real dumb for functioning adults. then theres the book the floyd fairness fund and the threats to greg about being molested. yeah swell stand up guy im sure his parents are proud. some of you have short term memory loss your la hatred blinds you to the truth that floyd is a bigger scum bag than la by a large margin. ill be glad when there both gone but at least now i wont see landis at races anymore **** that pos.
any person not involved with cycling in any way that you explain floyd to immediately condemn him as a bad guy. only armstrong haters love floyd its so transparent in nature.

absolutely false. i don't hate armstrong - truthfully i'm pretty indifferent about the guy. i'd like to see the truth exposed because i'd like to see cycling, and all sports for that matter, become less dependent upon drugs. floyd's actions since last spring benefit my not so hidden agenda. ruminate!

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

Cool.
That's finally consequent. Finally.

Desperate end of a desperate man.

You really do plumb new depths of obnoxiousness with every comment you make.

Floyd will have the last laugh.

 

[sniper]

Landis interview with ABC news

written:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/floyd-landis-nightline-interview/story?id=11226456

video:
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/vid...eroids-cycling-tour-de-france-health-11240505
(Think there is more video footage available)

 

[Roland Rat]

I just opened twitter and all the usual cycling headlines popped up and I just can't be bothered any more. Nothing changes. Armstrong is still lying and deceiving his way around the world to fame and fortune, the commentators still fawn over him and treat us like idiots, the UCI are still as corrupt as ever, the pro's are throwing their toys out the pram because they can't have mommy and daddy on the radio to spoon-feed them, the most annoying wet-blanket childish yet arrogant knobber in the peloton is clearly the Chosen One who can now transfuse his way to the Tour.... and there is no-one with the integrity or fortitude to stand up to these muppets. It's just not worth my time any more. Until pro cycling does something to show that it's worth investing valuable time and effort with, I can't be arrised. I'm going to concentrate on the UK scene and my first proper season of racing for a long while. Laters.

 

[miloman]

A rather sad development, but hardly surprising. As most of you know I am not a big fan of Floyd Landis and have questioned his character and motives in this forum. Given all the hyperbole the last month with the usual suspects claiming that a story was coming and the investigation was on the fast track, and Floyd would be vindicated; it appears with this announcement, that the status quo has set in and any real change is unlikely. I will wait before I say “I told you so” because I still hold out hope that the real story will come out and the guilty will be punished and the innocent will be vindicated. I don’t believe I am alone in thinking that Floyd was the wrong guy for the right job of cleaning up the sport. He came with just too much baggage. It looks less likely all the time that he will be paying anyone back for the FFF. Who knows, maybe he will hit the lotto jack pot! I wish Floyd well in his further pursuits. Hopefully he can get his head together and move on.

 

[Cobblestoned]

You really do plumb new depths of obnoxiousness with every comment you make.

Floyd will have the last laugh.

Uh, this was the last laugh. Didn't you notice that?
Thank you. Feels great. You know what is obnoxious ? Have a look @ some of your clinics' inmates.

Ok I will keep quiet for today and stop putting my finger in wounds.
It's hard enough. lol

 

[andy1234]

While I have little love for Armstrong and am okay with seeing him go down... I have little love for Landis either.

Similarly, I have little love for Joe Papp.

Coming clean after you've been busted for riding dirty and can't find another dirty ride isn't all that great in my book. I suppose it's slightly more moral then a Tyler Hamilton who stays silent even when his career is over... but it's a very slight thing.

I understand it... but I don't think it's worthy of celebration. Someone like Lemond is much more of a worthy figure... he (apparently) didn't engage in the doping culture and is brave enough to speak out about it. I'll never forgive Landis for how he went after Lemond... even if Lemond did.

+1
Landis would be Armstrong mk2 if he hadn't fu**ed up.
The morally conscious around here should analyse their allies with the same criteria they analyse their enemies.

 

[flicker]

Floyd will have the last laugh. Good to know the boys in the Netherlands have a sense of Humo.

I thought Floyds' last laff was when he rubbished the dope testers in Floyds' book, Positively False.
As someone here said that was where I saw what Floyd was about. Desperate moves by a desperate man.
Why doesn't Floyd sue the attorney who told him to fight the dope testers?

Now if Floyd won that suit Floyd truely would have the last laff.

Wasn't that the same attorney the "Born Twin" now top knotch Tri-Athelete "Coach" Tyler Hamilton used?

 

[sniper]

Uh, this was the last laugh. Didn't you notice that?
Thank you. Feels great. You know what is obnoxious ? Have a look @ some of your clinics' inmates.

Ok I will keep quiet for today and stop putting my finger in wounds.
It's hard enough. lol
[/IMG]

Look, Cobbles, at some point, people gotta tell their kids that santaclause doesn't exist. Hate to be the one to break it to ya.

Must be cold on your side, btw. Jurking off on LA all by yourself. Here, its warmer, one big orgie of people honoring a man who came clean in the most spectacular fashon ever witnessed in the history of sports.

My favorite Landis quote:
Interviewer: "You're an admitted liar and a cheat"
Landis: "What is person supposed to do when he makes the wrong decision? Are you committed to that path for good? Once you've lied, are you committed to tell that lie forever?"

 

[Boeing]

In baseball, Jose Canseco told the truth, and was excoriated for it. Even though much of what he said has since been proven true, he is still persona non grata in the baseball world. The Omerta exists in baseball today.

In tennis, while still playing, Christophe Rochus went public with his suspicions about doping. He was forced by the tennis authorities to backtrack. When he retired, he repeated his suspicions. He was criticized for being a bitter low ranked player and for not naming names (if he had named names he would have been criticized for that). Agassi received a lot of flack for admitting that the tennis authorities covered up his illegal drug use. The Omerta exists in tennis today.

Landis did a lot of things wrong along the way. Now he does the right thing (nobody seems to be arguing that he is telling the truth now), and everybody jumps all over him. No wonder it is rare that insiders will tell the truth. The Omerta exists in cycling today.

interesting take

 

[flicker]

Landis: "What is person supposed to do when he makes the wrong decision? Are you committed to that path for good? Once you've lied, are you committed to tell that lie forever?"

Landis could get a job as a spokesman for Sahrah Palin and the T-Pary.

 

[Kennf1]

that's understandable but if you followed those events closely, landis never gave the ok for his lawyer to attack lemond in that way. landis immediately fired that representative and tried to apologize to lemond. it's a great example of people arriving at an opinion the way armstrong's PR people would like you to - rapid lazy judgement without looking at all the details.

Not exactly. Landis went onto the DP forum and posted comments saying he could reveal embarrasing info about Lemond. Landis wore his black tie on the day Lemond was testifying (a change from his yellow one). The night before, when Lemond was prank-called, it was Landis and Geoghegan at the table (Geoghegan making the call). When Lemond testified about the phone call, it was Landis's lawyer Suh who turned to Geoghegan and said "you're fired."

 

[TreeFiddy]

Floyd is the man

Good luck, Floyd. You rocked the Tour, and it was AWESOME. We all make mistakes. You're on the good path now. **** the haters.

 

[flicker]

Good luck, Floyd. You rocked the Tour, and it was AWESOME. We all make mistakes. You're on the good path now. **** the haters.

No one hates Floyd, just a guy who was cheated from the TdF victory with a fantastique ride.

 

[jae2460]

Fortyfour, you have claimed that here and elsewhere, yet shown no substantiating evidence, if you mean the e-mails posted by LA and his website you bare mistaken and have not read these e-mails. There was nothing even alluding to blackmail in those letters. Now as I have stated before, the logical step for Landis would've been blackmail, but since the e-mails to USCycling and others leaked no shred of evidence concerning blackmail has surfaced, something which I find odd and most likely points to the possibility that Landis had not blackmailed anyone. Now if you have evidence or at least something that alluded to him blackmailing anyone I would like to see it, or see where you came up with the notion that he blackmailed anyone

Uhhh, I read the e-mails and they were very much about threatening Armstrong and the Amgen TOC in order to get Landis a job and in a race. Most of the blatant stuff was penned by Dr. Kay, but Landis crossed the line. I bet that Armstrong isn't telling the full truth, but I don't believe that Landis is either--I bet Landis embellished beyond what really happened. How can you believe the guy? I made that mistake once before, for a while; I won't repeat that again.

 

[Granville57]

I bet that Armstrong isn't telling the full truth...

Geez, ya' think?!

 

[roadfreak44]

Er...don't you mean July 2006? Pretty sure testing postive then creating an extremely elaborate scientific defence and leaching off fans to pay for it before saying it was all nonsense is a better reason, not that he suddenly changed his story and said, suprise suprise, he'd been on the juice.

well stated!!! also how about the revelation that the path his "needing to come clean" to clear his conscience wasnt about him clearing his conscience and accepting responsibility for all the lies he has offered (which set are we supposed to have faith in again?)it was about accusing others of having mislead him. Poor floyd hands tied and keelhauled and no repsonsibility for any of it..
Then there is the business with his current incredibly high priced lawyers being the same incredibly high priced lawyers LEMOND used...wonder where the broke floyd got the $$ for them, GREG?
The needing to "clear his conscience" Landis waitis until the eve of the Tof C to spill the beans...Then he waits again until EXACTLY before the start of the TDF to so the same again...Geez thats some heartfelt conscience the guy has but an excellent strategy to harass everyone and the Tof C and TDF .
Then we are told Landis has filed in fedral offices somewhere to collect a reward if the casse against LA and US postal brought in $$$ for the feds...If that wasnt a strong enough indication fo his character and true motivation in all this now we learn he wore a wire for the feds in the Ball case and once agian is registered to get a reward in thta case ...well obviously landis has already chosen hos new career as a modern day bounty hunter...
Now given this little parade of behaviors what kind fo a fool would hire him? If I owned a team i wouldnt have him in it if he rode for free or even if he was just there to scrub down the bikes at the end of the day. The guy is a proven liar and now via copious evdience a self serving gold digger. trying to reform cycling Floyd? you might want to clean up your own twisted act first.

 

[MacRoadie]

Uhhh, I read the e-mails and they were very much about threatening Armstrong and the Amgen TOC in order to get Landis a job and in a race. Most of the blatant stuff was penned by Dr. Kay, but Landis crossed the line. I bet that Armstrong isn't telling the full truth, but I don't believe that Landis is either--I bet Landis embellished beyond what really happened. How can you believe the guy? I made that mistake once before, for a while; I won't repeat that again.

So no one reports the guy or files charges against him for this "blatant" criminal activity? Last time I checked, blackmail IS a crime...

It's not like a civil case where Armstrong would need to foot the bill or commit any time whatsoever, just a quick call to the police or the local DA...

 

[D-Queued]

that's understandable but if you followed those events closely, landis never gave the ok for his lawyer to attack lemond in that way. landis immediately fired that representative and tried to apologize to lemond. it's a great example of people arriving at an opinion the way armstrong's PR people would like you to - rapid lazy judgement without looking at all the details. ....

Not exactly. Landis went onto the DP forum and posted comments saying he could reveal embarrasing info about Lemond. Landis wore his black tie on the day Lemond was testifying (a change from his yellow one). The night before, when Lemond was prank-called, it was Landis and Geoghegan at the table (Geoghegan making the call). When Lemond testified about the phone call, it was Landis's lawyer Suh who turned to Geoghegan and said "you're fired."

Thanks for clarifying this Kennf1. Don't want to dwell on it, but the history on this should not be rewritten.

Landis was sitting beside Will Geoghegan when he made the call. Geoghegan was not his lawyer, but his friend and manager. It is unclear both whether Landis approved of the call beforehand, or how Geoghegan managed to get Lemond's number (from Floyd presumably).

Landis was aware of the call before LeMond testified about it, and before Suh took action. The impression was that neither had advised Suh.

I believe that Will (also) made threats on DPF. There was a request for DPF posts/records from the attorneys.

Dave.

 

[roadfreak44]

what is landis staill hiding?

The one thing i want to know and forgot to mention is what is Landis still hiding. it is now apprent to everyone that the guy is as transparent as a london fog. I wonder why no one has asked the question of "Where was Floyd when his father in law died? " Floyd stated that he wondered if his father in laws death had anything to do with the adverse doping control.
Indeed......Cant help but wonder where Floyd was when it happened ...