Landis "retires", done with cycle racing

[BullsFan22]

Looks like there are too many homers on Velonews. Some of the comments are as ridiculous as the idea of a TDF winner 1995-2010 being clean. LOL at that!

 

[Granville57]

Shouldn't the thread title be changed to, "cycle racing done with Landis"?

Actually, no.

One thing I am curious about. Floyd and Greg were tight buddies. Tight enough that Greg would share a secret of his tragic childhood.
I know Greg testified that Floyd shared with Greg that he had doped.
What other secrets those two share we will never know.

I don't think Greg's admission was due to the two of them being particularly "tight." Floyd has always maintained that he was totally caught off guard and was taken aback by Greg's admission. He couldn't really explain it.
I think part of it was Greg being Greg. He is known to say some things strangely out of context at times. I have experienced that with him myself. My guess is that Greg's admission to Floyd was as much for Greg as it was for Floyd.

My understanding is that Lemond's testimony reflected that he felt Floyd "essentially" confessed. I don't think anything explicit was ever claimed.

 

[flicker]

Actually, no.


I don't think Greg's admission was due to the two of them being particularly "tight." Floyd has always maintained that he was totally caught off guard and was taken aback by Greg's admission. He couldn't really explain it.
I think part of it was Greg being Greg. He is known to say some things strangely out of context at times. I have experienced that with him myself. My guess is that Greg's admission to Floyd was as much for Greg as it was for Floyd.

My understanding is that Lemond's testimony reflected that he felt Floyd "essentially" confessed. I don't think anything explicit was ever claimed.

Gregs' admission was disturbing and out of context. I know that Greg said the truth shall set you free to Floyd, and his analogy to LeMonds ongoing therapy helping Greg out but the whole thing went totally bizerko with Floyds bodyguard. Note to self: always refrain from the Jack Daniels before making absurd phone calls and then appearing in court the next day. Simply not done, snapped the elastic there.

 

[SC1990]

Wel, the point of providing links in both quotes was to provide context. But in fairness I'll repost with my points in bold.


So Floyd either lied about doping or lied about not doping. Not both.
If he lied about doping, and is now telling the truth, then his current admission puts him in a place that we have yet to see Armstrong even approach.

Of course he can lie about both! He lied under oath the first time about not doping, why should we see him as not doing exactly the same this time round? The point is that why suddenly is everyone loving Landis, a man who has proven he will lie to try and salvage his life, as evidenced by his two contradictory accounts, given under oath, which apparently everyone is willing to ignore just because one of them is Anti-Lance, which it seems is the only thing which gets you any plaudits anymore.

As for judging Landis 'out of context', sorry, I thought we were judging him on the fact he cheated to win the tour, lied about it, sponged money off fans to pay his legal fees, tried his hand at some blackmail, came up with a new story conveniently releasing new details at the time of maximum impact, whilst telling everyone who'll listen it's for his soul, not the fact that he was adding fuel to your petty and never endable hatred of Armstrong which elevates him to Sainthood.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

As usual it seems that the fact Landis said nasty things about Armstrong makes him much loved, and everyone is willing to forgive him for that and believe what he says about being reformed etc, which seems a little odd given the guy swore in court that he never took any substances etc, only now to tell us that he actually did. Remove the desperation to leap on anything that could help remove Armstrong and he'd just be another lying denying doper.

Actually Landis did not say anything "nasty" about Armstrong - in fact he recently paid him a compliment by calling him a "bad ***" bike racer.

What Landis did say about Armstrong is truthful - but as you think it is "nasty" say's more about you than it does about him.

 

[The Hitch]

Floyd Landis. We hardly knew ye.

I for one like him though. Wish him all the best.

 

[D-Queued]

Floyd Landis. We hardly knew ye.

I for one like him though. Wish him all the best.

Given enough time and opportunity, he certainly can endear himself.

Dave.

 

[SC1990]

Actually Landis did not say anything "nasty" about Armstrong - in fact he recently paid him a compliment by calling him a "bad ***" bike racer.

What Landis did say about Armstrong is truthful - but as you think it is "nasty" say's more about you than it does about him.

it was a figure of speech about his accusations, the fact you jumped on one word and twisted my subsequent words based on your own interpretation speaks volumes about you.

 

[AngusW]

I wish him a happy retirement.

 

[Granville57]

Of course he can lie about both! He lied under oath the first time about not doping, why should we see him as not doing exactly the same this time round? The point is that why suddenly is everyone loving Landis, a man who has proven he will lie to try and salvage his life, as evidenced by his two contradictory accounts, given under oath, which apparently everyone is willing to ignore just because one of them is Anti-Lance, which it seems is the only thing which gets you any plaudits anymore.

As for judging Landis 'out of context', sorry, I thought we were judging him on the fact he cheated to win the tour, lied about it, sponged money off fans to pay his legal fees, tried his hand at some blackmail, came up with a new story conveniently releasing new details at the time of maximum impact, whilst telling everyone who'll listen it's for his soul, not the fact that he was adding fuel to your petty and never endable hatred of Armstrong which elevates him to Sainthood.

First point:
Of the two stories, which seem more plausible? That he didn't dope in the first place, or that he doped throughout most of his career? Since he would have had much, much more to gain from the former, it makes the latter much easier to believe. It's simply common sense. I believe he doped and was part of a team-wide doping system.

Second point:
I'm not sure who "we" refers to but I'm not, nor have I ever, judged Landis on those issues. It's a complex, tangled web and I haven't walked a day in his shoes. Personally, I've always liked Landis, and when I met him he was all the more likable. The only issue of significance is the fact that he has exposed the ugly underbelly of professional cycling of which Armstrong sits atop in terms of notoriety. I don't like Armstrong for many reasons, one being his unending denial in the face of years of accusations, some under legally sworn testimony from people who stood to lose much more than they stood to gain by giving such testimony. It stretches Lance's credibility beyond one's reasonable intelligence.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

it was a figure of speech about his accusations, the fact you jumped on one word and twisted my subsequent words based on your own interpretation speaks volumes about you.

Ok then - can you show me one place where Floyd said something "nasty" (or whatever figure of speech nasty is meant to be)- and when you say accusations, you do realise other riders have confirmed what he has said?

Or am I not meant to read what you say the way you said it?

 

[Ferminal]

"One of these people who come out and blatently try to blame everyone and says everyone else is on drugs"

Thanks for that Patrick.

 

[cathulu]

Good luck Floyd in your retirement. Thanks for coming clean as best you were able - something good will come of it in the end and a lot of good has come already. Things will only get better as time goes by.

Hope you are successful with the lawsuit.

 

[Big Doopie]

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

That tells me he was a DOPER.

but i thought doping didn't really provide an advantage?

i thought doping couldn't turn a donkey into a racehorse?

landis' inability to return to even a mediocre pro level demonstrates how blood doping skews any sense of natural hierarchy, makes following the sport or discussing results absolutely ludicrous, and subsequently destroys a stunning and dramatic sport of all its beauty.

 

[flicker]

but i thought doping didn't really provide an advantage?

i thought doping couldn't turn a donkey into a racehorse?

landis' inability to return to even a mediocre pro level demonstrates how blood doping skews any sense of natural hierarchy, makes following the sport or discussing results absolutely ludicrous, and subsequently destroys a stunning and dramatic sport of all its beauty.

Landis and Pantani were special cases of donkey to racehorse. Luckily for Landis he lived. Could the desengeniration in his hip because of steroids, yes!

Other riders Vino, DiLuca, Basso Rassmusen have returned without double faulting. Thanks Fred

 

[Big Doopie]

Other riders Vino, DiLuca, Basso Rassmusen have returned without double faulting. Thanks Fred

and you know these guys are clean?

flicker, and i really say this with know disrespect -- don't you think you are being a little gullible on the one hand and cherry picking on the other.

why do you think dope helps only some riders that you choose to cherry pick?

 

[MacRoadie]

Could the desengeniration in his hip because of steroids, yes!

Dude, you need to slow down on the drinking, you're beginning to slur your typing...

 

[Nederick]

Actually, no.

Just to back fill a bit my thinking, Landis played the game and played it deep. And he got outed and chucked on the heap. The core of the problem is the administration and the hangers on as much as the athletes that give in. Just like any big pro sport where there's lot of money flying around. There will be corruption and cheating. A percentage of those involved wanting to get to the top of the heap by any means. So Floyd wasn't one of the protected ones. That's why I propose that it's the other way around. Cycle racing is done with Floyd, and I support his view that cycling (well pro cycling) can't be fixed. Even if the corrupt few of the current crop are turfed out, it'll just create a power vacuum and there will be others to fill those spots. It's just part of human nature.

Don't get me wrong. I like to see the good fight being fought, that's the side I'm on so I acknowledge Floyd for playing his part in the latest battle. Good luck to him. And to the others who are prepared to stand up and say their piece. But I'm not going to stake any of my future personal happiness in life on what happens in the pro cycling world. The show must go on...

 

[Benotti69]

maybe Landis saw that after this SI article there would be no way back into cycling so he called quits before so that when the article appeared it would all be focussed on pharmastrong.

no point in calling quits after the article and giving the media a reason to drop the revelations in SI

 

[MR_Sarcastic]

It's great to see Floyd going out into the "real" world and getting a job. Maybe now, he can begin to pay back the money collected in the Floyd Fairness Fund,........ unless he changes his story again, and says that he didn't dope.

(Most people who do what he did, end up in jail)

 

[Ferminal]

It's great to see Floyd going out into the "real" world and getting a job. Maybe now, he can begin to pay back the money collected in the Floyd Fairness Fund,........ unless he changes his story again, and says that he didn't dope.

(Most people who do what he did, end up in jail)

Key donors to the FFF will probably be looking elsewhere for their money back...

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

It's great to see Floyd going out into the "real" world and getting a job. Maybe now, he can begin to pay back the money collected in the Floyd Fairness Fund,........ unless he changes his story again, and says that he didn't dope.

(Most people who do what he did, end up in jail)

he can do that when he gets his whistleblower reward on the downfall of His Sociopathic Majesty.

 

[Anonymous]

It's great to see Floyd going out into the "real" world and getting a job. Maybe now, he can begin to pay back the money collected in the Floyd Fairness Fund,........ unless he changes his story again, and says that he didn't dope.

(Most people who do what he did, end up in jail)

Unforunately (for you) Floyd is not in jail.

Say it with me.... " whi-stle.... blow-er"...

Poetic justice will have a new definition if Floyd is successful in taking a big part of Lance's cache.

 

[Benotti69]

It's great to see Floyd going out into the "real" world and getting a job. Maybe now, he can begin to pay back the money collected in the Floyd Fairness Fund,........ unless he changes his story again, and says that he didn't dope.

(Most people who do what he did, end up in jail)

Landis has siad he will do his best to repay back the monies.

Do a search if this your 'first' visit to the cinic and you will find links where Landis has said such.

 

[Clearly Unstable]

Doesn't Floyd rhyme with unemployed?