Pat throws Hein under the (USPS) bus?

[Dr. Maserati]

In this weeks Cycling Weekly magazine there is an interview with Pat McQuaid on various subjects.

I found this comment quite revealing:

"I took over here in 2005, and certainly since I became president, I can vouch for the fact there has been no corruption in the UCI," he said.

Referring to Landis:

With claims being repeated in the media and a federal investigation into alleged widespread doping at Lance Armstrong's former US Postal team nearing a conclusion, it seems the UCI can no longer simply discredit Landis.
"A lot of the stuff he says in relation to what went on in those years is probably true," admitted McQuaid. "But by the same token, he's very fond of zoning in on people and accusing them of things with absolutely no corroboration".

On Armstrong:

"Armstrong has never tested positive".
"There has been a lot of discussion about six samples that were used for research and showed evidence of EPO - the L'Equipe story - but we can only operate within the rules and those samples are not anti-doping samples".

 

[jimmypop]

Interesting that even the UCI have wised up and are distancing themselves from Armstrong.

 

[hrotha]

Things must be looking worse than I thought for the UCI for Pat to imply this kind of thing about Hein.

 

[Granville57]

"A lot of the stuff he says in relation to what went on in those years is probably true"

Those words came out of Pat's mouth?!

Doesn't that change the equation rather significantly? That's a quite a distance away from Pat's previous hand-waving dismissals of Landis' claims. Maybe that's the new strategy: No longer write Floyd off as just a bitter kook, now they can just nod and wink, "but of course," to coin a phrase.

"Probably true." But oh well, that's the past. Armstrong is still a great champion.

 

[Colm.Murphy]

In this weeks Cycling Weekly magazine there is an interview with Pat McQuaid on various subjects.

I found this comment quite revealing:


Referring to Landis:


On Armstrong:

Pat, Hein, Armstrong, let the scramble begin to save their own skin and sacrifice the others.

Mr. Verbruggen's comments in the current CN article is also chock full of amazing comments. 1% of the riders dope, he's never made one cent from the sport, he'd travel to Los Angeles to be available in the Federal inquiry.... These are window dressing and patently untrue.

He and Mr. McQuaid do themselves no service in speaking out in the media. They really have a hard time spinning the past into a convincing lie, and any current statements come off as devoid of any authenticity.

Let's hope they do sue Landis. I would imagine they would have a difficult time in such a circumstance.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

There's more:

McQuaid explained the UCI had had little contact with Landis since he made the allegations last May and explained the UCI's initial reaction to Landis had been driven by the manner in which Landis had denied his own doping history before about-turning and "attacking the sport".

"Landis has cost us, USADA and WADA two million euro over a period of three or four years when he denied, denied, denied."

"Unfortunately my initial reaction to someone like that is to discredit them because I don't accept individuals that do that type of thing".
"Nothing he has said to my mind has been anything that can genuinely help the sport".

But asked what it would mean if the federal investigation was to verify Landis's claims, McQuaid said: "There was a lot of doping going on in those teams in those years.... If it [American Supreme Court decision] proves that the US Postal team were involved in a lot of doping, it wouldn't necessarily surprise me. In those days it was possible to beat the system."

 

[Granville57]

Pat, Hein, Armstrong, let the scramble begin to save their own skin and sacrifice the others.

It was very interesting to see how quickly Pat recently claimed that cycling was, "bigger than Armstrong...or Contador."
http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/01/news/mcquaid-‘cycling-is-bigger-than-armstrong-landis-contador’_156216

Seems he is slowly letting out the mooring line so as to distance himself whenever he can.

But with the "facts" and stories constantly changing, his stance is made to look all the more ridiculous with each passing interview.
I can't wait for the next one.

 

[thehog]

I think you'll see a general softening on Landis from here on end by the UCI. With Armstrong now retired they don't need to make excuses for him along a way of explaining away the Contador situation.

The irony in all of this is very telling.

Alas Pat won't do anything to be nice. He has a motive and he continually contradicts himself to suit the situation.

 

[Granville57]

There's more:

"There was a lot of doping going on in those teams in those years.... If it [American Supreme Court decision] proves that the US Postal team were involved in a lot of doping, it wouldn't necessarily surprise me. In those days it was possible to beat the system."

OK...

Two things here:

First, there's really no need for any court to prove that the "team" was involved with doping because we've already had more than one admission from team members. (And when is Armstrong going to be forced to reckon with that point, btw? OK, Lance, you say you didn't dope but your teammates say they did, and you have famously claimed over and over again that cycling is a team sport. So how does that reflect upon your "victories"?)

Second, based on the above quote from Pat, won't it soon be time to return Floyd's name to the record books?

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

You know what the problem is with joining a cabal of lying, cheating, corrupt rat-b*stards?

You've joined a cabal of lying, cheating, corrupt rat-b*stards...

No honour (as much as some would like to litigate that they actually have honour to defend) among this crew.

 

[this_is_edie]

This is going to be fun to watch. My money is on Verbruggen to somehow come out on top.

 

[sniper]

I've wondered from day one why Pat was keeping his hand above Hein's head (= Dutch expression, not sure if it works in English, but means 'to defend'), when Floyd's accusations clearly concern Hein's era mostly.

I'm not sure if I agree with Edie. I think Hein is gonna be exposed more than Pat is.

Anyway, great developments. Perhaps Pat has been hearing through the grapevine about an upcoming indictment?

 

[TERMINATOR]

In this weeks Cycling Weekly magazine there is an interview with Pat McQuaid on various subjects.

I found this comment quite revealing:
"I took over here in 2005, and certainly since I became president, I can vouch for the fact there has been no corruption in the UCI," he said.

You people have very poor reading comprehension and derive all sorts of inaccurate inferences where there is absolutely none.

When I read that quote, I do not see any implication against Hein whatsoever. McQuaid is his friend and is simply saying he can only speak about his own personal knowledge during his tenure. For you to interpret this means that McQuaid is implying that he thinks it was corrupt under Hein is simply not true.

 

[D-Queued]

In this weeks Cycling Weekly magazine there is an interview with Pat McQuaid on various subjects.

Referring to Landis:

"A lot of the stuff he says in relation to what went on in those years is probably true," admitted McQuaid

It is definitely entertaining.

Sounds like someone may have slept on their latest irrational move and/or read a forum post or two and had to think twice about suing Floyd. Perhaps counsel advised the client about what could and would happen if that process were followed through. Damages for spurious/wrongful suit... Intimidation practices confirming what they were attempting to deny...

Can you get treble damages in Switzerland?

Unfortunately, though, this is coming from the master of the flip-flop.

If it were anyone else (other than Hein), it might mean something.

Next week, Pat will be blaming someone else for something else.

Dave.

 

[Polish]

As Menander once said: "Time is the healer of all necessary evils."
And as Chaucer said: "As tyme hem hurt, a tyme doth hem cure"

We have come to accept that there was doping/cheating in Bottocchia's time.
And have come to accept the same from Fausto's time. And Eddy's too.
Yes, there was cheating as Bernard and Greg held hands on Alpe d'huez.
We all accept that.

And someday, beleive it or not, we will be able to accept and publicly admit that there was doping and cheating during Lance's time. It will take a bit of time, however. The hurt is still too fresh for some. But the time will come.

Seriously, its true - Time DOES heal all wounds

 

[Dr. Maserati]

You people have very poor reading comprehension and derive all sorts of inaccurate inferences where there is absolutely none.

When I read that quote, I do not see any implication against Hein whatsoever. McQuaid is a his friend and is simply saying he can only speak about his own personal knowledge during his tenure. For you to interpret this means that McQuaid is implying that he thinks it was corrupt under Hein is simply not true.

Are you sure? Let's have a look again.....

"I took over here in 2005, and certainly since I became president, I can vouch for the fact there has been no corruption in the UCI," he said

If - as you say - Hein is his friend, then why doesn't Pat "vouch" for Heins reign too?

 

[D-Queued]

Are you sure? Let's have a look again.....

"I took over here in 2005, and certainly since I became president, I can vouch for the fact there has been no corruption in the UCI," he said

If - as you say - Hein is his friend, then why doesn't Pat "vouch" for Heins reign too?

Yup, Pat is quite clear.

There was a before. I can give you a date. This is after.

Dave.

 

[Granville57]

Seriously, its true - Time DOES heal all wounds

Then my master wants his Yellow Jersey back. Ruff!

 

[Moncoutie]

Wow, some of these comments are amazing! But its nice to see that certain people are waking up to the seriousness of the situation.

 

[thehog]

I still smell a rat. Two weeks ago Pat's lawyers were sending out letters to defend their "honour".... and now what Floyd says is "probably" true?

So what do the fanboys say to "never tested positive" now? If the UCIs own president says it was easy to get away with.... what do they say now?

 

[joe_papp]

Things must be looking worse than I thought for the UCI for Pat to imply this kind of thing about Hein.

Or maybe Pat McQuaid isn't actually the corrupt lackey that he's sometimes accused of being, and perhaps he actually understands the magnitude of the doping culture's negative impact and wants to eradicate it as effectively as possible within the constraints of what he sees as being his responsibilities to ensure the economic viability of the sport? Not exactly a simple problem w/ a simple solution.

Or it could just be every man for himself.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I would imagine he's feeling the pressure and in some of these comments he's defaulting to his own survival by commenting on the obvious, while omitting any language that would protect anchors around him.

Agree with whomever said this is looking worse for Hein than Pat, little by little.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Or maybe Pat McQuaid isn't actually the corrupt lackey that he's sometimes accused of being, and perhaps he actually understands the magnitude of the doping culture's negative impact and wants to eradicate it as effectively as possible within the constraints of what he sees as being his responsibilities to ensure the economic viability of the sport? Not exactly a simple problem w/ a simple solution.

Or it could just be every man for himself.

Your assesment is probably accurate in how Pat perceives the problem - and I would agree that it is not a simple problem with a simple solution.

However, Pat continues to hide exactly what happened in the past and the way the UCI still treats different riders shows little has changed - doping is damaging the sport, and the continued lies and coverups damage those in charge of the sport.

For anything to change it requires making tough decisions which requires leadership - Pat is a good politican, not a leader.

 

[MacRoadie]

You people have very poor reading comprehension and derive all sorts of inaccurate inferences where there is absolutely none.

When I read that quote, I do not see any implication against Hein whatsoever. McQuaid is a his friend and is simply saying he can only speak about his own personal knowledge during his tenure. For you to interpret this means that McQuaid is implying that he thinks it was corrupt under Hein is simply not true.

Apparently you had some difficulty yourself in comprehending this:

But asked what it would mean if the federal investigation was to verify Landis's claims, McQuaid said: "There was a lot of doping going on in those teams in those years.... If it [American Supreme Court decision] proves that the US Postal team were involved in a lot of doping, it wouldn't necessarily surprise me. In those days it was possible to beat the system."

"Those years" and "those days" being Hein's reign: a period that Verbruggen to this day defends as being clean. So is Vebruggen corrupt, a liar, naive or simply stupid? If McQuaid knows (and publicly states) that there was "a lot of doping" going on during Verbruggen's reign, yet Verbruggen steadfastly denies it, then it must be one of those. Take your pick.

 

[JMBeaushrimp]

I would imagine he's feeling the pressure and in some of these comments he's defaulting to his own survival by commenting on the obvious, while omitting any language that would protect anchors around him.

Agree with whomever said this is looking worse for Hein than Pat, little by little.

Can't argue with that. If there is one thing I could wish for out of this protracted debacle, it would be that Hein's true nature be exposed. Possibly even more than perceived 'cleaning up the sport', I'd love that bureaucrat to be held to account.

Working for the better nature of the sport? Not quite. If we're placing bets, my money's on McQuack - if for no other reason that NO ONE can come across as more arrogant and obtuse as Verbruggen.

Maybe it really is his turn under the bus. I'd vote for him versus ANY actual rider. Afterall, believe it or not, the riders did not create this situation.

They may have been enabled, but they didn't create it...