What, we will never know, but I sure am not going to spend energy worrying about it. Sometimes in life it can be better to forgive, than carry a chip on ones shoulder to ones grave.
This is just a hobby. For the few who try to make it sound like this is their only way to get to heaven, well, ...

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Click on his user name to open his profile. Scroll to the bottom and see his user name history. You'll have your answer.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

There is no heaven. Don't worry about heaven.
What some of us worry about is the here and now, with evil people who are in charge of or have influence over USAC. Those people need to go. For some people it is more than a hobby, it is a career.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

{ericM45-49} ??

Is it at age 90 when he can stop changing his username?

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

Think it's admirable that you'd admit that. And I've debated that same question during many long rides. Easy to sit here and say no, but that was a different place and time.

Anyhow, the behind-the-scenes jockeying and passing the hot potato on LA riding is beyond ridiculous. I always thought USAC was complicit and got away clean, and am now starting to wonder it Tygart is really good for the sport or just pursuing a vendetta. At a minimum, this is a monumental waste of time and resources.

Myabe, or maybe it is 0 resources if it is just him talking to some guys.
It isn't like they have been doing nothing this year:
http://www.usada.org/...g/results/sanctions/

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

I think it might have reached the point where it's time to admit that it is obviously somewhat personal for Tygrat. There's no admission but plenty of circumstantial evidence to stack up....

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Twitter
Instagram

Maybe, I would take it pretty personal when a guy tried to get congress to get rid of my job, for doing my job.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

this is the good and bad with Tygart. following the rules is all that matters. so while i think many rules are dumb, i think the enforcement of them should be simple and efficient (at least until they are changed). and i think he good in the regard that he saw a rule breaker (LA, Bruyneel) and he went after him, without concern for the "importance" of that person or the blowback he would receive.

but then the reality of prosecution comes in and you realize you have to make deals to get convictions. deals with people involved. and that means "less important" people, who engaged in the same behavior, get less pressure in order to gain their cooperation.

at which point it comes to a political question about which way to go. i guess that's why prosecutors are a political position.


anyway, as far as i can tell, Tygart is the best ever at cleaning up this sport. its hard to see somebody with a bigger impact. and therefore i don't know what eric is advocating for.


signed, LanceFan1999

It's more than zero, that I can guarantee. I think the question becomes: how does keeping LA from riding a non-competitive event make the sport cleaner?

You know as well as I do that list is scratching the surface. I'd rather see the time spent on this applied to more sanctions. Rider 15 is free and clear yet this is more important? How about the masters dope I may actually race against?

I'd expect the head of the national agency to combat doping to be above that but maybe it's ok as long as you agree with the outcome.

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I would yes, but you are extremely morally flexible so I don't know why you are outraged =)

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

I just have to always be the counter to you on every LA related topic :-)

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Instagram

Ah, I'm now up to speed. I didn't realize that USADA and USAC were seeking to prevent LA form riding in the gran fondo.

Agreed 100%. This is now just getting silly. I don't have an issue with LA's punishment, but it a fookin' gran fondo, FFS. Would be interesting to see if the organization could withdraw from their USAC sanctioning, but I would guess that they need it for insurance purposes.

As you well note, Rider 15 is still out there, riding free and clear, winning Grand Tours. But by all means, stop LA from riding in a "fun ride". Let Och continue to run BMC and Weisel walk away with no punishment, whatsoever.

Idiocy.

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Chicago Cubs - 2016 WORLD SERIES Champions!!!!

"If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

From the VN article I linked doesn't it appear that USADA and USA Cycling are both saying that the other organization is the one to decide whether LA can ride or not? So there seems to be confusion on who has the authority over this mess.

Who's boiling over with anger. I just said he's an apologist. Did you actually read his statements? He could have said something to the effect that the Gran Fondo is a good cause, gives back to the local community, showcases the region, etc. Or he could have not chose to say anything, like Christian VDV, or had a more balanced answer like Alex Howes or Matthew Busche.

Tejay comes out pretty strong defending each one of the dopers, one by one, including saying L.A. 'might deserve a bit of a break' and that [these things] happened '10 years ago' and that all these past dopers are wonderful, because they are now raising money for some cause.

In reality- he might love L.A. and train with him, but L.A. is a media hot potato (and some of the other's to a lesser degree) and frankly, any PR person would say, maybe tone down your love for them publicly. Privately do whatever, but don't publicly shout that you are training with L.A., that he's training and pacing you and that he deserves a break. Doping is ongoing and there are positive tests each and every year, so saying he's a clean generation when riders are getting regularly popped is not true, especially when two of the most recent are part of the Tour Winner Nibali's team. He mentions Thor in his comments too, which Thor recently released a book, admitted that Lance told him he doped (well before USADA banned him or he went on Oprah), but Thor did nothing about it, defended Lance in the press, when asked, and was a solid defender of the Omerta. I'm not boiling over with anger with it at all and from a fan perspective think Tejay is a more boring rider to watch, but he could use some PR skills.

USAC gave the nod for LA to ride a while ago. The first VN piece hit Tuesday and USADA popped up and lobbed back to USAC saying he can't ride. The latter said it's up to the former, who declares it's really up to UCI since they're signators to WADA code and have oversight of Fondos. I'm guessing USAC was fine with this development.

Some it's up to the UCI now to make the call. For a non-competitive event. For real.

"he might love L.A. and train with him, but L.A. is a media hot potato (and some of the other's to a lesser degree) and frankly, any PR person would say, maybe tone down your love for them publicly. Privately do whatever, but don't publicly shout that you are training with L.A., that he's training and pacing you and that he deserves a break."

i would have less respect for teejay if he privactly did "whatever" while publicly saying what placates the mob. even if i disagree with teejay's views or tone or methods, i'm much happier that his voice is unbent.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

You win the internet today

Yes, I read all the comments. Tejay is doing fine on his own and doesn't need any pr help. He has the stones to speak what he believes, not say one thing and do another to placate fans who believe otherwise. A whole generation of riders already did that.

You think his comments make him an apologist, I think it's an expression of him understanding that era and accepting it. Not saying it was ok. In some fashion all of the current generation is acknowledging the former generation's indiscretions by attending. And I find it curious that they're basically trying to move on from it and as a result, get labeled in such a manner.

I think the sport of cycling, those involved in cycling at the highest levels, and the majority of Pro-Tour cyclists specifically, have demonstrated over the past several decades is that what they say publicly is meaningless drivel and typically has no foundation of truth behind it. The few honest ones (dope free ones talking about how much doping is within the sport) have been pilloried by their cycling peers for being honest/sour grapes/etc. It's a bubble world of what is said, it is often directly opposite of what actually is done privately. Ultimately, professional cycling is a business, and being ethical and placating the followers of sport *CAN* intersect and mutually exist- especially if doping controls are becoming more effective at catching cheaters or at least reducing the impact of drugs. If Tejay is for the omerta, and publicly defending dopers, that might not be the best tact, for his sponsors, assuming he values his sponsors and wants more sponsors of his 'clean cycling' and Tejay, the brand. That unbent or apparently unbent voice is a double edged sword- as it will turn off some of his fans, too, and they will become non-fans.

In the same post you say cyclists lied publicly for decades, then criticize Tejay for not giving what you deem as a PC soundbite, and finally label him as an apologist. "The few honest ones have been pilloried by their cycling peers" and then you go on to say he's for Omertà after he does just that.

Exactly what I mean about feeling bad for today's generation who have to deal with that variety of nonsense. Someone definitely needs PR help.

Serious question- whenever a younger cyclist talks about 'that generation' or '10 years ago' or any other reference to past dopers, please tell me when did cycling clean up? Doping positives are still fast and furious in the sport and have been for decades. There is no clean generation and there will never be a clean generation in sports with lots of potential money to be made.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling


Tejay may have stones to speak what he believes- and his stones say he's a proud card carrying member of the omerta with his comments. You either support dopers or you don't. In or out. It really can be black and white. Those riders are the ones with *stones*. Too bad that list is woefully short.


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-garderen-questioned-on-armstrong-legacy-ahead-of-tour-de-france

Tejay's comments below are full of Omerta and support of dopers. There probably were some clean cyclists in the Tour during Armstrong's years... shouldn't those be the winners, Tejay? Those clean cyclists did the training, they competed, they did the miles. Shouldn't they be the winner, Tejay... I guess not. That is sad.


The young American confessed he was "disappointed" when he heard Armstrong admit to doping to win all of his seven Tour titles, but added: "In my mind, he still won those Tours. Yes, there's an asterisk next to that era, but if you look at [Jan] Ullrich, who just admitted [blood doping], back then it was different and he still had to weather the conditions and the elements and the roads and he did all of the training.
"I still think he won those races, but it was certainly disappointing for me as a cycling fan to have all that stuff come out and learn the ugly truth of what was really going on then."

You have misinterpreted my comments. You don't have to lie and you can still give a PC soundbite, if you believe it. If he believes in the charity, discuss it; if he believes in showcasing a region of the country, discuss it. He chose what to discuss- and he wanted to discuss was his support of dopers and why they should be supported. The Omerta supports other dopers. The cyclists with integrity don't dope and don't support dopers. It's pretty simple. Being 'honest' about supporting dopers = he's honest about supporting the Omerta. Wonderful, Tejay, great to hear it (sarcasm).