I'm not sure one can draw a straight line, or a crooked one, between one man's alleged drug use and kids' drug use. I just don't hear kids saying "You know, I want to be just like Lyle Alzado, Vince McMahon and Barry Bonds." Young males are programmed for domination to spread their seed, and drugs are one means to that end; some are simply attracted to the fame and money. The WAR ON DRUGS, at all levels, has been a disaster. This case is a small sliver of the overall drug problem, which wil not go away with high profile prosecutions of drug users. In fact, the prosecution of Lance Armstrong is more likely to make kids think they need to get some steroids and EPO to become great too. Never understimate the value of unintended consequences. And this is one reason the WAR ON DRUGS has been a colossal failure on all fronts.

George Hincapie protected his financial future by throwing Armstrong under the bus. All those guys who got a six month slap on the wrist gave statements implicating LA primarily so they could protect themselves. None of those statements were given for honorable reasons or to elevate cycling. They never are. Why would anyone give them the time of day? They are not only drug cheats, but self-absorbed nihilistic opportunists. I thought Hincapie was better than this, but he wasn't and isn't.

I haven't read all of the USADA's brief in support of its conclusions, but I'd say the evidence looks, on first reading, stronger than I suspected. Nonetheless, we have been unable to hear an opposing argument. And LA can't bribe witnesses the way USADA has done. So, I remain cautious about drawing firm conclusions. We need BOTH sides of this story.

USADA's procedures for investigating and prosecuting these cases are smarmy at best and should be re-visited by the governing Board of USADA.

-Robert

People who CHOOSE to be blind will never see because they refuse to.


I met a guy a short while ago who read up on all the affidavits, is familiar with the e-mails, payments to Ferrari, eye-witness testimonials from 11 riders including Hincapie etc., and his only comment was, "but Lance never failed a drug test so he must be innocent."

There are simply no arguments against that kind of stupidity.

I have no doubt that in a world where doping did not exist that the results of the Tours would have been mostly the same. Whether LA had better dope than everyone else is pure speculation.

-Robert