Go Back  Bike Forums > The Racer's Forum > "The 33"-Road Bike Racing
Reload this Page >

The hypocrisy of singling out Pro Cycling as a tainted sport

Notices
"The 33"-Road Bike Racing We set this forum up for our members to discuss their experiences in either pro or amateur racing, whether they are the big races, or even the small backyard races. Don't forget to update all the members with your own race results.

The hypocrisy of singling out Pro Cycling as a tainted sport

Old 02-07-09, 09:28 PM
  #1  
Peloton Shelter Dog
Thread Starter
 
patentcad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Chester, NY
Posts: 90,508

Bikes: 2017 Scott Foil, 2016 Scott Addict SL, 2018 Santa Cruz Blur CC MTB

Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1142 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
The hypocrisy of singling out Pro Cycling as a tainted sport

Is underscored by Arod's positive test for steroids from 2003, a year when 100+ MLB players (that's something like 10% of the league) also tested positive. Their careers went uninterrupted, MLB had no penalties for a positive PED test at that time.

Cycling gets a bad rap because they have been compelled to DO something about their doping issues by the financial realities of the sport. Baseball, football, basketball, soccer? PED scandals won't hamper huge ticket sale and TV revenues in those sports. Don't rock that boat baby. Why would they?

I strongly feel that pro cycling may well show these other sports the way they will all eventually have to go to clean up their acts. They certainly appear to be trying.

MLB is starting to realize how this F's up baseball, where statistics are huge, and tainted stats are a major problem. Moreso than just about any other big-time team sport in my view. How the hell can you have hot-stove debates about the greatest player when some of them were juiced? You can't. They have to get a handle on this in MLB (and in the other sports).
patentcad is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 09:29 PM
  #2  
Oh The Huge Manatee
 
Lithuania's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: mabra
Posts: 4,528
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i just get pissed because in the NFL dudes can get popped and fans still think they should be player of the year.
Lithuania is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 09:32 PM
  #3  
Peloton Shelter Dog
Thread Starter
 
patentcad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Chester, NY
Posts: 90,508

Bikes: 2017 Scott Foil, 2016 Scott Addict SL, 2018 Santa Cruz Blur CC MTB

Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1142 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
Originally Posted by Lithuania
i just get pissed because in the NFL dudes can get popped and fans still think they should be player of the year.
Meanwhile the UCI or the Tour de France won't hesitate to yank the Yellow Jersey from the Tdf or de-throne the winner, even on the strong suspicion of doping. I'm not sure how much further they can go short of automatic lifetime bans for positive tests. I'm all for stringent controls, but lifetime bans would be going too far for me. I think the two year ban is just about right.
patentcad is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 09:34 PM
  #4  
Oh The Huge Manatee
 
Lithuania's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: mabra
Posts: 4,528
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
what i am trying to get at is how the FANS of the NFL tolerate it but are some of the first to talk about how dirty cycling is.
Lithuania is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 10:01 PM
  #5  
Peloton Shelter Dog
Thread Starter
 
patentcad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Chester, NY
Posts: 90,508

Bikes: 2017 Scott Foil, 2016 Scott Addict SL, 2018 Santa Cruz Blur CC MTB

Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1142 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
Originally Posted by Lithuania
what i am trying to get at is how the FANS of the NFL tolerate it but are some of the first to talk about how dirty cycling is.
Cycling is no dirtier than any other sport. They've just turned on the house lights. When they really do that in these other sports (IF they do) it will get far uglier. By that time I surely hope that pro cycling will be relatively clean.
patentcad is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 10:07 PM
  #6  
Oh The Huge Manatee
 
Lithuania's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: mabra
Posts: 4,528
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i agree
Lithuania is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 10:09 PM
  #7  
Big Mac and No hills.
 
800over's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Ontario
Posts: 245

Bikes: Trek 1500, Raleigh Tarantula

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
What's hilarious is that the argument is that the test doesn't matter because it was supposed to be anonymous. What a joke that the supposed best player in the league and the "clean" hope for the homerun record is the poster boy for doping in the MLB. Give em 50 games and take away all his stats from the 2003 year. Same for everyone else on the list (104?). Just last year Selig was talking about how A Rod can bring back some purity to the game.

On a side note it amazes me how many people associate steroids with huge players. You don't have to be a large person to benefit from steroids.

Oh and where's all the hatred for Carl Lewis from all the cycling haters...
800over is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 10:23 PM
  #8  
grilled cheesus
 
aham23's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: 8675309
Posts: 6,957

Bikes: 2010 CAAD9 Custom, 06 Giant TCR C2 & 05 Specialized Hardrock Sport

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Liked 5 Times in 4 Posts
Originally Posted by Lithuania
what i am trying to get at is how the FANS of the NFL tolerate it but are some of the first to talk about how dirty cycling is.

what? in the good old US of A there is no such thing as a NFL fan who speaks of cycling. i mean, pics or it didnt happen.

later.
__________________
aham23 is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 10:31 PM
  #9  
Oh The Huge Manatee
 
Lithuania's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: mabra
Posts: 4,528
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
sure they do. unfortunately they only talk about it what is shown on espn which is only about lance armstrong and people getting busted.

i just love how the media laughs at cycling for catching all these athletes. are they laughing because people are getting caught or are they laughing because a serious effort is being made to catch them?
Lithuania is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 10:55 PM
  #10  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Seattle, WA/Vancouver, BC
Posts: 288

Bikes: Giant Aero Road Bike, Quintana Roo TT bike, Airborne crit bike, Leader track bike, System6 in build stage

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
This type of argument is so silly. If cycling wasn't so dirty, there would be nothing to be concerned about. Y'all sound like "About-face McQuaid"...

And who said life was fair**********?
tonyzackery is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 11:04 PM
  #11  
Peloton Shelter Dog
Thread Starter
 
patentcad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Chester, NY
Posts: 90,508

Bikes: 2017 Scott Foil, 2016 Scott Addict SL, 2018 Santa Cruz Blur CC MTB

Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1142 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
Originally Posted by tonyzackery
This type of argument is so silly. If cycling wasn't so dirty, there would be nothing to be concerned about. Y'all sound like "About-face McQuaid"...

And who said life was fair**********?
I have no idea what this means. And I'm sure you don't either, so life is fair after all.
patentcad is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 11:07 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Seattle, WA/Vancouver, BC
Posts: 288

Bikes: Giant Aero Road Bike, Quintana Roo TT bike, Airborne crit bike, Leader track bike, System6 in build stage

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by patentcad
I have no idea what this means. And I'm sure you don't either, so life is fair after all.
Sorry to be so harsh, but y'all need some of that HTFU cream on your chamois...
tonyzackery is offline  
Old 02-07-09, 11:09 PM
  #13  
Oh The Huge Manatee
 
Lithuania's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: mabra
Posts: 4,528
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
dude i dont think anyone here said cycling wasnt dirty
Lithuania is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 12:09 AM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
RockyMtnMerlin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Laramie Wyoming
Posts: 2,970

Bikes: Merlin Extralight Topolino Wheels Campy Record

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Hey - let's talk about the real cheats: those "financial wizards" who led us into the current economic melt down. Last I heard, no cyclist (nor even a pro baseball or football player) ripped anyone off for an estimated 20 to 50 BILLION dollars. So lets get real - the real crooks here are the dishonest so called investment advisors.
__________________
RockyMtnMerlin is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 12:18 AM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
late's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Southern Maine
Posts: 8,932
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 12161 Post(s)
Liked 1,475 Times in 1,088 Posts
I suspect that without steroids pro football would shrink faster than the pecs.
late is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 12:34 AM
  #16  
Senior Member
 
RockyMtnMerlin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Laramie Wyoming
Posts: 2,970

Bikes: Merlin Extralight Topolino Wheels Campy Record

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Okay - back on topic. This today from Associated Press,
"Meanwhile, the stench of a scandal baseball let fester for more than a decade grows even stronger and forces us once again to rethink everything that has happened before.

The only difference is that at least now we know. The days of presuming innocence are long gone."

I'll bet though, that nothing is done about it.
__________________
RockyMtnMerlin is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 12:55 AM
  #17  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Seattle, WA/Vancouver, BC
Posts: 288

Bikes: Giant Aero Road Bike, Quintana Roo TT bike, Airborne crit bike, Leader track bike, System6 in build stage

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
"F" all this "putting things in perspective" crap. Pro cycling needs to continue cleaning up its own house and backyard. There is no purpose served in looking over the fence into someone else's backyard and complaining that their yard is just as dirty...

Let baseball deal with baseball, football with football, etc...All this whining about "it's not fair blah blah blah" is ridiculous, and nobody really cares. McQuaid needs to get serious about getting rid of ALL the cheats and instituting lifetime bans (ZERO Tolerance). That would serve as a deterrent where there is none now...
tonyzackery is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 05:26 AM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
classic1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,022
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Liked 4 Times in 2 Posts
Originally Posted by RockyMtnMerlin
Okay - back on topic. This today from Associated Press,
"Meanwhile, the stench of a scandal baseball let fester for more than a decade grows even stronger and forces us once again to rethink everything that has happened before.

The only difference is that at least now we know. The days of sticking our head in the sand about it or turning a totally blind eye are now gone."

I'll bet though, that nothing is done about it.

Fixed.
classic1 is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 07:16 AM
  #19  
gmt
 
Grumpy McTrumpy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Binghamton, NY
Posts: 12,509
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
I agree with pcad on this one. So does Bob Roll
Grumpy McTrumpy is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 08:09 AM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
rankin116's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: ChapelBorro NC
Posts: 4,126
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 98 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by 800over
Oh and where's all the hatred for Carl Lewis from all the cycling haters...
What about Carl Lewis? Was he juicing when he tried to sing the National Anthem? That wouldn't explain the inability to hit the high notes.


I think the only real reason there is a huge backlash with cycling and PEDs is because it is solely supported by sponsorship dollars. Nobody buys tickets to a race, we all know that. With sponsors footing the bills for everything, they will never want to be associated with a 'dirty' team or racer. The companies sponsoring the NFL, NBA, MLB, even the NHL, are putting their names on the stadiums, or in commercials, etc. If they were slathered all over the jerseys, well I think things would be very different because the players that are caught would immediately be associated with an advertiser. 'ARod, of the General Electric Yankees', that would never fly.
rankin116 is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 08:19 AM
  #21  
out walking the earth
 
gsteinb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lake Placid, NY
Posts: 21,441
Mentioned: 71 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 912 Post(s)
Liked 752 Times in 342 Posts
The premise of the thread is wrong. No one is singling out anything, unless the op is suggesting the uci should worry about the MLB.
gsteinb is offline  
Old 02-08-09, 08:45 AM
  #22  
Banned.
 
El Diablo Rojo's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: ATX, Ex So Cal
Posts: 11,058

Bikes: Ridley Noah-Scott Addict-Orbea Ordu

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Bottom line is that it comes down to the players unions. If the cyclists had the power that the players in the MLB/NFL/Tennis/PGA or Euro Football we wouldn't see the type of treatment that we see pertaining to cyclists. Honestly if they would have stood with the UCI against ASO last year they could have taken back much of that power.
El Diablo Rojo is offline  
Old 02-09-09, 05:06 AM
  #23  
Super Moderator
 
Homebrew01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,842

Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales

Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1173 Post(s)
Liked 919 Times in 606 Posts
Because Football & Baseball are "our" sports so it's ok. Pro cycling is "their" sport so it's bad.
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.

FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Homebrew01 is offline  
Old 02-09-09, 05:22 AM
  #24  
Third World Layabout
 
crtreedude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Costa Rica
Posts: 3,136

Bikes: Cannondale F900 and Tandem

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 397 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 32 Times in 22 Posts
I would honestly say that all professional sports are tainted. When you say that if you do better you will make more money, well, people are going to try anything they feel they can get away with.

About the only way to cure the problem is to remove the motivation.
crtreedude is offline  
Old 02-09-09, 06:45 AM
  #25  
Peloton Shelter Dog
Thread Starter
 
patentcad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Chester, NY
Posts: 90,508

Bikes: 2017 Scott Foil, 2016 Scott Addict SL, 2018 Santa Cruz Blur CC MTB

Mentioned: 74 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1142 Post(s)
Liked 28 Times in 22 Posts
Originally Posted by gsteinb
The premise of the thread is wrong. No one is singling out anything, unless the op is suggesting the uci should worry about the MLB.
This may be true on the g planet, but I see cycling being trashed in the media and online as a particularly dirty sport on a rather regular basis. I'm suggesting that this is rather ironic considering that the UCI is the only sports governing body out there doing anything meaningful in the attempt to control doping in sports. Not because they are altruistic, but because the economics of the sport are compelling them to do so.

The biggest illusion of all is that sports on the pro level remains pure sport. It's a BUSINESS. Always will be. The trick is to TRY to keep the pure sport alive. With all the money involved, that's the hard part these days.
patentcad is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.