Thursday, August 10, 2006

At least the cycling folks caught Floyd Landis.

I'm really sick of Floyd Landis's excuses at this point.

First it's Jack Daniels, then it's unusually high natural testosterone, then it's cortisone shots. He made some other excuse on Jay Leno, I didn't really pay attention, and it really doesn't matter anymore.

Still, you have to give cycling credit for one thing. They at least have their testing down in a way Major League Baseball doesn't. Yes, you probably would never hear about something like this in baseball, but that's because they don't test for testosterone (just steroids), and even if they did, Don Fehr would try to sweep it under the rug.

But, cycling has it's act together. Their testing adheres to a strict code, use strict laboratory procedures, test for a wide range of performance enhancers and masking agents, and if they find something, they test it again.

Furthermore, on your first positive test, you're gone for two years. Do it again, and you're gone permanently. Oh, and those titles you won while on the stuff? Gone.

Which is much better how baseball handles performance enhancers: Deny the problem for decades, get the entertainment value out of it when people break records, then act shocked and appalled when people come out saying your game is dirty, then appoint a bogus commission to look into the problem. Oh, and pass a token steroid test to appease your detractors and bust a few minor leaguers that no one's heard of.

The cycling folks may have problems, but they at least caught Floyd Landis. Baseball still lets Barry Bonds play.

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