It's All Downhill From Here
Jul. 27th, 2006 11:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
eggwardsSo if the news that Floyd Landis won the Tour de France wasn't a surprise to you, then you were probably one of the millions of americans who thought that no american had a chance at winning, and tuned the whole thing out. Why, since we Americans are a little self-centered, would we care when some other bloke wins a cycling race?
it then comes as a very little shock that Landis was tested, and came up positive for steroids. Any American would come under suspicion, especially after the multiple wins by lance Armstrong, which were always under suspicion by the international community.
There were always rumors, and even some who tried to put up evidence that Armstrong was at least using the after cancer medications to his advantage. Still, after being scrutinized for seven years, it became hard to deny that the man was just athletically gifted.
Still, people didn't know Landis, and suddenly he's on the podium accepting the trophy. All the riders who had been picked to win were in the shadow of another American, and this one, Landis, has a hip injury. How could one get through such a grueling race like that? Landis will have much to explain in the next few days as he will try to defend his title. He'll also be under suspicion in every other race he goes into.
I suppose he'll try to show that whatever showed up in the cup is medicinal, keeping his hip from flaring up during the ride, but on more than one occasion people have been stripped of titles and fired just because they took a banned cough medication prior to competition.
Of course, americans are having enough trouble with the use of steroids, everyone from high school athletes to Barry Bonds, that it's no wonder there's suspicion. When there's so much effort to go higher, faster stronger, and the lure is money, it's a powerful influence to take any advantage your given. so far the American public's reaction has been disapproving, but not condemning.
Still, you have to wonder about this race, and the athletes in it. So a man recovering from cancer (albeit in fine shape) can win seven times, then the next year the race is won by a guy with a bad hip? Heck, I get winded after a few minutes on a bike, and I'm thinking of trying out.
I know, I'm American and don't understand games we aren't good at, like soccer. still, our attempt to export snowmobile jumping hasn't been that successful, right?
I'm going to start placing bets that next year's winner is one of the quadriplegics from the movie "Murderball." This after Steven Hawking is thrown out for trash-talking with his speak and spell.
it then comes as a very little shock that Landis was tested, and came up positive for steroids. Any American would come under suspicion, especially after the multiple wins by lance Armstrong, which were always under suspicion by the international community.
There were always rumors, and even some who tried to put up evidence that Armstrong was at least using the after cancer medications to his advantage. Still, after being scrutinized for seven years, it became hard to deny that the man was just athletically gifted.
Still, people didn't know Landis, and suddenly he's on the podium accepting the trophy. All the riders who had been picked to win were in the shadow of another American, and this one, Landis, has a hip injury. How could one get through such a grueling race like that? Landis will have much to explain in the next few days as he will try to defend his title. He'll also be under suspicion in every other race he goes into.
I suppose he'll try to show that whatever showed up in the cup is medicinal, keeping his hip from flaring up during the ride, but on more than one occasion people have been stripped of titles and fired just because they took a banned cough medication prior to competition.
Of course, americans are having enough trouble with the use of steroids, everyone from high school athletes to Barry Bonds, that it's no wonder there's suspicion. When there's so much effort to go higher, faster stronger, and the lure is money, it's a powerful influence to take any advantage your given. so far the American public's reaction has been disapproving, but not condemning.
Still, you have to wonder about this race, and the athletes in it. So a man recovering from cancer (albeit in fine shape) can win seven times, then the next year the race is won by a guy with a bad hip? Heck, I get winded after a few minutes on a bike, and I'm thinking of trying out.
I know, I'm American and don't understand games we aren't good at, like soccer. still, our attempt to export snowmobile jumping hasn't been that successful, right?
I'm going to start placing bets that next year's winner is one of the quadriplegics from the movie "Murderball." This after Steven Hawking is thrown out for trash-talking with his speak and spell.
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no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 05:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 04:44 pm (UTC)Thanks for posting....
Date: 2006-07-28 06:32 am (UTC)So steroid use is bad in sports.... but "hocking" prescription meds on television is ok??? This country needs to think about its priorities.......
xooxxoxoxxo
Re: Thanks for commenting....
Date: 2006-07-28 04:51 pm (UTC)As for drugs, Didn't I hear that 1 out of 4 Americans is on some prescription drug right now (I know I am). I'm thinking as drugs are such a part of American life, the average person really doesn't care about performance-enhancing drugs. They'd say, "So the guy's on steroids? Well, I'm on Lipator, what's the big difference?" Besides, it's been going on for years, and now we're all concerned?
Drug companies are pretty much the ultimate capitalists, since there's so many designer drugs made to solve problems that aren't necessarily life threatening, but can be life-enhancing. The only way to make sure that people demand these drugs from their doctors is to create a vision that you must have this drug - even if the drug isn't for a problem you have!
no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 12:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 05:02 pm (UTC)Yes, They are looking for the effect, not the root cause. Perhaps there will be a change in the future for how they screen for such things, because if you're only looking for the effect, the testosterone, you might miss the drug as it could have been swept out of the system already.
Remember, no poppy seeds.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 07:23 pm (UTC)Plus, alot of things raise your testosterone. A nice big boy bending over in front of me tends to raise my testosterone level as well as working out.
It is my understanding thought that all anabolic steroids all work a certain way: they create testosterone. Some of them do it by converting into the hormone while others help the process along. So, it'll be hard to test for the injected material if it becomes testesterone minutes after interacting with your body.
Its a nasty world out there; i'm gonna keep upping my levels by standing behind guys when they bend over. No drugs needed.
no subject
Date: 2006-07-28 08:47 pm (UTC)As for the elusive Barry Bonds.... HE knows he did something wrong, why don't you think his trainer is not testifying?
no subject
Date: 2006-07-29 03:58 pm (UTC)of course MLB only gets rid of the small frys, like Jason Grimsley and Ryan Franklin, but superstars get a pass. That doesn't look so good. In the NFL you can be bounced for Marijuana, but i haven't heard of too many steroid users having to leave training camp. Strange world.
I think Barry Bonds will just try to finish this season at this point. While I think he wants the record, he needs to think more about jepardizing his chances to get into the hall.