Steroid use in cycling and marketing: Floyd Landis, Lance Armstrong and the Michelin Man

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Professional cycling continues to prove it’s a shady business.

Floyd Landis recently accused his former racing partner and seven-time Tour de France champion, Lance Armstrong, of taking steroids.  His allegations made national headlines as statements like these always do when those accused are as accomplished as Armstrong.  Landis’ comments turned out to be largely unfounded (we think) by anything other than his own opinion and perhaps a touch of jealousy for never having dated Sheryl Crow.

Since it has become fashionable to publicly accuse high profile athletes of doping for personal gain, I would hereby like to make an accusation of my own.  The Michelin Man is on the juice!  Like Landis, I have absolutely no evidence to back up my claim but come on, look at the guy.  He’s considerably more jacked up than Armstrong.  So what if he never failed a drug test?  Who has these days?

Years ago, the Michelin Man was a plump, cheery, animated character comprised of vulcanized rubber, the bulk of which lay around his mid-section.  Have you seen him lately?  Atkins diet, my ass!  He’s got guns and probably what amounts to the equivalent of a 56” chest.  Either he’s been putting in extra time at the gym or he’s on PED’s.  I’m inclined to believe the latter.

Clearly, somewhere along the line, Michelin’s marketing department discovered that a more in-shape tire guy would have better luck selling whitewalls to a population which is largely overweight.  But that doesn’t change the fact that the Michelin guy, aka Bibendum, became suddenly and suspiciously svelte.  One need only look at their resulting spike in sales to raise an eyebrow.  I propose an asterisk on all future advertisements.

Did Bud Selig, the Bernie Madoff of sports commissioners, moonlight as Michelin CEO during this change?  Has the Michelin Man been spotted with Anthony Galea or Brian McNamee?  How soon can we implement drug testing among marketing icons?  What if that little, green Geico lizard became Hulk-like overnight.  Wouldn’t we think something was amiss?  If people can associate Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with cocaine use, then why can’t I point a finger at the Michelin Man for sticking a needle in his rear tire?

Are my allegations that an animated character took steroids as laughable as Landis’.  Maybe.  But now the Feds are involved and we’re about to find out who’s innocent and who’s not.  Our tax dollars hard at work.  We’ve already seen countless reputations ruined across all sports for steroid use.  If it were discovered that Armstrong, cancer survivor and national hero, did the same, sports fans might not know how to react.

For the sake of decency, let us all hope that Landis’ allegations are as absurd as mine.

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85 Replies to “Steroid use in cycling and marketing: Floyd Landis, Lance Armstrong and the Michelin Man”

  2. Chris


    Landis     was never going to be the smartest apple that fell from the tree. At the same time UCI knew that drug and steroid use was prevalent within its sport. It wasn’t until the IOC was intent on dropping the sport that they began to take the issue seriously.

    Alan Parkins

  5. Chris

    UCI has to be seen as being proactive . If not then it’d give the perception of favoritism. What people seem to forget was Armstrong’s illness and the fact he had not only brain cancer but also testicular cancer as well. How the hell did they expect him to survive ? Drinking friggin’ berry juice ? There are some dumb a_s people out there at present whose interest it’d be to keep their dumb mouths shut to begin with !

    Swimmer Eric Shanteau swam at the Beijing Olympics and he had testicular cancer. Rather than start on the dose of medicines and chemo needed he sought to forgo that until after the games had ended.

    Landis is a complete “d_ck” and consider this as recent as three months ago his agent had approached Armstrong’s people with a view to him riding for their team. This is more sour grapes on Landis’ part more than anything else. He’s been banned and he’s not entirely happy with the situation which was of his own making to begin with !

    Alan Parkins

  6. Al…

    What leverage does UCI have when the government is investigating them?

    I’m also interested in finding out how much public perception outweighs the facts of each case.

    We all seem to hate Jose Canseco… but has he been right or wrong? We hate Landis and idolize Armstrong but what if Landis is right? We hate both McNamee and Clemens so we assume they’re both wrong.

    As in anything, objectivity affects opinion. Nobody was there when these athletes injected themselves with PEDs… allegedly.

    Well, nobody but Jose Canseco.

  7. In light of this hard hitting investigative reporting, I have a confession to make. Because of an elbow condition brought on by bending it too much, I too have succumbed to the temptation of steroids. I hope my fans can forgive me and I hope to make a lot of money with my tell all book.
    You’ve been a wonderful audience, thank you and have a pleasant weekend.

  11. Chris

    UCI is an autonomous body that runs the sport internationally . What we ought to have is the IOC and WADA simply say that the sport of cycling in terms of it being an Olympic sport will be suspended for the two Olympics. At the same time L’Equipe who oversees the Tour De France would also have to clean house . That sort of visibility being taken away from the sport ought to be enough of a deterrent ! But as usual too much money is being bandied about around the sport.

    That’d be what I would do ! But who am I when it’s all said and done ?

    I mean baseball had to be dragged kicking and screaming after WADA , IOC and IBAF (Int’l Baseball Federation) had threatened to scuttle the WBC ( World Baseball Classic) if they didn’t adopt a comprehensive drug testing policy.

    And as we now know that policy is about reliable as anything being uttered out of the mouth of Tiger Woods , A-Rod and Roger Clemens combined ! Which isn’t a great deal to begin with ! nough said !

    Alan Parkins

  13. Chris

    Let me ask you this Armstrong comes back from his illness and some of the drugs he’s taking to abate any recurrence are found to be not illicit. So why all the uproar ? That’s not a perception of cheating as it was well known to those who bothered to investigate that he still had to be on medication until the cancer had been in full remission. When he resumed riding he was cured but not fully. But it was enough wherein he felt he was able to compete and compete he did. The French and a dumb ass such as Landis simply aren’t intelligent enough to think or have an iota of common sense.

    If he’s been tested in and out of competition and they’ve found nothing untoward . This all comes down to sour grapes.

    I mean the French are still p_ssed that they’ve not had a male winner of the French Open (tennis) since Yannick Noah that they’ve begun to claim Federer as a French national and one of their own . They’ve become gung-ho and a bunch of xenophobes .

    Alan Parkins

  14. We don’t ALL “Hate Landis and idolize Armstrong.” Landis was one of many many talented young cyclists in the late 90s early 00s that were faced with the choice of either staying clean, and staying on a small domestic team with no money, or doping and riding the bike races for the big money with the likes of Armstrong, Ulrich, etc. Landis, as did Tyler Hamilton, Roberto Heras, Frankie Andreu to name a few, did so and enjoyed success and safety while racing under the protection of Patron Armstrong. Somehow all of them got busted for doping, or admitted to it, only after leaving Armstrong’s team. Do you really think that Armstrong won 7 tours without the use of blood doping, while every other rider that competed at his level- Vinokorov, Basso, Rasmussen – and including his aforementioned domestiques- were doped up? You most likely are aware of the effect of a three week grand tour on a rider’s red blood cell population- that’s right, it reduces that population significantly. With less red blood cells comes a reduction in the ability to process oxygen, less endurance. By the time the critical mountain stages and time trials come around, if you are competing against riders who have used artificial means to maintain their hematocrit level, then you are getting dropped. Armstrong won his tours by using brilliant strategic attacks at the very moment when aggression would have the most dramatic effect. Usually, these moments occurred towards the third week of racing, and at high altitude. These strategic attacks came exactly at the point in the race where a consistent program of blood doping to maintain maximum hematocrit levels would have the greatest effect. The steady base of high hematocrit acted in effect as the springboard for such attacks. If the other riders who succumbed to these attacks have all been subsequently exposed as blood dopers, then it doesn’t really make sense to believe that the one guy who was actually stronger than they at those critical moments, was the one guy up on the mountain whose hematocrit levels had been allowed to naturally deteriorate during the first two weeks of racing. No, it doesn’t make any sense.

  15. Chris

    UCI is autonomous and the ruling int’l governing body for the sport. They much like baseball obfuscated all responsibility in safe guarding the sport. Now they’re running all over the place like a headless chicken trying to put out all of the fires.

    None of this crap would’ve happened in the first place had they worked in conjunction with WADA and the IOC . Instead they chose to go it alone and this how things got to be so bad within the sport.

    Alan Parkins

  16. Al…

    They can be as autonomous as they want. As we’ve seen in other sports lately, if they can’t govern themselves, right or wrong, our own government will step in.

    Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll still suffering from this Magic hangover.

  19. First of all, Yarl, thanks for the well-thought out comment.

    I think it this day and age, it really wouldn’t surprise any of us sports fans to hear that Athlete X or Athlete Y took some sort of PED to get an edge… or cheated on his wife…. or whatever.

    For whatever reason, we hold these athletes to a higher standard and that’s wrong. They’re human. They screw up. And if there’s millions of dollars on the line to get an edge over the competition, they’re going to do whatever it takes.

    Wouldn’t we if we were in the same boat? So why all the hypocrisy?

    Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go back to crying about that Magic loss last night.

  20. Al… I didn’t hear anything from you about calling Selig ‘the Bernie Madoff of sports commissioners.’ I thought you’d get a kick out of that one.

    And I know you agree.

  22. Chris

    The press and pundits alike build these athletes up into icons before they’ve actually achieved anything of merit. But rarely do they go about and look at the darker side of them ’til something untoward comes up.

    Like I said to chappy everyone loves Jack but that guy much like Jordan rarely stepped into the political fray. In the case of Jack and Palmer they sat idly by and did _hit about the segregation of their sport . But yet both of them are held in high esteem. If it wasn’t for someone like Gary Player I doubt things would have changed all that much within the PGA.

    As to the steroid abuse within sports what do you expect when you have a weak hierarchy and in some cases they condone the actions of the players. Look at the NBA for instance . Come back to me when you think that they aren’t in some way profiting from this all.

    Alan Parkins

  23. yarlmark

    We don’t all hate Landis ? The guy is an a_s ! So you’re saying that in any sport it’s OK to cheat to get ahead ? The cycling as a whole much like baseball is a complete joke ! A weak hierarchy from top to bottom and the riders within the sport have rarely come out and spoken openly as to what inherently ails their sport much as is it is with baseball . When have you ever heard Jeter or even Pujols for that matter condemn the guys who’ve cheated. This is all a crock of s_it !

    Alan Parkins

  24. Al…

    What % of the sport do they think is dirty? I actually tried to look it up in researching this piece and couldn’t find any solid numbers.

    I wonder why.

  25. Al…

    Even athletes of merit have still fallen from our good graces, i.e., Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson, Tiger Woods, OJ Simpson. We put these guys on a pedestal without truly knowing them, then acted astonished when their lives took a sharp turn for the worse.

    And I don’t know what to tell you about golf being exclusionary, Al. There are clubs to this DAY that still don’t allow minorities.

  27. Chris

    Both sports (boxing & cycling) have a damn weak hierarchy and you can also include the NFL and MLB as well. In fact all four major sports as well as the NCAA for that matter ! These guys couldn’t give the appearance of being tough if their damn lives depended on it !

    Classics And Then There Are Classics

    Alan

  28. Chris

    That’s the one thing I’ve never done when it comes to athletes. I’ll admire their gifts but I’m not going be lured by the crap that the writers will regale us with. I know we’re all human but many of these guys circumvent the law and then expect to be excused for their behavior and that’s what the kids so admire. It’s like I said the dumbing down of America .

    Al

  29. Chris

    All sports have had their corrupt side you don’t need to look it up any books or go by any numbers . Don’t you realize that by now ?

    Al

  30. Chris

    The numbers Madoff was dealing goes way beyond Selig’s sphere but that’s not to say that he doesn’t know how ton pull a con with the best of ’em ! I mean he and the MLBPA gave us the steroid era and we latched unto it like a baby suckling on its mothers’ tit.

    Alan Parkins

  31. Chris

    The Rays are looking far too jittery for my liking and all the friendly coaxing by Maddon isn’t going to do a damn thing if these guys can’t get a hit much less Shields coming up with the asinine excuse I pitched well but couldn’t find a rhythm. 85 pitches over 5 1/3 innings would be disconcerting as well. Considering more than half of those pitches weren’t even strikes.

    Alan Parkins

  32. Al… I think I disagree with you on including the NFL in with that bunch.

    They appear to have an, at least relatively speaking, strong organization.

    Take drugs? You’re out. Use guns? You’re out. Act inappropriately? You’re out.

    There’s a reason that sport is now number one.

  34. The Rays are starting to cool off a bit.

    We’ll see how much of that hot start they’ll be able to fall back on.

    They had to know the Sox and Rays were comin’ eventually.

  35. Chris

    Don’t kid yourself concerning the NFL . It wasn’t until the Goodell took office that they even touched the surface of the issues of players’ off the field conduct. And even then it became a farce with the NFLPA and the NFL hierarchy. You’re too caught up in the moment in the actions of Goodell which if anything has been window dressing in large part .

    He tends to cherry pick how he goes about business and hasn’t always been consistent in his findings.

    Alan Parkins

  36. Chris

    When have you ever heard Upshaw while he was union head much less his successor DeMaurice Smith any of their members admonish their members concerning their off the field conduct ? Wake up and smell the coffee instead of sniffing the glue or fecal matter within your midst !

    Alan Parkins

  37. Chris

    If Maddon thinks that a pitcher going 5 1/3 innings and throwing in excess of 110 pitches is to be commended and then state his pitcher had a great outing, then he’s kidding himself. Especially when more than half the damn pitches weren’t even strikes. He’s dealing with grown men and not damn kids and someone needs to remind him of that fact !

    If he’s got to still be coddling these guys as if their babies still suckling on their mother’s tit then this team will meet the same fate as the Magic !

    Alan Parkins

  38. Chris

    So Obama is under the impression that it’ll BP who’ll end up paying for the mess in the Gulf ? Boy is he and his cabinet in for a big surprise . This whole debacle could end up being the unwanted legacy that defines his administration .

    Boycott BP ……

    Alan

  39. Goodell’s also been given quiet a load to deal with, Al. The Vick, Roethlisberger, Burress and Stallworth were all tricky situations that fell into his lap.

  40. Speaking of Maddon and quality starts, Al, when did we even come up with this statistic?

    What is a ‘quality start’ anyway? A guy goes seven and only allows two?

    I don’t ever remember baseball keeping this statistic when I was young.

    The sport should be less concerned with adding numbers and more concerned with adding viewers.

  42. Chris

    The US public won’t have to worry about bailing out BP Chris , as it’s a British owned private conglomerate with operations all over the world .

    Stats in baseball have been kept for eons but it’s becoming increasingly prevalent in its use so that the fantasy geeks can get their hard on off it .

    So all of these problems fell into Goodell’s lap ? That’s a crock as Goodell has been commissioner of the NFL for a considerable time. The man is a damn lawyer by profession for God’s sake . But he acts as if he has no knowledge of jurisprudence. And as I’ve always alluded to he picks the battles he wants to wager all for the purpose of increasing his own image and not that of the NFL . The collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFLPA allows him to make the decisions concerning the punishment of players as he sees fit but look at how inconsistent he has been at times ?

    For Christ’s sake he hasn’t even got the balls to sit down with his union counterpart DeMaurice Smith and try and stem the tide of idiocy on display by the players. And you’re using the excuse that Goodell had this all drop into his lap ? Wait a minute so why did he apply for the position to begin with ?

    Don’t soft soap the issue concerning Goodell , Chris, as you’re fighting a losing battle !

    The guy is a vig time buffoon and a moron !

    Alan Parkins

  43. Chris

    What has the the four major sports taught us if anything ? It’s not about the fans but about “their bottom line” so get use to it.

    Alan Parkins

  45. Chris

    Federer gets bounced out of the French Open by the Swede Robin Soderling . Now what ? It’s all Nadal’s for the taking.

    So Big Ben has lost a couple of lbs and is back training with the Steelers. What’s the over and under that he bangs a co-ed by NFL midseason and then claims that she fell on top of him ?

    Let The Smack Talking Begin …………

    Alan

  46. C’mon, Al, like we haven’t bailed others out before. Heck, it’s our shoreline. It’s bad enough they gave us Oasis!

    I’ll have another piece up soon about that whole Quality Start thing.

  48. I think the tourney would have been Nadal’s anyway. We know clay is Federer’s weakness.

    I’m surprised to see both Williams sisters out already. Say goodbye to the lace.

  50. Chris

    The US government has never bailed out a none US company. And it’s not about to start now. Besides it’d create a constitutional nightmare in the US Supreme Court were that to happen.

    What we should be looking at now is the actual transparency of the companies involved. As it is the platform owners (Transocean) has sought protection in the federal courts in order to stave off punitive damages from a class action lawsuit.

    Take it from Chris there’s still a long way to go in this mess altogether !

    How ominous is that the likes of Palin and Cheney have become ominously silent in all of this ? Halliburton is a part owner operator of the rig and Palin’s husband was on BP’s payroll up ’til August of ’09 as a paid consultant. ” Drill baby drill ” ! At what cost to the environment and peoples’ livelihood ?

    Intriguing Questions That Need To Be Asked And Answered In The World of Sports ………….

    Alan Parkins

  51. Chris

    A quality start to me Chris is the average # of times I’ll have sex in a month not what happens in MLB !

    And being as it means a great deal of traveling to enact the scenario . Let’s just say I’m doing a hell of lot better than the entire Rays’ pitching roster at present .

    Maddon needs to stop coddling these guys and light a fire under their a_s !

    Alan Parkins

  52. It’s the US shoreline at risk but the drilling is taking place in international waters.

    BP is a British company and a publicly listed on both NYSE and the LSE. It can’t be bailed out by anyone but the British government . Int’l business law Chris , something I deal with concerning corporations.

    Alan Parkins

  53. Chris

    With Serena now out of the French it’ll give Common more time to wa that a_s of hers and then some !

    Alan Parkins

  54. Chris

    So Griffey Jr has decided to call it a day ? A tremendous career ! Just a pity that he’s called it quits without ever achieving the honor of winning a World Series title or ring.

    His record simply speaks for itself . And the fact that he never got caught up in the steroids era as a player only adds to his legitimacy as a first time sure first ballot Hall of Famer .

    Alan Parkins

  55. Al… aren’t we technically bailing them out by financially assisting in the clean-up process?

    Look, accidents happen. It’s about what precautions we take to prevent them and how we handle them afterward that define progress.

  56. Al…

    I think you and I need to debate the Rays.

    Look, I’ll admit to not having watched them as often as I should, but goodness.

    They have the best record in the majors. What I see when I DO watch them is a team that hustles all the time. They’ve won some crucial ballgames lately. They could easily fold up shop but they don’t.

    And all I hear from fans is how much they’re underachieving.

    I must be watching a different sport.

  57. Al…

    Did you know the Rays are third in the league in runs allowed and that they’re 21-6 on the road?

    Seems like their staff and defense are doing pretty good to me.

    What am I missing?

  59. Al… I do believe Common and Serena are no longer an item.

    And I don’t only say that because I’m a former stalker of hers.

    I just kinda… heard it… somewhere.

  61. Chris

    Having the best record in the majors and then seeing your lead whittled down to a mere 2 1/2 games ought to be cause for concern. Especially when it’s the Yankees on the Rays’ tails in the AL East .

    And that lead has been narrowed down in a little under 10 days. So pardon me if I don’t get too over exuberant at this juncture. Is Pena still hitting below the Mendoza line ?

    Griffey Jr would be in my top 5 of all-time great athletes never to have won a major title in or past their prime.

    Alan Parkins

  62. Chris

    With regard to BP and the statute as it relates to a disaster of this magnitude . The company has to pay the entire cost of the clean up.

    The Justice Dept are now conducting a probe into what went wrong . And they could file charges within Federal Court to fine BP with impunity. Whatever that may well be then either BP’s legal counsel will defend themsselves vigorously or they’ll pay the fine in full voluntarily.

    That being said Exxon Mobil was fined in excess of $25 billion for the Valdez disaster and they ended up only paying one tenth of that. So who’s kidding whom here as to where the ultimate power lies ?

    Alan Parkins

  65. Chris

    Common is still tappin’ dat a_s as he’s been seen at Roland Garros . He’s not there for the scenery or the camembert cheese or the Chateau Mouton Cadet de Rothschild .

    Alan Parkins

  67. Al… I can’t believe you’re so panicky about the Rays. The season’s only a quarter over and you know those teams were going to make a run.

  69. Chris

    Ten days ago the Rays had a 5 1/2 game lead . It’s now 2 1/2 games and now the Sox are playing themselves into contention. What makes you think that a meltdown at this juncture is out of the question ? Either you’re going on the option that the glass if half full or the K2 you’re using is really that good.

    Speculators are really hoping that BP bites the dust. If that happens then US government is proverbially fu_ked !

    BP bonds fall sharply as credit rating is cut

    The price of BP bonds has fallen sharply, a sign markets consider it is more likely to default on its debt.

    The downturn began on Tuesday, after BP’s “top kill” plan failed to block a massive leak in the Gulf of Mexico by pumping mud into the well.

    =============================

    Click on link to read in full.

    Bond agencies aren’t to be trusted as these are the same ba_tards that assisted AIG in the meltdown in getting investors to buy their worthless derivatives.

    Alan

  70. Looks like instant replay in baseball is now an inevitability, Al. Maybe they’ll call it the Galarraga rule? Not after the big cat, of course.

    I still think the Rays will be fine. It’s the AL East, man. Nobody said it was going to be easy.

  71. Chris

    I believe that of the four major sports , hockey and football have by far the best officials and officiating. In baseball and basketball the officials are prone to making mistakes on a regular basis .

    However in terms of fitness the officials in baseball are so damn unfit that they give obesity a bad name. Never mind the fact that some of these guys seem to be visually impaired .

    Alan Parkins

  72. Chris

    Will you still be this restrained should the Rays miss-out on a playoff berth because the Red Sox or Yankees make it in at their expense ?

    Isn’t it wonderful that Gary Coleman’s parents are showing so much concerning after the death of their son ? These miscreants bilked his bank account to the tune of millions and left him penniless as a youth. Now show they’re said to be showing emotional concern at the loss of their son. His widow is left penniless and only has his residuals to live off . Which by all accounts isn’t a great deal to begin with.

    Now with Rue McClanahan gone. It’s left to Betty White to strut her stuff. By the way I never said I’d have sex with Bea Arthur not even if I were drunk. I’d rather mount Oprah bareback !

    Alan Parkins

  73. Chris

    LPGA golfer Natlie Gulbis says that Roethlisberger is a “great guy “. I guess that gives credence to her clique that when you two balls laying in the bush you have to use a nine iron merely to get some pleasure.

    Gulbis friendly with ex Roethlisberger

    Associated Press

    OAKMONT, Pa. — LPGA golfer Natalie Gulbis played a round of golf with ex-boyfriend Ben Roethlisberger and called the troubled Steelers quarterback “a great guy.”

    Gulbis played golf Tuesday with Roethlisberger at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, a former site of the Ryder Cup and PGA Championship. On Wednesday, she visited Oakmont Country Club, where the U.S. Women’s Open will be played July 8-11.

    Gulbis and Roethlisberger were linked romantically several years ago, but the relationship did not last.

    Roethlisberger was suspended by the NFL for six games after being accused of sexually assaulting a Georgia college student in March. He was not charged in the case, but was punished under the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

    Gulbis says she’ll continue to cheer for Roethlisberger and the Steelers.

    ===============================

    I wonder what other novelties Ben’s got in his repertoire and bag of tricks to please the ladies nowadays ?

    Alan Parkins

  75. Chris

    So McDonalds are having their own recall of their own concerning the promotional “Shrek” movie tie-in . Does that now mean child obesity trumps a few spoiled beaches ?

    Alan Parkins

  76. Al… it’s a long season and I think the Rays have both the rotation and the lineup to be in there at the end. This team should win 90+ games. The race will undoubtedly go down to the wire against the two beasts of the East and one of those three will be left out.

    And I always knew you had a thing for Oprah. But you don’t just love her for her money, do you?

  77. Concerning the shape of baseball umpires, Al, all they do is sit there. There’s not much aerobic activity involved. NBA and NFL refs run up and down the field.

    Umps have always been overweight. Perhaps they should buy that Ed Hochuli weight-training DVD. It’s done wonders for me.

  78. Al… Did Big Ben slip Gulbis a roofie to get her to say that? I hope she knows what she’s getting into. I would have to imagine she’s a considerable upgrade from what he’s used to.

  80. That’s how a can of whup a_s ought to be administered ! Now let’s see if the Celtics can come back in game two on Sunday and even the series ? If not shut down shop and go watch the Bucs’ ota’s . That ought to be fun !

    Would Ben need to slip anything to Gulbis ? It’s been rumored that she “puts out” at the drop of a hat of a $50 ?

    When you say the umps sit there as if they’re on the crapper ?

    No Williams , no Federer so what no French Open that’s for sure . Nadal is going to win this running backwards.

    Miguel Cotto is fighting an aspiring rabbi Yuri Foreman , this weekend. I know there’s a joke in there somewhere but I just don’t know what it is .

    Will Smith’s son Jaden is in the new remake of the “Karate Kid”. No word as of yet if he’ll sign on for the consecutive sequels 2 thru 24 ?

    This’ll be the African American’s answer to Harry Potter. Kid uses karate do away with evil stave off bad stereotypes about the Chinese.

    This is literally a bad sports weekend all round. The Belmont Stakes isn’t worth watching. And the state legislature in NY is trying to justify them lending $25m to the Saratoga Spgs and the NTRA in New York. All this while the city faces a budget deficit of $4.6 billion and the state itself won’t let on as of yet as what their shortfall is. But yet they’re now furloughing state employees and not hiring professors for some state colleges. How quaint !

    Alan Parkins

    T

  81. Chris

    Texans’ Andre Johnson wants Fitzgerald type money even though he’s only three years in on a yr contract with the team. He’s not sitting out nor has he threatened to sit out the preseason practices. He’s still turning up for all practices mandatory or not. What the hell is wrong with this guy ? He’s giving the NFL primadona athlete a bad name don’t you think ? LOL,LOL,LOL !!!

    Here’s my take on it all let me know what you think ?

    Greed Is Good But ………….You Ain’t Gordon Gekko !

    Alan Parkins

  82. Chris

    What happens when the Rays’ lead in the AL East is erased as it surely will be ? Are you still going to be this effervescent in your support of the team ? Or will you go jumping back unto the Sox bandwagon ? That’s if you left there in the first place ?

    Alan Parkins

  83. Al… if as you proclaim, LeBron’s mom has slept with the entire Celtics roster, then it’s too late. Put everything you own on the Lakers.

    Nadal probably would have won the thing anyway. I just wanted to see him beat Federer in doing so.

    Will Smith’s son cheated, Al. Macchio was 24 when he did the first Karate Kid. Smith should at least wait til he’s reached puberty.

    And Al, is that why you got into martial arts?

  85. Whoa, Al.

    I haven’t switched allegiances to the Rays. I’m still a Sox fan.

    What I am saying is that Rays fans are fickle. Maddon’s not good enough. The rotation’s not good enough. The lineup isn’t consistent enough. The team is in first place and that still doesn’t seem to be good enough for the fans.

    If the Sox were in first, I’d be elated and I certainly wouldn’t be bitching about it.

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