Much ado about something

Aside from the obvious (you know… like everything), there are two specific sports-related stories that I simply cannot put together intelligent and unique sentences about. One of the stories is a parent’s worst nightmare realized and encompasses just about every emotion, theory, thought and any other type of lean-tissue burning catalyst anyone can conjure.

The other, simply, has worn me out. Despite an interest in the topic that bordered on obsession last summer, these days my eyes glaze over when stories on the subject appear.

So as far as Andy Reid and his sons go… what can anyone write? I honestly believe there is nothing smart a writer (not a novelist) can put together on the subject that will do anyone justice. In fact, attempting to just might be insulting – even what I’ve come up with so far fits into those categories. Even seasoned parents can just wonder and offer sympathy. What else is there? All I can offer is that hopefully things turn out OK.

As a not-so-seasoned parent my theory is that one could be as involved as Ward Clever and as in-tune with their child as the most fair-minded and studied child-rearing clinician, and it still comes down to a bit of luck that one’s kids turn out alright and well-adjusted.

That’s about it. Frankly, it's not really any of my business.

Now with Floyd Landis… are we still doing this?

The news came out today that Landis will not defend his Tour de France victory in 2007 as part of a deal with the French anti-doping agency. In return for staying out of France for the year (Stay out of Mailbu, Lebowski!), the anti-doping agency will postpone whether or not it will ban the Lancaster County native for two years from worldwide competition and strip him of his Tour de France victory.

The French agency will reconvene no later than June to make its ruling, which will come on the heels of the U.S. anti-doping agency’s case against Landis stemming from his positive test for unusually high levels of testosterone during one stage of last year’s Tour de France.

In other words, nothing has been settled, nor does it seem likely that there will be any type of conclusion any time soon.

Not being able to ride in France hardly seems like much of a loss for Landis, who could rank along with President Bush (and maybe Lance Armstrong) as the most disliked Americans amongst the French. Besides, Landis, who was recently in New York trying to raise money for his legal defense, had hip-replacement surgery four months ago and would probably not defend his title even if that one dope test (in the 21 he took) came back as clean as the others. Instead, he hopes to ride in the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race in Leadville, Colo. in August, according to reports.

Are your eyes glazed over yet?

Here’s what gets me about this – doping in sports is and will be the most significant story as far as sports are concerned for the foreseeable future. Governing the major sports to be drug free is a raging battle that seems to be doing nothing other than treading water. In baseball, Congress is involved… kind of. In football, positive tests and suspensions for steroids are nothing more than fodder for the transaction wire like turf toe or a strained muscle, while the Olympic sports – running, cycling, swimming, etc. – are neck deep in an abyss of supposed cheating.

In a story written by Evan Weiner of The New York Sun, the idea that wide-ranging investigations uncovering uses of illicit and performance-enhancing drugs could open up potential legal action from the fans is broached.

Weiner writes:

There is another problem with the Mitchell investigation that no one has addressed. What if Mitchell uncovers evidence of steroids and other banned substance usage? What kind of penalties can the industry impose on retired players, former team officials, and employees? What happens if people demand refunds for buying tickets to what they thought was a bona fide competition once they find out that the games featured cheaters? Other than a scholarly and possible legal report, just what is Mitchell's investigation going to prove? Major League Baseball lacked integrity six years ago, nine years ago, 15 years ago?

Better yet:

The difficulty they face is simple. No one in authority in terms of spending money on sports really cares about athletes using banned and illegal substances.

Meanwhile, the fans yawn.

As a side note to the Landis story, the two-year ban on Tyler Hamilton is up and the one-time top American rider is back racing and hopes to win the Tour de France this year. There's a big story about his drive to return to the top of the sport after his doping ban in the latest issue of Outside Magazine.

Wouldn’t that be something if he did it?