Tour de France - Mort!

I've always had a soft-spot in my heart for Cycling. I used to ride my bike every day in highschool. My fibromyaligia makes it difficult for me to cycle now, but that hasn't changed my love for cycling or my love for it's biggest race the Tour de France. Over the last few years, I've stood by the tour and one of my favorite athletes, Lance Armstrong. But today, enter the straw that broke the camel's back. This may be my last tour stage.

Tour de France punishes Riis after doping admission

Sigh! Riis, for those who might not know, was the first guy to win the tour after the Miguel Indurain era. Riis, along with Ullrich and Pantani, was one of 3 single tour winners after Indurain and before the Armstrong era began. You may or may not recognize any of those names other than Armstrong, but let me speak plainly for a moment. Every tour winner since Indurain has now been suspected of, involved in or suspended for drugs or doping. EVERY ONE!

Riis - You just read the story
Ullrich - The 1997 winner and Armstrong's biggest rival was suspended for the 2006 tour in the Spanish doping scandal.
Pantani - The 1998 winner's entire career was marred by drug allegations. He died of cocaine poisoning in 2004.
Armstrong - The 7-time tour demi-god and cancer surviver...I'll have more to say in a moment.
Landis - Hero and goat of Lancaster Co, PA. (My wife is from the area) What a great story this guy was. A hero in the making. The comeback story of the decade. The savior of the tour...may have killed it with his own doping scandal.

Back to Armstrong: I have been a defender of Armstrong for years. His story has been an inspiration. His LiveStrong organization is a champion for cancer hope. His first tour win was moving beyond words. Yet, the body of allegations and the sheer volume of other cyclists exposed for drug use makes me believe that the angry mob of French journalists are right. Even if all of it's a lie and Armstrong is innocent, cycling is so corrupted by this that it doesn't deserve my respect or attention. And so, the Tour is dead to me. I have no reason to ever go to France now.

And so we come to Baseball. Baseball is the sport of joy in my household. I rank missing Phillies games as one of our top 10 reasons we dislike living in the south. Slick, who hates spending money, nearly caved for the baseball satellite package. If it had been a better deal, who knows.

Baseball is also experiencing a lot of flack for the drug scandal. I'm really torn about all of this. I suppose that I've found myself looking the other way. What does it tell us about the integrity of our society when we do everything to win? What does it teach our children when their heroes are willing to subject themselves to dangerous chemicals to hit a ball farther?

Baseball, you're on notice! My relationship with you is a long and special one. But, relationships are based on trust and respect. I don't trust you any more baseball. And if you don't shape up, you'll lose my respect and eventually my support.