A huge waste of my time....

I was goofing on the Central VA Mountain biking board with some friends an the topic of Tyler Hamilton's suspension from professional cycling for doping came up. I've been rattling this stuff around in my brain for a while... since the Festina ordeal of 1997, but I've never figured out what it meant to me. My dissappointment is obvious. It is hard to see your heros turn out to be cheaters. I'd get depressed and vow not to watch next year. I'd always come back though. The excitement is always so much. I always wanted to think that these guys are great and somehow above all the doping. Then someone tests positive and I'm back at square one.

Here's how I responded to one of Jay's comments....

"Hey guys.

Jay, in a way you're right. I really fought with this in my mind as I've seen pretty much every cyclist that I at one point admired test positive for some sort of illegal substance use.

I came to the conclusion that I'm in no position to judge. I've sure done a lot of stupid things over the years. Stuff that if I were ever in a position of public scrutiny would be damned as much or worse than anything these guys do or have done. Have I ever competed at that level? No. Have I ever been subjected to the kinds of professional and career pressures that these guys have been? No. Can I even understand the pressure these guys have on them to win?... the pressure to support their team day after day for a season that lasts 10 months? Not even close.

Am I happy this is going on? Nope. It dissappoints the hell out of me. I can't condemn these guys or even blame them. We all have to live with the decisions that we make. They have to deal with the fact that there are people like me who just switch off the tour and professional cycling because of their actions.

I'm an idiot, but I'm not so daft to think that this makes a stick of difference to any of them.

I came to the conclusion that I'd rather ride than watch other people ride. I'd rather ride than watch other people do just about anything (certain establishments that provide adult entertainment excluded). ;) Watching the tour, rooting for my favorite cyclist, buying and reading Velonudes, etc. is a waste of time for me. That is time that I could be using to get out in the woods for a ride.

I don't mean to be negative. I should just let these threads go by without comment. I tend to write what I feel. I thought it might fit here.

Sorry to ramble.

Pete"

I'll read a few newspaper clippings about the tour this year. That's all I need. I just don't care that much. I'd rather hang out with my wife and cats or go for a long ride.

Pete