Lewis and Landis

Rashard Lewis of the Orlando Magic and Floyd Landis, the defrocked 2006 Tour de France winner has one thing in common- both tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. But the similiraties ended there.

Landis wasn’t only stripped of the yellow jersey but was also banned from elite racing for 2 years. These days, Landis is racing for a US domestique team, a CBA team in the basketball world. Lewis, who needs no introduction, got only a 10-game suspension without pay. Last season, Lewis earned $16,447,871.00, meaning, this upcoming season, he will lose around $1.6 million for his stupidity. In 2006, Landis was had an annual salary of $450K but the expected financial windfall from winning the Tour, estimated at $8 million, was supposed to be his big payday. Of course, he didn’t get to enjoy the windfall because he tested positive a few days after the race.

Two positive dope tests, two different results. 10 games vs. 2 years.

Why the obvious disparity? The reason is money. The NBA, just like the NFL and the MLB, are billion dollar businesses. And if you have a billion dollar product, you need to tell the people that it’s a wholesome product, not a rotten fruit. You hide its warts, because it is a golden goose. Because they have the ultimate bargaining chip, the NBA and Lewis really need WADA, the Olympics or the World Championships. In other words, David Stern will never, ever, spit on NBA soup like what UCI president Pat McQuaid does to pro cycling.

That’s why David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, et al, can still play baseball and earn their millions in spite of the fact that at one time, they were juiced. That’s why Ricky Williams, the 5’10”, 230lb, muscular running back for the Miami Dolphins, tested positive from, of all illegal substances, marijuana, and not steroids!!!

In pro cycling, the real power (read: $$$) is in the organizers of the Tour de France, not with the governing body, the UCI. If you ask me why, I can only say that it’s how the dynamics of cycling works. In the US major leagues, the power is shared by the league and the players union. In cycling, there is no union and the teams work for their own benefits only.

Lewis’s loss is just a drop in the ocean, gas money maybe. Landis, well, he lost his dignity (he still claims that he is innocent), his profession, his money and even his marriage. To add insult to injury, his Mom was diagnosed with cancer.

So before you can conclude that cycling is the dirty, think again. Everybody has some dirt to hide but the major leagues just have more money to pay the clean-up man.

Hang in there, tough Al!

Al Figer, the man behind the recently concluded Tour of Figer, had a nasty crash last week in his hometown in Samar. His cleats got detached while he was out training for a TT event in Manila this weekend and he ended up with 4 broken ribs, broken shoulder bone, facial bruises and was spitting blood. Al, who is a nurse working in the US, left yesterday to get the best treatment in the states.

Welcome and goodbye!

It’s strange to put these two words in the same phrase but I’d like to say a delayed welcome Aussie Brett Harrington to the Cebu Cycling community. Brett, who is married to a charming Cebuana, Jenny, is here for a long vacation. I say “goodbye” because he’ll be leaving today for home. Brett, who wears a pacemaker, is one of the stronger Cat C riders in the local cycling circuit. Hopefully, we’ll see a lot of Brett next year. THE FREEMAN