Floyd Landis tests postive again.

[Dinkeldog]

From what I've read elsewhere, Landis is hypothyroid, and test results like this are uncommon but not unheard of for people with that condition when they engage in heavily strenuous activity. I've got several family members that are hypothyroid (I'm border line), but none that have the thyroid condition were ever tested like that. I do know that my little brother needed to shower 3-4 times a day during the gymnastics season because he stank to high H-E-double toothpicks if he went any period of time without showering, so clearly the body chemistry was thrown off a bit.

So let's see if there's a reasonable explanation before getting the rope and finding the tallest tree.

 

[LightPhoenix]

I'm hypothyroid myself, due to an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The only drug that Mr. Landis would need to be taking for such a condition is some form of thyroxine, usually a synthetic form called levothyroxine. The two molecules (thyroxine and testosterone) are nothing alike, so crossover is highly unlikely. Yes, hypothyroidism can cause some weird body chemistry, and I've read that it can potentially cause a buildup of hormones, including testosterone. I haven't read anything that convinces me of the biochemistry though. However, the damning piece of information is the carbon isotope testing, which confirms that some of the testosterone was synthetic in nature. So the hypothyroid thing is bunk.

Basically, more than any other sport, cycling has a huge problem with steroid use. Hopefully between this and Operation Puerto were signs that the cycling community is starting to take this seriously. Landis played with fire, and he got caught, plain and simple.

 

[the black knight]

What a dumbass this guy is. He deserves to be stripped of the title.

 

[pogre]

All RPG style gamers I have met don't harass other people because it makes them feel good. All jocks I met did.

Well, at least you don't stereotype.

 

[jaerdaph]

I think I must have grown up in alternate universe. I played sports in high school (baseball and wrestling), I gamed in high school, and I went to a Catholic high school where we had an RPG club and the nun that ran it was my first DM.

Go figure.

 

[DaveStebbins]

All RPG style gamers I have met don't harass other people because it makes them feel good.

Right, 'RPG style gamers' act like others are dumber or less mature and make dismissive jokes at their expense. That's LOTS more mature. :\

Every group of people I've ever met tries to build themselves up by tearing others down in whatever manner is most available to them. My cynical side believes that it's human nature and RPGers are as guilty of it as jocks.

-Dave
"When we criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical." --Richard Carlson - Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Every group of people I've ever met tries to build themselves up by tearing others down in whatever manner is most available to them. My cynical side believes that it's human nature and RPGers are as guilty of it as jocks.

I think Kris Kristofferson said it best.

 

[Ranger REG]

So let's see if there's a reasonable explanation before getting the rope and finding the tallest tree.

"Reasonable"? But that sounds so un-humaniti-like.

Nah, hasty judgment deserves hasty punishment. Don't really care if the French-based drug testing lab may be on the take for an unreasonable motive. Besides, we're doing Landis a favor. He won't need to undergo hip surgery to replace his necrotic bones.

 

[Dimwhit]

Well, at least you don't stereotype.

You win the thread, pogre!

There's an easy fix to the whole drugs in sports problem. Give 'em all drugs. That will level the playing field a bit and we can go back to enjoying them all. Hell, half the drugs on banned lists are little more than nutritional supplements anyway (pulling that stat out of my butt). So put them all on the table.

 

[Cathix]

I can understand disdain for professional sports - they are created, controlled and dictated by their financial value. But to hate sports in general? That's a little odd. Sports are...games.

Games are good. So are soccer players' legs. (I mean, damn!)